Best Grassroots Strains
A menu-first ranking of the six strains Grassroots features, with genetics, flavor and terpenes from the brand's own strain cards and one scored catalog eighth for price context.
The best Grassroots strains, going by what the brand itself features, are Birthday Cake, Garlic Cookies, Ray Charles, MAC, Aces High and Bubba Diagonal: the six "curated strains" on grassrootscannabis.com, each with published genetics, flavor and terpene notes. Grassroots is a Curaleaf brand. Our scored catalog eighth, Grassroots Northern Lights (~$35), is the price anchor. herbyBud researches brand menus; we do not lab-test these strains.
Last updated
Key Takeaways
- Six strains are featured by the brand. Birthday Cake, Garlic Cookies, Ray Charles, MAC, Aces High and Bubba Diagonal are the "curated strains" on Grassroots' site.
- Indica-leaning lineup. Five of the six are listed as indica or indica-dominant hybrids; Aces High (Original Diesel × Sour Diesel) is the one sativa.
- Birthday Cake is the dessert pick. GSC × Cherry Pie, with earthy, citrus and spice flavor notes and limonene listed first.
- Aces High is the gas pick. Citrus, earthy and gas flavor notes from two diesel parents.
- Northern Lights is the catalog price anchor. Our tracked Grassroots Northern Lights eighth sits near $35; Headset's national average eighth was $20.23 in September 2026 (source).
How we picked
Grassroots started in Chicago and is now a brand of Curaleaf, per the footer of grassrootscannabis.com. People searching for the "best Grassroots strain" usually want to know which jars to grab when the menu is long. This roundup starts from the strains Grassroots chooses to feature, then adds our one scored catalog eighth for price context.
herbyBud researches and tracks published brand and menu materials. We do not grow or lab-test these cultivars. Genetics, flavor and terpene notes below come from the brand's strain cards; price and potency for Northern Lights come from our product catalog.
How we ranked (and what we did not)
- Brand features first. The six strains on the Grassroots "Meet some of our curated strains" section outrank everything else.
- Order within the six. We keep the order Grassroots uses on its own strain section. It reflects how the brand presents its lineup, not a lab score or sales rank.
- Catalog price only where we have it. Only Grassroots Northern Lights carries our scored ~$35 eighth and ~735mg total THC figure. Live menu prices for the featured six vary by state and shop.
- No invented potency or awards. Grassroots' strain cards list type, genetics, flavor and terpenes, not THC percentages, so we don't add any. Check the batch label or certificate of analysis at the dispensary.
- Neutral wording. Flavor and lineage are product facts. Individual experiences vary; we make no health claims.
The ranking
| Strain | Type | Genetics | Flavor | Top terpenes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Birthday Cake | Indica-dominant hybrid | GSC × Cherry Pie | Earthy, citrus, spice | Limonene, myrcene, β-caryophyllene |
| 2. Garlic Cookies | Indica-dominant hybrid | Chemdog × GSC | Chemical, earthy, pungent | Myrcene, limonene, β-caryophyllene |
| 3. Ray Charles | Indica | Romulan × Afghani Bullrider | Berry, diesel, grape, spice, sweet | Pinene, ocimene, β-caryophyllene |
| 4. MAC | Indica-dominant hybrid | Alien Cookies × Colombian Gold × Starfighter | Citrus, herbal, jasmine | Limonene, β-caryophyllene, nerolidol |
| 5. Aces High | Sativa | Original Diesel × Sour Diesel | Citrus, earthy, gas | Limonene, myrcene, β-caryophyllene |
| 6. Bubba Diagonal | Indica | Bubba × Triangle Kush | Citrus, earth, pine, sweet | β-caryophyllene, ocimene, pinene |
| 7. Northern Lights | Indica | Classic indica (catalog) | Earthy (catalog notes) | See batch label |
Type, genetics, flavor and terpenes for ranks 1 to 6 all come from the Grassroots strain cards, checked 2026-10-06. Northern Lights is #7 because it isn't one of the six featured strains, but it's the Grassroots eighth we score and price in our catalog.
Catalog price anchor
Northern Lights is the Grassroots eighth with a scored herbyBud product page. Use it as the price check, then confirm the featured strains on your local menu.
Who should buy which
Pick Birthday Cake or MAC if you want a sweeter, dessert or floral profile. Both are indica-dominant hybrids on the brand's cards, with limonene listed among the top terpenes.
Pick Garlic Cookies if you like savory, pungent flower. Grassroots lists chemical, earthy and pungent notes from a Chemdog × GSC cross.
Pick Aces High if you want the one sativa in the featured six and like a gassy, citrus nose.
Pick Northern Lights if price matters most and you want the eighth we can actually anchor: about $35 in our catalog.
Not every shop carries all six. Use the Grassroots dispensary finder or your shop's live menu, and compare with Rythm's best strains where both brands share a shelf, as they do in Illinois and Maryland.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Grassroots strain?
There is no single winner for everyone. The six strains Grassroots features on its own site are Birthday Cake, Garlic Cookies, Ray Charles, MAC, Aces High and Bubba Diagonal. For a priced, scored pick, our catalog tracks Grassroots Northern Lights at about $35 an eighth.
Who owns Grassroots cannabis?
Grassroots is a brand of Curaleaf, according to the footer of grassrootscannabis.com. The brand says it started in a small house on the north side of Chicago.
Is Grassroots Birthday Cake an indica or sativa?
Grassroots lists Birthday Cake as an indica-dominant hybrid, bred from GSC and Cherry Pie, with earthy, citrus and spice flavor notes and limonene, myrcene and beta-caryophyllene as top terpenes.
Does Grassroots make a sativa?
Yes. Of the six strains Grassroots features, Aces High is listed as a sativa. Its genetics are Original Diesel × Sour Diesel, with citrus, earthy and gas flavor notes.
How much is a Grassroots eighth?
Our catalog tracks Grassroots Northern Lights at about $35 for 3.5g. Shelf prices vary by state, taxes and promotions. Headset's September 2026 average eighth was $25.99 in Illinois and $29.30 in Maryland, two Grassroots markets.
Where is Grassroots sold?
Our brand data lists Illinois, Nevada, Maryland and Missouri. Stock of any single strain changes by store and drop, so check the Grassroots dispensary finder or a live menu before you go.