Mendocino Purps

Also known as: Mendo Purps, The Purps, Purps, Purple Mendocino

Breeder: Unknown (clone-only from Mendocino County, CA; BC Bud Depot stabilized IBL seed line in 2006)

Lineage & Genetics

Cross: Unknown Sativa x Indica Landrace (inbred)

The original indica landrace component is believed to be an Afghani-derived variety adapted to Northern California's coastal climate over decades of outdoor cultivation. The unknown sativa parent contributed stretch, uplifting mental effects, and longer flowering characteristics that balance the indica structure. Both parents remain unidentified — the strain's pedigree lives entirely in Mendocino County oral tradition.

Terpene Profile

Aroma: Sweet grape and wild berry with rubber/fuel undertones, pine needles, earthy skunk, and a spicy pepper kick. Pungent nose that fills a room. Some phenotypes lean more toward floral grape candy while others express deeper rubber-fuel funk.

Flavor: Caramel coffee on the inhale with nutty undertones, transitioning to sweet grape and berry on the exhale. Woodsy pine and a slight sour edge linger. Hash-like finish with a deep purple grape taste that persists long after exhale.

Effects & Experience

Onset: Begins with an uplifting cerebral wave within 5–10 minutes — clear-headed euphoria and mood elevation without racing thoughts.

Transitions into full-body relaxation while maintaining mental clarity. Deeply calming without heavy sedation at moderate doses. Higher doses bring couch-lock potential and sleepiness. Users report feeling happy, talkative, and creative before the body effects take over.

Duration: 2–3 hours; body relaxation outlasts the initial cerebral lift.

Growing Characteristics

Grow Tips: Drop nighttime temperatures 8–10°C in the final 2 weeks of flower to encourage maximum purple expression — the anthocyanins activate with cold stress. Approximately 50% of plants from seed will express purple coloration; the other half stay green but retain the grape flavor. Responds well to topping and LST; stretches 1.3–1.6x after flip, stays manageable under 140cm indoors with training. Stems may require support in late flower — buds get dense and heavy enough to snap branches. Finish humidity at 38–42% RH to prevent botrytis in the dense purple buds. Organic living soil or top-dress approaches reportedly produce the most robust flavor expression. For hash production: wet trim fans, freeze whole flowers immediately for fresh-frozen runs. Target 73–159 micron fractions; 90 and 120 micron bags yield the most aromatic, stable resin. Hash rosin from this cultivar is noted for perfumy dark berry syrup, pine, and cocoa notes due to abundant 90–120 micron trichome heads.

History & Origin

Emerged from Mendocino County, California in the late 1990s — reportedly from bagseed of a purple Afghani variety originally grown in 1977 but not cultivated until 1998. Circulated exclusively as clone-only among Northern California's Emerald Triangle growers through the early 2000s. BC Bud Depot received a cut at the 2004 High Times Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam and spent two years inbreeding it to create a stable IBL seed release. Won High Times Strain of the Year (Top 10) in 2007. Became a foundational parent in the modern purple cannabis lineage, contributing genetics to GDP, Purple Urkle, Grape Ape, Mendo Breath, and dozens of other descendants. SeedFinder lists 89+ direct crosses from the original cut alone.

Notable Crosses

Strains bred using Mendocino Purps as a parent: