What Is CBG Flower? Will It Get You High?

Not to be confused with CBD bud, CBG flower is cannabis or hemp flower with above-average amounts of the cannabinoid CBG, or cannabigerol. CBG plays an important role in how THC and CBD form, and it also has unique potential health benefits of its own. It is often referred to as "the mother of cannabinoids".

For a closer look at how these two cannabinoids compare, see our guide to CBG vs. CBD.

With CBG oil being more common these days, some people are turning to high-CBG bud as their cannabigerol source. High-CBG strains tend to have frosty white buds that are covered in trichomes.

CBG strains

Many high-CBG strains are available right now. Not as many as CBD, but the list is rapidly growing. The more potent varieties of high-CBG often have a frosted white appearance and tend to be less moist and sticky than CBD and THC flower.

Their flavor profiles can range from spicy, peppery, earthy, nutty, or cheesy to sour, citrusy, or floral. Here are some of the most popular CBG strains out there right now.

You'll find that a lot of CBG strains will have "white" in their name to distinguish them from other types of cannabis strains, and because they tend to have a frosty look.

CBD American Shaman CBG Flower

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American Shaman provides a wide range of high-quality hemp-based products. They now offer five different varieties of CBG-rich flower, including White Widow, John Snow, Sour G and more. They're third-party lab tested and available in 3.5-gram containers which typically range between 15-20% CBG content.

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Effects of CBG bud

The effects of CBG bud can be rather subtle, but more noticeable than with straight CBD flower. CBG bud users have reported that the effects of CBG can be intensified when combined with CBD and especially with THC bud.

These are the most common effects associated with CBG bud:

At first it may seem contradictory, but CBG can make you feel relaxed and calm without actually making you feel sleepy. Though it has been said that CBG can improve sleep patterns, especially when combined with CBD, it is not known to induce drowsiness.

You can experiment with various ratios of CBG to CBD and THC to tailor your effects. In short, CBG bud strains are suitable for mixing but can also be enjoyed on their own.

Will CBG flower get me high?

No, CBG won’t get you high. This cannabinoid is mildly psychoactive but not psychotropic. CBG affects the brain very differently from THC, and it does not come with intoxicating effects. In high concentrations, CBG may induce relaxation and euphoria, but most of its effects on your system are physiological, not psychological.

The role of CBG

CBG is considered a minor cannabinoid, as a harvested plant will generally contain up to 1% of CBG (rarely up to 2%), unless it was bred to be a high CBG strain.

To see how CBG fits into the wider cannabinoid family, explore our comparison of CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBN, and CBC.

Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) is the acidic form of CBG—the “A” stands for acid. It also serves as the starting point for the formation of THC, CBD, and CBC, which is why CBG is often called the “mother of cannabinoids.” Simply put, without CBGA, we wouldn’t have THC or CBD.

During the lifetime of the plant, natural enzymes (called synthases) transform CBGA into THCA, CBDA, and CBCA. These, in turn, are transformed into THC, CBD, and CBC through the process of decarboxylation—the removal of a carboxyl group with the application of heat. The small amounts of CBGA that remain in the plant after the other cannabinoids form are then decarboxylated and converted into CBG.

What’s important here is that almost all CBGA turns into THCA and CBDA early in the process. This means very little CBGA remains to form CBG, which also explains the low yields. Compared to THC and CBD, CBG yields are often 10 or even 20 times lower. The main way to increase CBG yield is to breed with strains that produce more CBG.