Gary Poppins Reloaded

Released in 2022, Gary Poppins is an exclusive strain from US-based breeder Exotic Genetix. With its complex flavor and robust THC levels, it has quickly made a name for itself among a wide variety of cannabis users. Keep reading to learn more about the strain's diverse terpene profile, its parents, and how it performs in the grow room.

History of the Gary Poppins Cannabis Strain

Gary Poppins, the progeny of Red Runtz and Gary Payton, is an offering from US-based cannabis breeder Exotic Genetix. It first hit the cannabis scene in 2022, quickly making a name for itself with bold candy-like flavors and THC levels that can reach up to 30%. It is also respected for its incredibly uplifting influence, hitting users with wave after wave of euphoria. More than that, Gary Poppins represents the continued efforts of Exotic Genetix to bring cannabis lovers unique, tasty, and potent strains.

This commitment to cutting-edge genetics has been at the core of Exotic Genetix since its conception at the hands of Exotic Mike. Mike has dedicated his career to not only helping people through the power of cannabis, but continually pushing the boundaries of cannabis breeding. With a diverse catalog of strains, it's hard to imagine the breeder’s humble origins—a hydroponic store in Tacoma, Washington.

Fast-forward to today, and the strain selection at Exotic Genetix has grown from Supernatural, Essence, and Flurple to include dozens of limited-edition cultivars, including the sought-after Gary Poppins. In fact, the Gary Poppins strain has spawned countless progenies, all harnessing the plant's impressive potency and moreish flavors. Unfortunately, original Gary Poppins seeds are no longer available from Exotic. However, with an entire catalog of offspring, there are still plenty of chances for growers to get creative in the grow room.

Genetic Lineage of Gary Poppins

Like all sought-after cannabis strains, Gary Poppins owes its success to both the skilled hands of its breeders and its parent plants. In the case of Gary Poppins, we have Gary Payton and Red Runtz to thank for its impressive potency and sweet candy flavors.

Gary Payton (named after the NBA Hall of Famer) is a strain that needs little introduction thanks to its slew of cannabis cup awards. Part of an exclusive collaboration between Cookies and Powerzzzup Genetics, Gary Payton boasts great potency, balanced effects, and hints of pepper, lavender, and apricot. The progeny of The Y and Snowman, Gary Payton's most beloved characteristic is its initially uplifting effects that slowly settle into a full-body relaxation. Effects aside, its minty green, grape-shaped buds and electric orange hairs put on an impressive visual performance in the grow room.

Working alongside Gary Payton is the Runtz derivative, Red Runtz. The Runtz family is another line of globally revered cannabis. Fortunately, Red Runtz takes that iconic flavor and pushes it even further—bursting with the taste of sour red candy. Interestingly, Red Runtz is another of Exotic Genetix's creations, making its offspring, Gary Poppins, a perfect example of the in-house experimentation that Exotic Mike is known for. Red Runtz also boasts plenty of THC alongside a balanced high that tends to favor physical relaxation over cerebral elation.

Physical Characteristics of Gary Poppins

Retaining the electric orange hairs of its parent, Gary Payton, Gary Poppins produces impressive-looking buds. Each contains subtle purple hues alongside a generous coating of trichomes. As for the plant itself, leaf shape favors its sativa heritage, while overall size is strongly influenced by its indica genetics. A well-trained Gary Poppins plant is easily manageable for a novice grower, although they'll need to prepare for some stretching as the strain enters flowering.

Outdoors, the plant takes advantage of extra space to reach much greater heights than its indoor counterparts. However, plant structure remains much the same, with plenty of lateral growth and sativa-shaped leaves. If you want to push the strain's potential, you'll need to prune well (and often) to keep air flowing and light penetrating deep into the canopy. A final point of note is the subtle coloration of the leaves as plants get deep into the flowering stage. Just like the buds, there are strong hints of red and purple, mimicking its other parent, Red Runtz.

Properties and Effects of Gary Poppins

While Gary Poppins produces effects on both sides of the spectrum, the strain does favor cerebral stimulation. You'll notice this euphoria almost immediately, with many users reporting an increase in creativity and productivity. However, this heavy mental stimulation does have a ceiling, and effects will slowly start to reach your extremities, soothing physical discomfort and calming the previously active mind.

Another area users have fallen in love with is the flavor of Gary Poppins. Thanks to the terpene limonene, flavors are sweet like candy, but with touches of vanilla and butter. That smoothness is very noticeable on the inhale, but as you exhale, hints of spice, skunk, and even diesel take over—hardly surprising when you consider its other dominant terpenes include beta-caryophyllene and myrcene. This unique juxtaposition of flavors is a real treat for cannabis connoisseurs, while some first-timers may find the delayed skunkiness a touch overpowering.

Uses of Gary Poppins

There's no end to the possible uses of Gary Poppins, which is probably why the strain has gained such a significant following (and an entire catalog of progenies). Given that most of the high is cerebral-focused, activities that occupy the mind are your best bet. Consider doing the following when enjoying Gary Poppins:

• Wake and baking
• Household chores
• Watching movies/series
• Chill group sessions
• Easy outdoor activities
• Journaling, painting, making music

Just be aware that indulging in Gary Poppins may result in dry eyes and cotton mouth. In some instances, users may also experience side effects such as:

• Anxiety/paranoia
• Sedation
• Dizziness

Cultivation and Production of Gary Poppins

Growers report positive results with Gary Poppins in various settings. Indoors, outdoors, in soil, or in hydro—it seems to perform well across all four. Of course, if you want to push yields to their limits, the best approach is the style you're most comfortable with.

Other than its love to stretch as it enters the flowering phase, Gary Poppins doesn’t seem to present many growing issues. Moreover, if you opt to use the sea of green (SOG) or screen of green (ScrOG) training techniques, this stretch shouldn't be a problem. Flowering time appears to be roughly 8–9 weeks, which is highly respectable for a hybrid with this much potency and flavor.

Gary Poppins: Easily Lives Up to Its Prestigious Heritage

Gary Poppins is one of those rare hybrids that delivers on virtually all fronts. While it may not be the most potent, most flavorsome, or highest-yielding strain ever, it still performs incredibly well and easily pleases recreational and medicinal users alike.

This strain combines the candy-like flavors of Red Runtz with the uplifting effects of Gary Payton to deliver a balanced experience that suits various uses—morning, noon, or night. In short, Gary Poppins has everything you could want from a hybrid and is a testament to the hard work of Exotic Mike. While you may not be able to get hold of the original Gary Poppins seeds easily, an entire catalog of progenies is available from Exotic Genetix's online shop.