Cherry Pie Strain

Cherry Pie Strain: Sweet-Tart Cherry With a Balanced High

The Cherry Pie strain is a Bay Area classic — Granddaddy Purple crossed with Durban Poison — that smells exactly like its name: sweet and sour cherry over berry, earth and a little spice. It came out of the San Francisco medical scene in the early 2000s, credited to a grower called Pieguy and to Jigga, who went on to run genetics for Cookies. The high starts happy, giggly and a little creative, then slides into a calm, relaxed body. Twenty years later it's still on menus, and it's a parent to strains like Forbidden Fruit and Cherry Runtz. Want something in the cherry-dessert lane today? Start with our THCA flower collection.

It's also a strain where the sources quietly disagree. Is it a balanced hybrid or 80% indica? Is it 13% THC or 26%? Is the Cherry Pie on a menu the original Bay Area clone or one of several seed versions? And a few popular family trees — including an older version of this page — credit it with children it doesn't have. Below: what each source actually says, how the high unfolds, what the potency numbers mean, the real family tree, how to grow it, and how to judge a bag.

Cherry Pie Genetics & Lineage

• Type: Indica-leaning hybrid. Leafly simply lists it as a hybrid; AllBud and ILGM call it 80% indica / 20% sativa; CannaConnection says 60/40; GreenState says roughly 60% indica. Weedmaps notes that one seed line runs sativa-leaning.
• Parents: Granddaddy Purple × Durban Poison, the one thing every source agrees on. Leafly writes the Durban side as "F1 Durb," and Weedmaps describes the original clone as Granddaddy Purple crossed with an F1 Durban line.
• Breeder: GrowDiaries credits PieGuy and Jigga, 2003–2004. GreenState says it was first bred by "Pie Guy" and later cultivated by Jigga, head of genetics for Cookies. ILGM calls the origin "often disputed."
• THC: Leafly lists 16% with 1% CBG; AllBud 16–24%; Weedmaps 19–26%; ILGM 13–23%.
• CBD: low — AllBud lists 1%, GrowDiaries 0.37%, ILGM 0.04–0.2%.
• Aliases: none widely used. Don't confuse it with Cherry Kush, Black Cherry Pie or Cherry Pie Kush — different plants.

Granddaddy Purple: the body and the color

Granddaddy Purple is the indica side — a Bay Area purple famous for grape-berry flavor, deep color and a heavy, sleepy body. It's the likely source of Cherry Pie's purple tinges, its berry undertone and the relaxed second half of the high. CannaConnection traces GDP back to Skunk, Afghani and Mendo Purps.

Durban Poison: the lift

Durban Poison is a South African landrace sativa known for a clear, energetic, sweet-anise high. It gives Cherry Pie its quick, happy start and keeps the strain from feeling like a pure couch strain at low doses. The "F1 Durb" wording matters too: the same Durban line shows up in the story of Girl Scout Cookies, which is part of why Cherry Pie gets lumped in with the Cookies family.

Pieguy, Jigga and the Cookies connection

The name you'll see attached to the original cut is Pieguy, with Jigga — later head of genetics for the Cookies brand — credited with growing and spreading it. GreenState describes Cherry Pie as a fixture on San Francisco medical dispensary menus in the early 2000s and says it helped set Cookies on its path. That's history, not lineage: Cherry Pie isn't descended from Cookies genetics. It came out of the same Bay Area circle at the same time. We couldn't find a first-hand statement from Pieguy himself, and GrowDiaries is the only source that gives a year (2003–2004).

Cherry Pie Terpene Profile

Leafly lists myrcene as the dominant terpene, followed by caryophyllene and pinene. ILGM and GrowDiaries also put myrcene on top, and GreenState says test results often show beta-caryophyllene, myrcene and limonene, with linalool, beta-pinene and nerolidol as minor notes. No source publishes percentages, so treat the ranking as a pattern, not a lab result. Caryophyllene is the one with the most research behind it: a 2008 PNAS study identified beta-caryophyllene as a "dietary cannabinoid" that binds CB2 receptors.

• Myrcene: The earthy, musky base and the most common terpene in cannabis. It's often linked with the relaxed, heavy-lidded side of a high — Cherry Pie's Granddaddy Purple half.
• Caryophyllene: The pepper and spice under the fruit — the "spiced musk" GreenState tastes and the "spice" in Weedmaps' notes.
• Pinene: A pine-forest note that may help explain why the head stays fairly clear early on.
• Limonene: Citrus brightness that lifts the cherry and the mood.

Here's the interesting part: no terpene smells like cherry. GreenState cites the botanical research company Eybna, which credits a fruity-smelling ester, ethyl isovalerate, with Cherry Pie's signature scent. Esters are present in tiny amounts and fade fast with a bad cure — one more reason fresh, well-stored flower smells so much better than an old bag.

Appearance

Leafly and AllBud describe dense buds with orange hairs and a slight purple tint. GreenState adds detail: rounder, more bulbous buds rather than pine-tree spears, somewhere between packed and loose, light green with deep reddish-purple tinges and heavy, sticky trichomes. The purple comes from the Granddaddy Purple side and shows more strongly in some cuts and grows than others — Weedmaps says the Riot Seeds line can go deep maroon and purple. Purple or not, a good Cherry Pie should be visibly frosty.

Aroma and Flavor

Open the jar and the name makes sense: sweet and sour cherry first, then berry and a doughy, baked sweetness, with earth, wood and spice underneath. Leafly describes "a sweet and sour cherry pie" scent and lists tree fruit, berry and sweet as the flavors. On Weedmaps, users report sweet (42%), woody (34%) and berry (24%), and the description adds dark berry, dough, earth, spice and a sharp fuel edge on the original clone. AllBud lists berry, cherry and sweet flavors with blueberry, cherry, earthy and sweet aromas.

Some reviewers find more unusual notes. GreenState tasted blackberry sweetness, saffron, mint and spiced musk; CannaConnection lists spicy, berry and cherry with vanilla; GrowDiaries users add cookie, sour and spicy undertones. The smoke isn't always smooth — one Leafly reviewer calls it "kinda harsh on the throat," though the taste makes up for it. A dry-herb vape at a low temperature shows off the cherry best.

Recreational Effects

Cherry Pie is a two-stage high: happy and social first, relaxed and heavy later. On Leafly, where it holds a 4.3-star rating from more than 2,200 reviews, the top reported effects are:

• Relaxed: the headline effect on both Leafly and Weedmaps (39% of Weedmaps users).
• Happy and giggly: a quick mood lift — "the high crept in smooth, lifting my mood almost instantly," one Leafly reviewer wrote.
• Euphoric: 31% of Weedmaps users; AllBud and ILGM list it too.
• Creative and sociable: AllBud lists creative; ILGM adds uplifted. Good for conversation and low-key projects.
• Hungry: GreenState's FAQ addresses the munchies, and appetite is a common reason people reach for it.

How the high unfolds: onset, peak and duration

• First 10 minutes: GreenState says it starts in the eyes and reaches the mind fast — a happy, giggly lift.
• 15–45 minutes: the sociable, creative middle. GreenState says the mind stays alert and stress feels manageable for the first couple of hours; GrowDiaries describes a focus phase.
• 45 minutes on: the body relaxation builds. As it fades, GreenState warns couch-lock and lethargy can set in.
• Total: roughly 2–3 hours when smoked. Higher doses lean heavier and sleepier.

So timing matters. Small doses work in the afternoon; bigger ones are an evening plan — one Leafly reviewer calls it "great for relaxing before bed."

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

How Strong Is Cherry Pie?

Cherry Pie is moderate to strong — not a modern 30% monster, but more than enough for most people. The published numbers spread wide:

• Leafly: 16% THC, plus 1% CBG.
• AllBud: 16–24% THC, 1% CBD.
• Weedmaps: 19–26% THC.
• ILGM: 13–23% THC, 0.04–0.2% CBD.
• CannaConnection: about 20% THC (for its seed version).
• GrowDiaries: up to 15% THC, 0.37% CBD.

Why the spread? Several different plants are sold as Cherry Pie, and the older listings reflect older grows. One long JointCommerce guide even contradicts itself, citing 21–40% from dispensary labels and "high teens to mid-20s" a few paragraphs later. Realistically, a well-grown modern Cherry Pie lands in the high teens to low-to-mid 20s. Treat anything above 30% without a lab report as marketing.

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 batch of Cherry Pie against the 13–26% 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.

One Name, Several Plants: Clone vs Seed Versions

When you buy "Cherry Pie," you might be getting one of several plants. Weedmaps lays it out best:

• The original clone: the Pieguy/Jigga cut — Granddaddy Purple × an F1 Durban line — with dense, purple-tinged flowers, sweet fruit and dough, and a sharp fuel edge. Clone-only, passed around the Bay Area.
• Riot Seeds' Cherry Pie: the original clone crossed with a WCD 710 male carrying West Coast Dawg and Sugenite OG genetics. Weedmaps says it stays fairly short, can turn deep maroon and purple, finishes in about nine weeks and runs sativa-leaning.
• Other seed lines: CannaConnection credits its Cherry Pie to Royal Queen Seeds, GrowDiaries lists Powerzzzup Genetics, and seed shops sell several more GDP × Durban Poison versions. CannaConnection also lists a 3rd-place Best Medical Sativa finish at the 2014 Denver High Times Cup; we couldn't confirm that result anywhere else.

None of these is "fake" — but they aren't identical, which explains most of the disagreement on type, THC and flavor. If a seller can tell you which cut it is, that's a good sign.

The Cherry Pie Family Tree: Strains Born From It

Cherry Pie's sweet-tart cherry made it a popular parent. The crosses we could verify:

• Forbidden Fruit — Cherry Pie × Tangie, per Leafly. Cherry and tropical citrus, and probably its best-known child.
• Cherry Runtz — Runtz × Cherry Pie, credited to Elev8 Seeds. Leafly lists it as a Cherry Pie child.
• Cherry Cookies — Cherry Pie × Girl Scout Cookies, credited to Purple Caper Seeds on SeedFinder.
• Electric Kool Aid — Cherry Pie × Purple Diesel, per Leafly.
• Kool Aid — usually listed as Cherry Pie × Blackberry Kush, though we couldn't confirm it in an independent strain database.

Two you'll see listed that aren't Cherry Pie children: Sunset Sherbet is Girl Scout Cookies × Pink Panties (GreenState and our own Sunset Sherbet page), and Cherry Diesel is Cherry OG × Turbo Diesel. Earlier versions of this page listed both; we've corrected that.

Cherry Pie vs Similar Strains

• vs Granddaddy Purple: the parent. GDP is grape-berry and heavier, a classic nighttime indica. Cherry Pie swaps grape for cherry and has more of a lift up front.
• vs Durban Poison: the other parent, and the opposite end — sweet anise, clear and energetic. Cherry Pie keeps a little of that lift but finishes far more relaxed.
• vs Cherry Kush: similar name, different family. Cherry Kush is OG Kush × Purple Afghani, with woody cherry and wild berry over herbal kush and a heavier indica feel. Cherry Pie is sweeter and tarter, with the Durban lift.
• vs Cherry Cookies: its child with GSC — the same cherry over nuttier, earthier Cookies sweetness.
• vs Forbidden Fruit: its child with Tangie — more tropical and citrus, and usually more sedating.
• vs Berry Pie and Georgia Pie: the other "pies" — berry and peach-cobbler desserts from different families. The name is about flavor, not shared genetics.
• vs Lemon Cherry Gelato: our featured in-stock pick, and honestly not a twin. Both are cherry-forward dessert hybrids with a happy, relaxed finish, but Lemon Cherry Gelato adds bright lemon and creamy Gelato sweetness. Want something heavier and sweet-fruit gassy? Super Boof is the other one on our shelf.

Who Cherry Pie Is (and Isn't) For

Good fit: people who want a happy, social start without a racy edge; afternoon-into-evening smokers; anyone winding down after work; fruit-and-dessert flavor fans; and people chasing appetite. It's also a reasonable pick for moderately experienced users who find pure sativas too jittery.

Poor fit: anyone who needs to stay productive for hours — the back half can get heavy — and people prone to THC anxiety, since "anxious" is one of Leafly's reported negatives and GrowDiaries lists paranoia. For a cherry-forward dessert flower on our shelf, Lemon Cherry Gelato is the pick, from $69.

How to Use Cherry Pie 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 cherry. Around 350–380°F keeps the sweet-tart fruit bright; 390–410°F brings out the spice and wood and a 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? Beginners: one or two small puffs, then wait 15–30 minutes — the relaxed second stage takes a while to arrive. Regular users usually find two or three hits gives the full arc. More than that leans toward couch-lock. You can always add more; you can't take it back.

Medicinal Benefits

These are uses consumers report on Leafly, AllBud and GrowDiaries, not established clinical outcomes. Individual response varies with dose, tolerance and chemotype.

• Stress: the most-cited reason on Leafly (about 33% of reviewers). GrowDiaries users name it too.
• Anxiety: about 28% of Leafly reviewers — though "anxious" is also a reported negative, so keep the dose low.
• Low mood: about 27% of Leafly reviewers cite depression, consistent with the happy, giggly start.
• Aches and tension: AllBud lists chronic pain and migraines; GreenState describes mild pain relief.
• Sleep and appetite: AllBud lists insomnia and loss of appetite; GrowDiaries users mention insomnia.

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 and AllBud.
• Anxiety or paranoia — reported on Leafly and GrowDiaries, mainly at high doses or low tolerance.
• Lethargy and couch-lock — GreenState and AllBud note sedation as it wears off.
• Harsh smoke — some reviewers find it rough on the throat.

Is Cherry Pie good for sleep? It can be — at a higher dose, late in the evening, once the relaxed stage arrives. It isn't knock-out heavy on a small dose. 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 Cherry Pie Top Shelf? How to Judge a Good Bag

• Ask which cut it is. The original Bay Area clone and the Riot Seeds or other seed versions differ. A seller who knows is a seller who cares.
• A current third-party COA naming the lab, with THCA, delta-9 and total THC. Ours are on the lab results page.
• Cherry you can actually smell. Sweet-and-sour cherry over berry and spice. Because the cherry comes partly from delicate esters, flat, hay-like or purely earthy flower is old, badly cured or mislabeled.
• Frost and color. Heavy, sticky trichomes; purple tinges are a bonus, not a requirement.
• Dense, rounded buds that break apart sticky, not crumbly or wet.

Growing Cherry Pie

Cherry Pie is a manageable grow with one caveat: sources disagree on how forgiving it is. ILGM rates it easy with high disease resistance; GrowDiaries calls it moderately challenging and stress-sensitive, though several of its growers found it easy.

• Flowering: 8–9 weeks indoors per CannaConnection and ILGM; Weedmaps puts the Riot Seeds line at about nine weeks.
• Outdoor harvest: late September to mid-October per JointCommerce; ILGM says late October.
• Yield: up to about 450 g/m² indoors and 500 g per plant outdoors per CannaConnection; ILGM lists 16 oz/m² indoors and 14 oz per plant outdoors. Logged GrowDiaries harvests range from about 22 to 146 g per plant.
• Height: medium — around 120 cm indoors and 180 cm outdoors per CannaConnection. GrowDiaries growers note a fast stretch after veg.
• Training and feeding: Leafly says it trains well as a multi-branched plant or in a sea of green, and prefers moderate feeding.
• Color: cooler night temperatures late in flower help bring out the GDP purple.
• Seeds: the original is clone-only; feminized seed versions come from Royal Queen Seeds, Riot Seeds and others, and phenotypes can vary by up to a week.

Is Cherry Pie 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

• Lemon Cherry Gelato THCA Flower — our featured pick — cherry-forward dessert flavor with a happy, relaxed finish, from $69.
• 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 Cherry Pie indica or sativa?

Cherry Pie is an indica-leaning hybrid. Leafly lists it as a hybrid, AllBud and ILGM call it 80% indica, and CannaConnection says 60/40. It starts happy and uplifted and finishes relaxed.

What is Cherry Pie a cross of?

Granddaddy Purple × Durban Poison. Leafly writes the Durban side as 'F1 Durb,' and Weedmaps describes the original clone as GDP crossed with an F1 Durban line.

Who bred Cherry Pie?

The original Bay Area cut is credited to Pieguy, with Jigga — later head of genetics for Cookies — growing and spreading it. GrowDiaries dates it to 2003–2004. Seed versions come from Riot Seeds, Royal Queen Seeds and others.

How strong is Cherry Pie?

Leafly lists 16% THC, AllBud 16–24%, Weedmaps 19–26% and ILGM 13–23%. A well-grown modern cut usually lands in the high teens to mid-20s.

What does Cherry Pie taste and smell like?

Sweet and sour cherry first, then berry and a baked, doughy sweetness over earth, wood and spice. Weedmaps users most often report sweet, woody and berry.

What are the effects of Cherry Pie?

Leafly reviewers report relaxed, giggly and happy effects; Weedmaps adds euphoric. It starts with a quick mood lift and settles into a calm, relaxed body.

How long do the effects of Cherry Pie last?

Smoked or vaped, about 2–3 hours: a happy lift in the first 10 minutes, a social middle, then body relaxation from about 45 minutes. Edibles last much longer.

Is Cherry Pie good for beginners?

It's one of the friendlier classics at a low dose — not racy and not extreme in potency. Start with one or two small puffs and wait 15–30 minutes, since anxiety is a reported side effect at high doses.

Is Cherry Pie good for sleep?

At a higher dose in the evening, often yes — it gets heavier as it wears off, and Leafly reviewers use it before bed. A small dose is more relaxed than sleepy.

What is Cherry Pie used for?

Consumers most often report using it for stress (about 33% of Leafly reviewers), anxiety (28%) and low mood (27%), plus appetite and winding down. These are user reports, not medical claims.

What strains come from Cherry Pie?

Forbidden Fruit (× Tangie), Cherry Runtz (× Runtz), Cherry Cookies (× GSC) and Electric Kool Aid (× Purple Diesel); Kool Aid is usually listed as Cherry Pie × Blackberry Kush. Sunset Sherbet and Cherry Diesel are often listed too, but they come from other parents.

What is the difference between Cherry Pie and Cherry Kush?

Different families. Cherry Pie is Granddaddy Purple × Durban Poison — sweet-tart cherry with a happy lift. Cherry Kush is OG Kush × Purple Afghani — woodier cherry and berry over kush, and heavier.

How long does Cherry Pie take to flower?

About 8–9 weeks indoors per CannaConnection and ILGM, with outdoor harvest from late September to October.

Where can I buy Cherry Pie THCA flower online?

Cherry Pie isn't in the Diesel Hemp shop right now. Our closest everyday pick is Lemon Cherry Gelato THCA Flower — cherry-forward dessert flavor with a happy, relaxed finish, from $69, third-party lab tested. It adds lemon and Gelato cream to the cherry; for something heavier, try Super Boof. Add a pre-roll to ship free over $75.

Related Strains

• Cherry Cookies — Cherry Pie × Girl Scout Cookies — tart cherry over nutty cookie.
• Guava Cake — a Wedding Cake–family dessert strain with tropical guava and cream.
• Grape Ape
• Cereal Milk
• Tropicana Cherry
• Lava Cake
• Grape Pie
• Pink Champagne
• Birthday Cake
• Cherry Bomb
• Limoncello — The Original Lemonnade × Cherry Pie.
• Cherry Limeade — Cherry Pie × Black Lime Reserve.
• Granddaddy Purple — the indica parent behind Cherry Pie's body and color.
• Durban Poison — the sativa parent behind its happy lift.
• Forbidden Fruit — Cherry Pie × Tangie, its best-known child.
• Cherry Runtz — Runtz × Cherry Pie — cherry candy.
• Cherry Cookies — Cherry Pie × Girl Scout Cookies.
• Kool Aid — usually listed as Cherry Pie × Blackberry Kush.
• Cherry Kush — the similarly named OG Kush × Purple Afghani.
• Girl Scout Cookies — the Bay Area classic from the same circle.
• Lemon Cherry Gelato — our cherry-forward in-stock pick.
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