Black Maple Strain

Black Maple Strain: Bloom Seed Co's Dark Dessert Hybrid

The Black Maple strain is a hybrid from Harry Palms of Bloom Seed Co, made by crossing Dulce de Uva with Sherbanger. It's a dessert strain with an edge: grape and creamy vanilla syrup up front, black pepper and gas behind, on dark, heavily frosted buds that can turn nearly black-purple late in flower. The high starts with a euphoric head rush and settles into deep body calm. It sits in the same sweet, relaxing corner of our THCA flower collection as the modern Gelato-family desserts.

There's more confusion around Black Maple than its short history suggests. One widely read dispensary guide lists a completely different lineage, Dulce de Uva's own parents are disputed, and the most famous cut — Black Maple #22 — is sold as clones, flower and live rosin under several names. Below: what the sources actually say about its genetics, the #22, how it tastes, how the high unfolds, how strong it is, how to use and grow it, and how to judge a bag.

Black Maple Strain Genetics & Lineage

• Type: Hybrid. Leafly lists it as indica-dominant, AllBud as an even 50/50, and at least one clone seller lists the #22 as indica. Its most-reported effects — sleepy, relaxed, euphoric — lean indica.
• Ancestry: Dulce de Uva × Sherbanger. Leafly, SeedFinder, AllBud and the Denver alt-weekly Westword all agree on this cross.
• Breeder: Harry Palms of Bloom Seed Co, a Colorado seed company, per Leafly and SeedFinder.
• THC: Leafly lists 26%; SeedFinder 25–30%; dispensary pages 24–27%; AllBud 31–33%. One California grower's published lab result showed 27.71% total THC.
• CBD: Negligible — 0–1% across sources.
• Aliases and cuts: Black Maple 22, Black Maple #22.
• Offspring: Leafly lists Maple Nectar as a child strain; SeedFinder lists Bloom's Dulce BX (Dulce de Uva × Black Maple).

The Dulce de Uva side: grape and cake

Dulce de Uva ("grape candy" in Spanish) is also a Bloom Seed Co strain, and it's where Black Maple gets its grape and vanilla. Its own lineage is disputed. Westword says it "is believed to be a phenotype of Grape Cream Cake, though some accounts include Grape Pie and OG Kush," and that every Colorado version its reviewer had seen was Bloom's Grape Cream Cake cut. SeedFinder traces Grape Cream Cake to Grape Pie (Cherry Pie × Grape Stomper), Wedding Crasher (Wedding Cake × Purple Punch) and Ice Cream Cake #5 (Wedding Cake × Gelato). In short: grape candy on top of a stack of cake-and-cream dessert genetics.

The Sherbanger side: sherbet and gas

Sherbanger brings the sharper, gassier edge. Weedmaps lists it as Sherbet × Headbanger from Boston Roots Seed Co, noting it's sometimes attributed to Bloom; other databases name the Sherbet parent as Sunset Sherbet. That's where the pepper, rubber and fuel notes in Black Maple most likely come from.

Black Maple #22: the famous cut

Black Maple #22 is a selected phenotype — the number is a pheno-hunt label, not a separate cross. Proper Cannabis calls it "a rare strain from Bloom" with "creamy vanilla syrup and rich gas over funky fruit undertones"; the 2023 THC Classic entry lists it as a clone-only Bloom Seed Co cut; and clone sellers list it under Bloom and Boston Roots together. Most of the Black Maple rosin you'll see on menus is the #22.

A lineage error to ignore

At least one dispensary blog ranking for "Black Maple strain" describes it as Blackberry Kush × Maple Leaf Indica. No breeder or strain database we checked supports that. Every primary source points to Bloom Seed Co's Dulce de Uva × Sherbanger.

Black Maple Terpene Profile

Sources don't agree on a single dominant terpene, but two show up almost everywhere: limonene and linalool. Leafly adds pinene; SeedFinder and Proper Cannabis add caryophyllene; and one California grower's lab result led with myrcene (5.16 mg/g), then limonene (3.29 mg/g) and linalool (2.97 mg/g). That spread is normal — terpene numbers shift with the cut, the grow and the cure.

• Limonene: The bright, sugary top note that carries the grape candy from Dulce de Uva and the euphoric first lift.
• Linalool: Floral and soft; it rounds the grape into that vanilla-syrup impression and adds to the calm.
• Caryophyllene: The black pepper everyone notices on the exhale, and part of the gas from the Sherbanger side.
• Pinene: Pine and wood; Westword's reviewer picked up woody, toasty notes behind the fruit.

The "maple" isn't one terpene — it's the combination of sweet limonene, soft linalool and toasty, peppery caryophyllene that reads as syrup and breakfast to a lot of people.

Appearance

Black Maple earns the "black." SeedFinder describes forest-green foliage that can turn "deep, almost blackish-purple" in bloom under the right conditions, and Westword's reviewer noted lavender spots. AllBud describes long, triangle-shaped forest-green nugs with thin orange hairs and chunky golden-white trichomes; Westword saw large, oblong buds with apricot pistils and a sparkling trichome coat. Not every batch goes dark — cooler late-flower temperatures and the specific cut matter — so a green jar isn't automatically a fake.

Aroma and Flavor

Open a jar and the first read is white or ripe grape with black pepper, per Westword and SeedFinder, then wood, gas and something toasty — Westword compared it to "a fruity bruschetta board." Break a bud and the gas and rubber get louder, especially on the #22. On the inhale it's sweet: AllBud describes "a sweet and sugary candy-like taste with hints of maple syrup," and Proper Cannabis calls the #22 "creamy vanilla syrup and rich gas." The exhale is woody, peppery and gassy with grape and vanilla lingering. Leafly's reviewers list tar, butter and diesel as the top flavors.

Does Black Maple actually taste like maple syrup? Sort of. Most reviewers get sweet, syrupy vanilla and caramel rather than true maple — Westword joked it tastes more like waffles than flapjacks covered in syrup. The name fits the dark color and the breakfast-sweet profile; Bloom hasn't published an explanation of the name that we could find.

Recreational Effects

Black Maple starts in the head and ends in the body. Proper Cannabis describes a "terpene-driven head rush" that "settles into a mellow, stoney high." On Leafly — a smaller review pool, about three dozen reviews — the most-reported effects are:

• Sleepy: the top-reported effect, especially later in the session.
• Relaxed: heavy, whole-body calm.
• Euphoric and happy: the mood lift that arrives first.
• Creative and focused: reported less often, mostly at lower doses.
• Hungry: the munchies are part of the package.

Not everyone finds it sleepy. Westword's reviewer called it physically relaxing yet "creative, jovial and social," good for gatherings, creative projects or reading. Dose is the difference: a hit or two stays social; a full session heads for the couch.

How the high unfolds: onset, peak and duration

• First 5–10 minutes: a euphoric, tingly head rush. AllBud describes a slower "creeping cerebral" onset on some batches.
• 15–60 minutes: the peak — happy, chatty and loose, with the body getting heavier.
• 1–3 hours: a long, stoney settle. At higher doses this is where the sleepiness and couch-lock take over.

→ Experience it yourself — shop Diesel Hemp's THCA Flower

How Strong Is Black Maple?

Black Maple is a strong strain, but the numbers depend on who you ask:

• Leafly: 26% THC.
• SeedFinder: about 25–30%.
• Dispensary strain pages: 24–27%.
• AllBud: 31–33%.
• A published grower COA (THC Design, California): 27.71% total THC.

So a realistic expectation for good flower is mid-to-high 20s. The 30%+ numbers exist, but treat them as top-of-range batches rather than the norm — potency varies more between growers and harvests than between strain names. Black Maple also feels strong because the body effect builds for a while after the head rush, which makes it easy to overdo if you keep hitting before it peaks.

THCA flower is labeled differently from dispensary flower: the lab reports THCA, which converts to THC when heated, plus a small amount of delta-9 THC. When you compare a Black Maple batch against the 24–33% range above, compare total THC on the COA, not the headline number — our guide on how to read a THCA flower COA walks through the math.

Black Maple and Rosin: Why Hash Makers Care

A big part of Black Maple's reputation comes from solventless hash, not flower. MiCannaCast reports that Bloom Seed Co lists Black Maple 22 with a high solventless yield, and Westword notes Colorado producers including Green Dot Labs, Mighty Tree (under its Mighty Melts label) and Red Roots Rolling Co making Black Maple rosin and hash-hole joints. Black Maple #22 live rosin shows up on dispensary menus as far away as Florida. For flower smokers, that resin is a quality signal: a well-grown Black Maple should be sticky and greasy, not dry and crumbly.

Black Maple vs Similar Strains

• vs Italian Ice: Gelato 45 × Forbidden Fruit — and the two share family: Gelato 45 carries Sunset Sherbet (like Sherbanger), and Forbidden Fruit comes from Cherry Pie (like Grape Pie in Dulce de Uva). Italian Ice is creamier and more fruit-forward with less pepper and gas, and lands in the same relaxing, indica-leaning place. It's our closest match in stock.
• vs Sunset Sherbet: the sherbet line behind Sherbanger. Sweeter and more balanced; Black Maple adds grape, pepper and a heavier body.
• vs Grape Ape and Granddaddy Purple: the classic grape-and-purple sleepers. Both are simpler, more sedating and less gassy; Black Maple is the modern dessert-and-fuel take on the grape profile.
• vs Purple Punch: in Dulce de Uva's background via Wedding Crasher. Grape-candy sweet and sleepy, but without Black Maple's pepper and gas.
• vs Gelato: a grandparent-level influence through Ice Cream Cake. Gelato is lighter and more balanced; Black Maple is darker and heavier.

Who Black Maple Is (and Isn't) For

Good fit: experienced smokers who want a flavorful evening strain; fans of grape, dessert and gas profiles; people who want a social first hour that ends relaxed; rosin fans who want to try the flower behind a well-known hash cut.

Poor fit: beginners, anyone who needs to stay productive, or people prone to THC anxiety at high doses. For something lighter and more upbeat on our shelf, Dayglow Mousse is the better daytime pick.

How to Use Black Maple THCA Flower — and How Much

THCA has to be heated to do anything. Raw, it isn't intoxicating; heat converts it to THC (decarboxylation), which is why the method matters as much as the strain.

• Smoking (joint, pipe, bong): the fastest onset. Take one or two small hits, then wait 10–15 minutes before deciding on more.
• Dry-herb vaporizer: the best way to taste the grape and vanilla before the pepper takes over. Around 350–380°F keeps the sweet top notes; 390–410°F brings out the gas and the heavier body.
• Pre-rolls: the no-prep option — see our THCA pre-rolls.
• Homemade edibles: decarb the flower first. Edibles take 30–120 minutes to kick in and last far longer, so start low and wait the full two hours.

How much? New or occasional users: one small hit, then wait 15–30 minutes — the body effect keeps building after the head rush. Regular users usually find two or three hits delivers the full arc; more than that is a sleep dose. You can always add more; you can't take it back.

Medicinal Benefits

These are uses consumers report on Leafly, not established clinical outcomes, and Black Maple's review pool is small. Individual response varies with dose, tolerance and chemotype.

• Pain: the most-cited reason in Leafly reviews (about 28%), consistent with its heavy body effect.
• Stress: about 22% of reviewers.
• Anxiety: about 22% report help — keep the dose low, since high doses can do the opposite for some people.
• Sleep and appetite: "sleepy" and "hungry" are among its most-reported effects, so many people save it for the end of the day.

For a plain-language primer on how terpenes are thought to shape these effects, see Project CBD on terpenes. Nothing here is medical advice, and nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you take prescription medication or have a health condition, talk to your doctor before using any cannabis product.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Dry mouth and dry eyes — the most common complaints on Leafly.
• Headache — Leafly's top-listed negative, usually from overdoing it.
• Couch-lock and grogginess — likely at higher doses; plan for it.
• Anxiety or racing thoughts — possible during the head rush at high doses or low tolerance.

Is Black Maple good for sleep? For many people, yes — "sleepy" is its top-reported effect — but the first half hour is euphoric, so give it time before bed. Don't drive after using it, and talk to your doctor first if you take prescription medication, are pregnant or nursing, or have a heart condition.

Is Black Maple Top Shelf? How to Judge a Good Bag

• Ask about the cut. A good seller knows whether it's the #22 or a seed phenotype, and who grew it.
• A current third-party COA naming the lab, with THCA, delta-9 and total THC. Treat 30%+ claims without paperwork as marketing. Ours are on the lab results page.
• Grape and pepper-gas. Real Black Maple has both. Pure sweet with no pepper, or pure earthy with no fruit, suggests something else.
• Stickiness. It's a hash-maker's strain — the buds should be resinous and greasy to the touch.
• Color is a bonus, not a test. Dark purple is common but not guaranteed.
• A proper cure — a hay or grass smell means it was rushed, and it kills the delicate grape and vanilla first.

Growing Black Maple

Black Maple is available from Bloom Seed Co as regular (non-feminized) seeds, and the #22 circulates as a clone-only cut. SeedFinder describes bushy plants of moderate height that do well in a ScrOG, though Westword notes the buds are "prone to stretching."

• Flowering: about 9–10 weeks indoors per SeedFinder and clone sellers; one database lists 8–9 weeks.
• Yield: up to about 650 g/m² indoors and up to 1,200 g per plant outdoors, per SeedFinder.
• Outdoors: harvest around mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Color: the blackish-purple hues come out best with cooler nights in late flower — don't expect them in a warm room.
• Harvest for hash: rosin makers usually run it fresh-frozen; handle gently, since the resin heads are the point.

Is Black Maple THCA Flower Legal?

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp is federally legal when it contains no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis — see the USDA hemp program. THCA flower is sold under that rule. State laws differ and are changing, so check your state before you order. And whatever the label says, THCA flower will show up on a drug test — heated, it is THC.

Shop Premium Flower at Diesel Hemp

• Italian Ice THCA Flower — our Gelato 45 × Forbidden Fruit dessert hybrid — creamy, sweet fruit with a relaxing, indica-leaning body.
• THCA Flower — the full lineup, grown in Colorado by Diesel Hemp and partner farms.
• THCA Pre-Rolls — the same flower, pre-rolled.
• THCA Small Buds — same genetics, smaller nugs, better price per gram.
• What THCA flower actually is — the encyclopedia explainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Black Maple indica or sativa?

Black Maple is a hybrid. Leafly lists it as indica-dominant and AllBud as a balanced 50/50, but its most-reported effects — sleepy, relaxed, euphoric — lean indica, and most people use it in the evening.

What is Black Maple a cross of?

Dulce de Uva × Sherbanger, bred by Harry Palms of Bloom Seed Co. Dulce de Uva is a Bloom grape strain usually traced to Grape Cream Cake; Sherbanger is a Sherbet × Headbanger cross. One dispensary blog lists Blackberry Kush × Maple Leaf Indica, but no breeder or database supports that.

What is Black Maple 22?

Black Maple #22 is a selected phenotype of Black Maple — a clone-only cut tied to Bloom Seed Co and Boston Roots, known for creamy vanilla syrup and gas and prized by solventless hash makers.

How strong is Black Maple?

Leafly lists 26% THC, most sources 24–30%, and AllBud 31–33%. One published grower COA showed 27.71% total THC. It's a strong strain, and the body effect keeps building, so start small.

What does Black Maple taste like?

Sweet grape and vanilla syrup on the inhale, then black pepper, wood and gas on the exhale. Leafly reviewers list tar, butter and diesel; AllBud describes a candy-like taste with hints of maple syrup.

Does Black Maple taste like maple syrup?

Partly. Most people get a sweet, syrupy vanilla-caramel note rather than true maple — Westword's reviewer said it tasted more like waffles than pancakes in syrup.

Is Black Maple good for sleep?

For many people, yes — 'sleepy' is its top-reported effect on Leafly. The first 30 minutes are euphoric, though, so take it well before bed.

Is Black Maple good for beginners?

Not really. It's potent, and the body effect builds after the first hit. If you try it, take one small hit and wait 15–30 minutes.

Why is Black Maple popular for rosin?

It's a resin-heavy strain, and Bloom Seed Co lists Black Maple 22 with a high solventless yield. Colorado producers like Green Dot Labs and Mighty Tree have made Black Maple rosin and hash-hole joints.

How long does Black Maple take to flower?

About 9–10 weeks indoors, with outdoor harvests around mid-October. SeedFinder lists yields up to 650 g/m² indoors.

Why is Black Maple purple?

Many phenotypes turn deep, almost blackish-purple late in flower, especially with cooler nights. Not every batch does, so color alone doesn't prove it's the real thing.

Where can I buy Black Maple THCA flower online?

Black Maple isn't in the Diesel Hemp shop right now. The closest match is Italian Ice THCA Flower — a Gelato 45 × Forbidden Fruit dessert hybrid with a creamy, sweet profile and a relaxing, indica-leaning body, 1/8th (3.5g) for $29, listed at 28–30% THCA, third-party lab tested, with free shipping over $75.

Related Strains

• Italian Ice — Gelato 45 × Forbidden Fruit — our closest in-stock match.
• Sunset Sherbet — the sherbet line behind Sherbanger.
• Grape Ape — the classic grape-forward indica.
• Granddaddy Purple — the purple, grape-scented sleeper Black Maple is often compared with.
• Purple Punch — grape-candy dessert genetics in Dulce de Uva's background.
• Gelato — the dessert family behind Ice Cream Cake.
• Wedding Cake — the cake side of Grape Cream Cake.
• Cherry Pie — the pie line behind Grape Pie.
• Forbidden Fruit — Italian Ice's fruity, relaxing parent.
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