One thing to get straight up front: the colour does not make a strain stronger. It is a signpost. It points to specific genetics and to the sweet, relaxed experience purple weed is loved for, which is exactly what we look for when we choose strains for the collection at Sacred Seeds Australia.
The Best Purple Cannabis Strains to Grow in Australia
These are the purple cannabis strains we keep coming back to, the ones that back up the colour with the genetics, flavour and effect to match.
Granddaddy Purple
Granddaddy Purple, or GDP, is the most famous purple strain in the world and the one that put purple buds on the map. It was created in 2003 by breeder Ken Estes, who crossed Purple Urkle with Big Bud to produce a high-yielding, indica-dominant hybrid with a powerful body high and an unmistakable grape Kool-Aid aroma. Before GDP, purple buds were a rarity. After it, they became an icon, and it is still the benchmark every other purple strain is measured against. If you grow only one purple strain, make it this one. Our full breakdown of why Granddaddy Purple goes purple covers the Purple Urkle heritage and what Estes was actually breeding for, and the same genetics are available as an autoflower version on a fixed timeline.
Purple Kush
Purple Kush is a West Coast classic and a pure indica, born from crossing Hindu Kush with a Purple Afghani. I’m a sativa person almost all of the time, so it means something when I say Purple Kush is one of the very few indicas I will happily reach for. It is famous for a deeply relaxing, sedative character and an earthy, sweet kush flavour that is every bit as legendary as the high, and its deep purple hue has earned it a place on more than one all-time-great kush list.
Purple Glam Kush
If you came here looking for Purple Glam Kush, here is the lay of the land. It is a close cousin of Purple Kush, sharing that same deeply purple, kush-heavy, grape-and-berry character, and we have since folded it into our Purple Kush line. So if Purple Glam Kush is the look and the effect you are after, Purple Kush is the one to grow, available as feminised photoperiod or as a faster, more compact autoflower. Same gorgeous colour, same heavy and relaxed body high, same easy grow.
What Anthocyanins Actually Do
The pigments behind the purple are called anthocyanins, and they belong to the flavonoid family. They are the very same compounds that turn blueberries blue, grapes deep red and eggplant violet, and every cannabis plant carries the machinery to make them. In most plants the green pigment chlorophyll is so dominant that it masks everything underneath. As a plant matures and its chlorophyll fades late in flower, the anthocyanins that were there all along finally get their moment, and the buds, leaves and sometimes even the stems shift toward those deep violet shades.
Cool nights are the usual trigger. Letting the temperature drop a few degrees during the dark period late in flower slows chlorophyll production and lets the colour come through more strongly, which is why purple tends to deepen as autumn cool sets in across much of Australia. A gentle drop is all you want, never a freeze. Timing a late-season finish to catch those nights is covered in our guide to growing cannabis outdoors in Australia. It is also worth knowing that plenty of strains not named for the colour will throw violet in cool conditions, including some phenotypes of Girl Scout Cookies and Godfather OG.
So do anthocyanins actually do anything? In the plant, yes. They are antioxidant pigments that serve a genuine protective role. For you, the person smoking it, the honest answer is not much. They are present in only tiny amounts in cannabis, smoking degrades them anyway, and there is no good evidence that a purple bud is any stronger, or any better for you, than a green one. The sensible way to think about the colour is that it is beautiful and a reliable sign of specific genetics, but cosmetic in itself. The potency and the character of the high come from the cannabinoids and terpenes, not the pigment.
Do Purple Cannabis Strains Share a Flavour or Terpene Profile?
This is the question that trips a lot of people up. Colour and aroma are controlled by different genetics, and the anthocyanins themselves do not create flavour, so strictly speaking there is no causal link between purple and any particular terpene. The colour does not make a strain taste of grape.
And yet, in practice, purple cannabis strains really do share a family resemblance. They lean fruity, often toward sweet berry and grape, and they frequently carry noticeable linalool, the soft floral terpene you also find in lavender, alongside the earthy myrcene that runs through so many relaxing indicas and a peppery touch of caryophyllene. Our cannabis terpenes guide explains how each of those shapes what you taste and feel. The reason is breeding rather than pigment. Growers have spent decades selecting plants that are both deeply coloured and great tasting, so the two traits have ended up travelling together. The grape note in Granddaddy Purple, for example, comes from its terpenes, not its colour, but because GDP was bred for both at once, they arrive in the same plant. Purple is not a flavour guarantee, then, but it is a fair bet on a fruity, relaxed profile.
Not All Purple Strains Put You to Sleep
It is a common mistake to assume all purple weed will knock you out. Many of the famous purple cannabis strains, Granddaddy Purple and Purple Kush among them, are indica-dominant and deeply relaxing, but that is not the whole story. There are sativa-dominant purples too. The legendary Purple Haze is the classic example, a cross of Haze and Purple Thai known for an energetic, creative, almost psychedelic high. The colour does not lock in the effect, so there really is a purple strain for every mood.
You Will Not Get Purple Buds Without the Right Genetics
For all the tricks growers use, the single most important factor is the DNA. You cannot force a plant to turn purple if it does not have the genetic predisposition, and no amount of cold or clever feeding will make a green strain show violet buds. This is the point the Granddaddy Purple strain review makes in detail: what set GDP apart in 2003 was not that it could turn purple, but that it did so predictably. That is why sourcing authentic seeds matters so much with purple varieties. At Sacred Seeds Australia we work with top breeders for genuine genetics, and our feminised and autoflower selections are chosen carefully, so you are always starting with the real deal. You can browse the full range of cannabis seeds Australia to see everything we stock, and if you are not sure which one suits your setup, our strain finder is a quick way to narrow it down.
Key Takeaways
Start with the proven names. Granddaddy Purple and Purple Kush are the purple cannabis strains we rate most, the icon and the pure-indica classic. Purple Glam Kush now sits within our Purple Kush line, so that is where to head if it is what you are after.
The colour is a signpost, not a power-up. Anthocyanins are cosmetic in cannabis. A purple bud is not stronger or healthier than a green one, the effect comes from cannabinoids and terpenes.
Genetics come first, temperature second. A plant will only turn purple if it carries the code for it. Cooler autumn nights late in flower can then deepen the colour, but they cannot create it.
Purple is a fair bet on fruity flavour. There is no causal link between colour and terpenes, but decades of breeding for both means purple strains often share sweet berry and grape notes, with linalool and myrcene common.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best purple cannabis strains?
Three names come up most. Granddaddy Purple is the most famous and the benchmark for the whole category, and Purple Kush is the pure-indica classic with deep relaxation and sweet kush flavour. Purple Glam Kush is a close relative of Purple Kush that we now carry within our Purple Kush line, so that is the one to choose if Purple Glam Kush is the look and effect you want.
Is purple weed stronger or better for you?
No. The colour comes from anthocyanin pigments, which are cosmetic in cannabis. They are present in only tiny amounts, smoking degrades them, and there is no good evidence a purple bud is more potent or any better for you than a green one. Potency and effect come from the cannabinoids and terpenes, not the colour.
Are all purple strains indicas?
No, but many of the most famous ones are indica-dominant, and that relaxed character is part of the classic purple profile. There are sativa-leaning and balanced purples too, like the energetic Purple Haze, so the colour on its own does not lock in the effect. If the terms themselves are new to you, our guide to the indica and sativa distinction is a useful starting point, or you can browse the indica-dominant range directly.
Does the purple colour affect the taste of the buds?
Not directly. The anthocyanins that colour the plant do not create its aroma. The reason purple strains so often taste of sweet berry or grape is that breeders have long selected for colour and fruity flavour together, and many carry the floral terpene linalool alongside the earthy myrcene found in so many indicas.
What makes a cannabis plant turn purple?
Genetics first. A strain must carry the predisposition to produce high levels of anthocyanin pigments. In those strains, as chlorophyll fades late in flower the purple shows through, and cooler night temperatures during the dark period can deepen it further by slowing chlorophyll production. For a worked example, see how GDP’s colour genetics work.
Do purple strains grow well in Australia?
Very well, and the climate actually helps. Cooler autumn nights toward the end of flowering are exactly the trigger that deepens purple colouration, so many purple cannabis strains finish here with their best colour. Choose genetics suited to your region and keep airflow up around dense buds in a humid finish. Our Australian climate strain guide breaks the country down state by state.
Do purple strains give good yields?
Yes, many are high-yielding varieties. Breeders know growers want both good looks and a heavy harvest, which is exactly why Granddaddy Purple was bred with Big Bud, a famous high-yielding strain, to produce large yields of dense, resinous purple buds.
What are the legal rules for growing purple seeds in Australia?
The rules are the same as for all cannabis seeds. In Australia it is illegal to germinate or grow cannabis plants unless you are in the ACT or hold a specific licence, so all seeds, purple ones included, are sold as adult souvenirs. Our overview of cannabis laws in Australia covers how this varies by state. Always be aware of your local laws.
Sacred Seeds Australia sells cannabis seeds strictly as souvenirs and for genetic preservation, in accordance with local laws. Nothing in this article is medical advice.
🧑🎓 Need helping choosing what to buy? Have a read of this strain guide.
🧑🎓 Learn here how we test our seeds and the best way to store seeds.
