Red Pop Strain

Red Pop Strain: Strawberry Soda in a Jar

The Red Pop strain — also sold as Faygo Red Pop — is named after the strawberry soda Detroit has been drinking for generations, and the jar earns the name: sweet strawberry, berry candy and a creamy, almost cola-like fizz over an earthy base. The high matches the flavor. Reviewers describe it as giggly and happy first, then relaxed in the body without knocking you flat. For sweet, fruit-forward flower you can order today, start with our THCA flower collection.

Here's the catch — there are really two Red Pops. One is a Michigan creation from the extract team 710 Savant, an Afghani cross. The other is an Exotic Genetix seed line built from Strawberry and Cookies & Cream. The strain databases blend them together, so below we pull them apart: who made what, what the numbers say, how the high unfolds, how it grows, and how to tell which Red Pop you're holding.

Red Pop Strain Genetics & Lineage

• Type: Indica-leaning. Leafly lists it as an indica; SeedFinder calls the Exotic Genetix version about 60% indica; AllBud's "Red Popz" listing says 70/30. One Leafly reviewer bought a jar labeled sativa-dominant hybrid — a sign of how loosely the name travels.
• Breeders: 710 Savant, a Michigan extract team, per Leafly; Exotic Genetix, the Tacoma, Washington seed company founded by Exotic Mike, per SeedFinder. Weedmaps lists both.
• Ancestry: Leafly gives a single parent — Afghani. SeedFinder gives Strawberry × Cookies & Cream, inbred into an S1 line.
• THC: 20% on Leafly; 22–26% in Weedmaps' header, which its own text softens to "high teens to mid-20s."
• CBD: 0% on Leafly — negligible.
• Aliases: Faygo Red Pop, Frp (Leafly's abbreviation) and, on some menus, Red Popz.

Version one: 710 Savant's Michigan Red Pop

Leafly's write-up credits 710 Savant with an indica that "blooms with large rosy calyxes," an Afghani cross named after the Michigan soda. The second parent is a mystery. Weedmaps says it's historically unidentified, with newer descriptions pointing at Strawberry; one grow guide guesses a fruity sativa landrace like Thai. None of them shows proof. What we can confirm is that 710 Savant was a real force in Michigan concentrates — Metro Times' list of 2014 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup winners shows the team in 2nd place for concentrates.

Version two: Exotic Genetix's Strawberry × Cookies & Cream

SeedFinder tells a different story. A "Strawberries and Cream" phenotype was found by a grower posting as @regiemillers and shared with Exotic Mike, who built it into the Red Pop line — Strawberry (an unknown, allegedly Dutch cut) crossed with Cookies & Cream, then inbred into S1 seeds. Cookies & Cream itself is GSC × Starfighter F2, which explains the vanilla-cream side of the nose. AllBud's Red Popz lists the same Strawberry × Cookies & Cream pedigree, and one Michigan grower, Faded Cannabis Co., labels its jar "Strawberry OG × Cookies and Cream" while also calling it a 710 Savant creation.

So which one is "real"?

Both, honestly. The name was used twice, and the two lines share a strawberry-soda nose, so menus mix them up. If a jar's label says Exotic Genetix or Cookies & Cream, it's the Washington seed line. If it's a Michigan cut tied to 710 Savant, it's the Afghani version. We couldn't find either breeder explaining exactly how the two relate.

Red Pop's offspring

SeedFinder counts 33 direct descendants of the Exotic Genetix line — a "Pop" family that includes Astro Pop, Cream Pop, Big Red, FizZ, Fizzy Drank, Dreamsicle, Falcon Berry and Cherry Cosmo. The best known child is Red Runtz, Red Pop × Runtz, which SeedFinder credits with inheriting Red Pop's sweetness and resin. Leafly also lists Strawberry Gary as a child.

Red Pop Terpene Profile

Leafly lists myrcene as Red Pop's dominant terpene, followed by pinene and limonene. That's a classic indica-leaning lineup — myrcene is the herbal, musky terpene most associated with body-heavy strains. Strain guides add caryophyllene and linalool, but without lab numbers behind them. Caryophyllene is the one with real research interest: a 2008 PNAS study identified beta-caryophyllene as a "dietary cannabinoid" that binds CB2 receptors.

• Myrcene: The herbal, earthy base and likely a big part of the relaxed body — fitting for an Afghani-backed or indica-leaning plant.
• Pinene: A fresh, piney note that helps keep the head clear enough for the giggly, talkative side reviewers describe.
• Limonene: Citrus brightness and a mood lift. SeedFinder's Red Runtz page credits limonene from Red Pop for that child's sour-cherry and grapefruit notes.
• Caryophyllene: A peppery warmth credited by strain guides — plausible, not proven.

No single terpene is "strawberry." The soda effect comes from the whole blend — sweet esters, a little citrus and that creamy Cookies & Cream side — which is why fresh, well-cured jars smell so much louder than old ones.

Appearance

Leafly describes Red Pop blooming "with large rosy calyxes," and one grow guide calls the buds rose-colored and big enough to need support late in flower. A Leafly reviewer remembers "dense white tipped pungent nugs." AllBud's Red Popz listing sees brighter green nugs with thick red-orange hairs and amber undertones. Expect lime-to-olive green flower with a pink-red blush on the calyxes, red-orange pistils and a heavy white frost. Cool nights late in flower can deepen the red and wine tones.

Aroma and Flavor

Open a fresh jar and you get the name — sweet strawberry soda first, then berry candy, a creamy vanilla note and something close to cola fizz. SeedFinder puts it plainly: it smells like Faygo Red Pop, "sugary, berry, vanilla" with a cola edge. Leafly's flavor tags are strawberry, berry and sweet; Weedmaps' most-reported notes are pungent and earthy, with red fruit punch and spice on the 710 Savant side and creamy confection on the Exotic Genetix side.

Leafly reviewers add cherry and blackberry with "a hint of diesel," and one says it tastes "kind of like a strawberry or cherry flavor." Faded's Michigan jar is described as strawberry cream with a light gas finish. AllBud's Red Popz goes nuttier — strawberry candy with "creamy peanut butter." One honest note: a reviewer says the smell "doesn't hit super hard," so some cuts are quieter in the jar than on the exhale.

Recreational Effects

Red Pop is a feel-good strain more than a knockout. On Leafly, where it holds a 4.5 rating from 45 reviews, the top effects are:

• Giggly: the signature. Expect laughter and an easy, silly mood.
• Happy: a warm, upbeat lift that one reviewer describes as euphoric.
• Relaxed: a calm body that, per reviewers, isn't overly sedating.
• Talkative and social: one reviewer calls it "relaxed and talkative," another giggly, social and creative.
• Awake but calm: Leafly's summary calls it "mostly energizing," and one reviewer says it made them feel more awake but also relaxed.

How the high unfolds: onset, peak and duration

• First few minutes: a mild, euphoric head rush — the giggles show up early.
• 15–60 minutes: the peak — happy, social and talkative, with the body starting to loosen.
• 1–3 hours: a gradual settle into body relaxation. At higher doses the indica side takes over and it gets couch-friendly.

One grow guide describes exactly that arc — a mild euphoric rush that builds into body relaxation — and warns that overdoing it can be overwhelming. Late afternoon and evening suit it best.

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

How Strong Is Red Pop?

Red Pop sits around average-to-strong, and the published numbers are all over the place:

• Leafly: 20% THC, 0% CBD.
• Weedmaps: 22–26% THC in the header; "high teens to mid-20s" in the body text, varying by version and batch.
• SeedFinder: some sources list around 20% for the Exotic Genetix line.
• AllBud (Red Popz): 20–25%.
• ilovegrowingmarijuana: 13–17% — the low outlier, for the 710 Savant version.

None of those figures comes with a lab report attached. Realistically, a well-grown modern cut lands around 18–24%. Don't let the friendly flavor fool you either — one Leafly reviewer calls it "way too strong" for beginners.

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 Red Pop 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.

Why It's Called Red Pop — the Faygo Connection

Faygo is a Detroit soda company, and its Red Pop is a bright-red, strawberry-flavored soda that's practically a Michigan institution. Leafly's description says the strain is named after a Michigan soda, and Faded Cannabis Co. calls it a fizzy red soda from the '60s. That's why so many menus print it as "Faygo Red Pop." The name stuck because the smell really does recall a freshly cracked can — berry sugar, vanilla and a cola-ish fizz.

The Cannabis Cup Claim

Leafly says Red Pop "took 1st place as live resin" at the 2015 High Times Michigan Cannabis Cup, and Faded's product listing repeats it. We couldn't find an official 2015 winners list to confirm it. What we did confirm: 710 Savant placed 2nd in concentrates at the 2014 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup in Michigan, so a live-resin win the next year would fit the team's track record. Today you'll still see Red Pop sold as live resin and live rosin from Michigan brands, along with pre-packed flower from growers like Grasshopper Farms and High Supply.

Red Pop vs Similar Strains

• vs Red Runtz: the child. Red Runtz adds Runtz candy and leans into sour cherry and grapefruit; Red Pop is creamier strawberry soda and more relaxed.
• vs Cookies & Cream: the Exotic Genetix parent. Cookies & Cream is vanilla-nutty dessert; Red Pop keeps the cream and layers strawberry soda over it.
• vs Strawberry Cough: both smell like strawberries, but Strawberry Cough is an energetic sativa. Red Pop is the evening version.
• vs Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Banana: Weedmaps' "similar strains." Shortcake leans bakery dessert, Strawberry Banana leans tropical — Red Pop sits between them as candy-soda.
• vs Grape Soda: the other soda-named strain. Same fizzy-sweet idea, grape instead of strawberry.
• vs Strawberry 2.1: our featured in-stock pick, and not a twin. Both are strawberry-sweet and happy, but Strawberry 2.1 is sativa-leaning and brighter, with a faint gas finish, where Red Pop is creamier and more relaxed. For a concentrate, our HBIC live rosin is the solventless option on our shelf.

Who Red Pop Is (and Isn't) For

Good fit: fruit-and-candy flavor fans, social evenings, people who want to laugh and unwind without being glued to the couch, and anyone chasing the Michigan nostalgia of a Faygo jar.

Poor fit: true beginners at high doses — reviewers flag it as strong — and anyone who wants a sharp, productive daytime head. For a sweet strawberry flower in stock now, Strawberry 2.1 is the pick, from $22.

How to Use Red Pop 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 strawberry soda. Lower temperatures, around 350–380°F, keep the berry and vanilla bright; 390–410°F brings out more earth, spice and 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 or two small puffs, then wait 15–30 minutes — the body relaxation builds after the giggles. Regular users usually find two or three hits gives the full arc. With live resin or rosin, start with a rice-grain-sized dab. You can always add more; you can't take it back.

Medicinal Benefits

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

• Anxiety: the most-cited reason on Leafly (about 43% of reviewers). One reviewer called it "OK for anxiety" — but anxiety is also a reported negative at higher doses.
• Stress: about 29% of Leafly reviewers; one grow guide rates stress relief as its top medical use.
• Low mood: about 27% of Leafly reviewers mention depression, consistent with the happy, giggly headline effects.
• Muscle tension and pain: one Leafly reviewer with chronic pain reports muscle relaxation; AllBud's Red Popz lists chronic pain and cramps.
• Appetite and sleep: listed by one grow guide, in line with the indica-leaning finish.

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 or anxiety — listed as negatives on Leafly, more likely at high doses.
• Too strong for beginners — per one reviewer; overconsumption can be overwhelming.

Is Red Pop good for sleep? At a modest dose it's more of a wind-down than a sedative; a bigger dose gets heavier. 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 Red Pop Top Shelf? How to Judge a Good Bag

• Ask which Red Pop it is. 710 Savant's Michigan cut or Exotic Genetix's Strawberry × Cookies & Cream line? A seller who knows is a good sign.
• 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.
• Strawberry soda you can smell. Sweet berry and cream on the break. Flat, hay-like or purely earthy flower is old or mislabeled.
• Rosy, frosty buds — dense nugs with a pink-red blush on the calyxes and white frost all over.
• A proper cure — slightly springy, never crumbly-dry or damp.

Growing Red Pop

Red Pop has a reputation as a forgiving plant. Weedmaps calls it resilient to weather, moisture and disease, and one grow guide rates it easy and resistant to mold, mildew and bud rot.

• Flowering: 49–63 days indoors per Weedmaps; about 60 days per SeedFinder, which also mentions a roughly 10-week bloom; 7–9 weeks per one grow guide. Outdoors, it finishes late September to early October.
• Yield: Weedmaps calls it slightly below average; one grow guide claims 10–12 oz per square meter indoors and 12+ oz per plant outdoors.
• Shape: short, bushy and indica-leaning, but it grows like a Christmas tree if left alone. Top it, prune the lower growth, or run a Sea of Green.
• Support: the big, rosy colas can need stakes or a trellis late in flower.
• Seeds: SeedFinder lists Exotic Genetix feminized/S1 seeds but says the line is no longer on Exotic's website; Weedmaps says it's unavailable as seeds or clones. Expect to hunt.

Is Red Pop 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

• Strawberry 2.1 THCA Flower — our featured pick — strawberry-sweet flavor and a happy, social high, from $22.
• 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 Red Pop indica or sativa?

Red Pop leans indica. Leafly lists it as an indica, SeedFinder calls the Exotic Genetix version about 60% indica, and AllBud's Red Popz says 70/30. Most people use it in the afternoon or evening.

What is Red Pop a cross of?

It depends on the version. Leafly credits 710 Savant with an Afghani cross whose second parent is unknown. SeedFinder lists Exotic Genetix's Red Pop as Strawberry × Cookies & Cream, inbred into an S1 line.

Who bred Red Pop?

Two breeders use the name: 710 Savant, a Michigan extract team, and Exotic Genetix, the Tacoma, Washington seed company founded by Exotic Mike.

Is Red Pop the same as Faygo Red Pop?

Yes. Faygo Red Pop is the same strain under its full name, after the Detroit soda. Leafly lists Faygo Red Pop and Frp as aliases.

Is Red Pop the same as Red Runtz?

No. Red Runtz is Red Pop's child — Red Pop crossed with Runtz, per SeedFinder. Red Popz, on the other hand, is usually just a menu spelling of Red Pop.

How strong is Red Pop?

Leafly lists 20% THC, Weedmaps 22–26%, AllBud's Red Popz 20–25%, and one grow guide 13–17%. Most modern cuts land around the low 20s.

What does Red Pop taste like?

Sweet strawberry soda, berry candy and a creamy vanilla note over earth, with some cuts adding cherry, blackberry or a light gas finish.

What are the effects of Red Pop?

Leafly reviewers report giggly, happy and relaxed effects — talkative and social up top, settling into a calm body that isn't overly sedating.

Is Red Pop good for anxiety?

It's mixed. About 43% of Leafly reviewers say it helps with anxiety, but anxiety also shows up as a negative at high doses. Keep the dose low.

Did Red Pop win a Cannabis Cup?

Leafly says a Red Pop live resin took 1st place at the 2015 High Times Michigan Cannabis Cup. We couldn't find an official winners list to confirm it.

How long does Red Pop take to flower?

About 49–63 days indoors per Weedmaps, or roughly 60 days per SeedFinder. Outdoors it finishes late September to early October.

Where can I buy Red Pop THCA flower online?

Red Pop isn't in the Diesel Hemp shop right now. Our closest everyday pick is Strawberry 2.1 THCA Flower — strawberry-sweet, happy and social, from $22, third-party lab tested. It's brighter and more sativa-leaning than Red Pop, so for a concentrate try our HBIC live rosin. Add a pre-roll to ship free over $75.

Related Strains

• Red Runtz — Red Pop's best-known child, crossed with Runtz.
• Cookies & Cream — the Exotic Genetix parent behind the creamy side.
• GSC (Girl Scout Cookies) — the grandparent through Cookies & Cream.
• Afghan Kush — the Afghani family behind 710 Savant's version.
• Runtz — the candy partner in Red Runtz.
• Strawberry Cough — a strawberry strain with an energetic sativa high.
• Strawberry Shortcake — a dessert-side strawberry strain.
• Grape Soda — the other soda-named strain.
• Strawberry 2.1 — our strawberry-sweet, upbeat in-stock pick.
• Browse the Full Diesel Hemp Encyclopedia