Our Death Star strain review covers one of the most popular cultivars hailing from the Midwest. In a market dominated by West Coast strains, Death Star stands apart as a high-potency, pungent, and ultra-calming strain.
What Strain is Death Star?
Death Star, also known as Deathstar, is an indica-dominant hybrid strain with intensely relaxing and sedating effects, depending on the dose and potency of the strain. Death Star strains are high in THC with levels between 14 and 21 percent. Don’t be surprised if you find one with THC levels as high as 30 percent.
More interestingly, Death Star can produce trace amounts of cannabigerol (CBG), one of many cannabinoids thought to enhance the medical benefits of cannabis.
Average THC Level: 19.5 percent
Average CBG Level: 1 percent
Strain Type: Indica
Genetics: Sensi Star x Sour Diesel
Breeder: Team Death-Star
Terpenes: Caryophyllene, Myrcene, Limonene
Awards: 2nd Place in People’s Choice Award category – 2014 Denver High Times Cannabis Cup
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Death Star Genetics
Named after the gigantic space station designed to obliterate entire planets in the Star Wars franchise, the Death Star strain lives up to its mind-melting powers. Death Star originated in Ohio during the 2000s. Team Death Star, now based in Nevada, bred the strain by crossing a Sour Diesel phenotype with a Sensi Star strain and the rest is history.
At first, the breeders were protective with the genetics, but slowly released them to discerning growers over the years.
Founder, Ryan, told Weedmaps “if you don’t give them out, people do lose them, and then they’re not there. So that’s why we’ve changed our stance. It’s good medicine and we want it out there for people.”
Ryan brought back an East Coast Sour Diesel strain after following Phish and Grateful Dead on tour over the years.“When I saw East Coast Sour Diesel, it was one of the strains that made me go, ‘I'm getting off tour and growing this weed’” he told Weedmaps.
At the time, finding East Coast Sour Diesel was like finding gold: expensive. A single gram could go for as much as $30 in the 1990s. Ryan managed to track down an ounce from a grower in Vermont who gave his genetics to Ryan.
Ryan experimented by crossing East Coast Sour Diesel with Bubble Gum and G-13. He eventually came upon a cross between East Coast Sour Diesel and Sensi Star from Paradise Seeds. Sensi Star is known as a mega-potent indica.
After crossing a Sensi Star father with a Sour Diesel mother, the result was the Death Star. Ryan took his strain (unnamed at this time) to Tennessee’s Bonnaroo festival and that’s where a fan remarked that the “weed is the Death,” and the strain was christened then and there.
Death Star genetics can be found in the following marijuana strains:
Star Tonic: Death Star x Cannatonic
Pink Death Star: Death Star x Blood Rose
Death Star OG: Sour Diesel x Sensi Star x OG Kush
DankStar: Death Star x Dank #5
Disco BallZ: Death Star x Oreoz
Palpatine: Death Star x Grandpa’s Breath #7
Starbux: Death Star x Koffee F2
Galactic Hempire: Death Star x Lumbo Tech
Death Wrecker: Death Star x Alien Apparition
Space Odyssey: Death Star x Purple Urkle x Trainwreck
Death Star Flavor
Death Star produces a distinct hashy taste reminiscent of its Sour Diesel roots. You’ll also notice a tangy tinge with hints of ginger and citrus. A subtle sweetness cuts through the acidity making this a perfect strain to vaporize.
Death Star Aroma
Be prepared for a loud aroma of skunk, fuel, and sweetness. Death Star’s pungent aroma can reach far and wide. Earthy and citrus notes combine to create a pleasant aroma when breaking apart the buds and smoking or vaporizing it.
Death Star’s most common terpene compounds include the following:
Caryophyllene’s spicy pungency is just the tip of the iceberg. Caryophyllene is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects.
Myrcene is a big player among cannabis terpenes. With its earthy and musky scent, myrcene is believed to aid in relaxation.
Limonene’s citrus notes give Death Star its complex aroma and flavor. Limonene may be able to lower anxiety levels and inflammation.
Death Star Strain Effects
Death Star’s high THC potency can provide medical and recreational users with their desired level of relaxation. Effects are slow to onset, but once they hit, you’ll feel calm and euphoric without being drowsy.
Use Death Strain during any time of the day. Some users can experience considerable relief for insomnia after consuming the strain in the evening.
Feelings: Relaxed, Happy, Euphoric, Sleepy, Uplifted
Medical Uses: Stress, Anxiety, Pain, Insomnia, Depression
Products: Flower, Pre-Roll, Cartridge, Live Resin, Sauce
Death Star Appearance
Death Star is beloved by growers and consumers alike, particularly for its trichome-rich appearance. The plants produce ultra-dense buds blanketed in trichomes that look like they are growing on top of each other.
How to Grow Death Star Strain
For a long time, Death Star was a clone-only strain available from cuttings. Today, growers can buy Death Strain seeds (including autoflowering versions) from online seed banks.
Death Strain thrives indoors and outdoors but prefers indoor or greenhouse environments. Keep the temperatures between 68º and 80º F. Keep your humidity and moisture levels low to avoid mold formation in your dense buds.
Death Star grows into a compact plant, which can benefit from training. Grow your garden using the SCROG (screen of green) method to support your heavy plants. When grown in organic soil, Death Star tends to produce higher levels of THC.
Growing Difficulty: Easy
Plant Height: Under 30 inches
Flowering Period: 7-9 weeks
Yield: 3-6 ounces per square foot