What Is the Most Potent THCA Strain?

THCA flower can be just as potent as THC weed. But, that’s only when it’s bred carefully and comes from great genetics. In this guide, learn what it takes for THCA to be potent, and familiarize yourself with the most potent high-THCA cannabis strains you can buy online.

What is a high-THCA flower strain?

A strain of cannabis is generally considered to be “high-THCA” when it contains 10% or more tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCA. As the acidic precursor form of THC, THCA naturally turns into THC when heated. If less than 0.3% converted THC is present in cannabis flower, it is technically THCA hemp, not marijuana.

As a result, breeders have recently undertaken efforts to reduce the converted THC content in THCA flower to the lowest levels possible. The types of cannabis flower strains now referred to as “high-THCA” online contain less than 0.3% THC but up to 30% THCA.

Potent vs. best: What is the best THCA strain?

Cannabis users often conflate the most potent THCA strains with the strains that offer the highest overall quality. Some high-potency THCA strains sacrifice quality to increase potency — sprayed THCA buds are one example of potency-boosting gone too far.

At the same time, it’s possible to push both quality and potency to the limit with THCA flower. Extremely high potency in THCA flower — as long as it is achieved legitimately — is a sign that it was grown exceedingly well and is, therefore, both high-quality and high-potency. The best THCA flower strain will contain at least 20% THCA but also be unaltered in any way and high in terpenes and flavonoids.

The winner: What is the strongest strain of THCA?

The strongest strain of THCA flower — as measured by pure THCA potency — is Secret Nature Blood Diamond THCA, followed closely by Secret Nature Jetfuel THCA. Learn more about each extremely high-potency THCA hemp strain below:

Secret Nature Blood Diamond High THCA Hemp Flower

- 29% total cannabinoids | 25.4% THCA
 - Less than 0.3% THC | 0.11%
- Same beloved strain | Now with THCA

A variant of a CBD strain that has been Secret Nature’s strongest for more than half a decade, Blood Diamond THCA is a sight to behold and an experience to smoke. A forest of translucent crystals obscures beds of fractal calyxes teeming with cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. With 25.4% THCA, this is the strongest THCA cannabis strain you can buy online.

Secret Nature Jetfuel High THCA Hemp Flower

- 29.3% total cannabinoids | 24.7% THCA
- Less than 0.3% THC | 0.2%
- Over 1.1% CBG | 0.1% CBD

Named for its famed ability to blast your mind to another plane, Jetfuel boasts both Sour Diesel and OG Kush lineage. The result is a delicately balanced terpene profile that boosts Secret Nature Jetfuel’s potency just as much as its prodigious THCA content. At 24.7%, this strain contains slightly less THCA than Blood Diamond, but it comes in somewhat higher with its overall cannabinoid count — 29.3% versus 29%.

Other strongest THCA strains

The two strains we’ve already discussed may be the most potent THCA strains available online, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only THCA strains that can be considered “high-potency.” All three of the following strains also contain more than 20% THCA, and they each offer a unique approach to the THCA experience. Let’s take a closer look:

Secret Nature Purple Punch THCA Hemp Flower

- 24.5% total cannabinoids | 23.2% THCA
- Less than 0.3% THC | 0.29%
- More than 1% CBG

Secret Nature Tropical Cherry THCA Hemp Flower

- 25.5% total cannabinoids | 24.2% THCA
- Less than 0.3% THC | 0.26%
- Girl Scout Cookies and Tangie genetics | Sweet flavor

Secret Nature White Truffle THCA Hemp Flower

- 28.3% total cannabinoids | 23.4% THCA
- Gorilla Butter phenotype | GG4 x Peanut Butter Breath
- High in CBGA and other minor cannabinoids

Discussion: What makes a THCA strain “strong?”

We’ve introduced you to the strongest THCA strains you can buy online. There’s a lot that goes into making a THCA strain potent, however, beyond its mere THCA percentage. Let’s discuss three of the most important factors to consider when determining the overall potency of a THCA strain:

What is a good THCA percentage?

The percentage of THCA in your flower certainly plays a major role in its potency. If a strain contains less than 10% THCA, for instance, it is very unlikely to have the intended effect.

Once the potency of a THCA strain exceeds 20%, however, increases in potency become less noticeable. Connoisseurs of the THC experience may note a difference between a 20% THCA strain and a 25% THCA strain, but 20% is plenty potent for most users.

What role do terpenes play?

Just as important to the potency of THCA flower as its THC content is the unique profile of terpenes and flavonoids present in each strain. Terpenes are quite similar to cannabinoids, and when combined together, they offer a type of synergy called the entourage effect.

Often overlooked are flavonoids, which also contribute to the entourage effect. The higher the terpene percentage in a THCA flower strain — and the better those terpenes are preserved — the more potent it will be.

Terpenes, cannabinoids, and the entourage effect

All together, cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids combine with THCA to make it more potent. Alongside THCA are various other cannabinoids, including CBG, CBD, and CBN, that make THCA flower even stronger.

So, as you determine the potency of a THCA flower strain, make sure to take all these factors into account. A strain with a lower THCA percentage may still be more potent if it was grown and processed expertly.

The bottom line: Is there a highest-percentage THCA strain?

In the end, it might be hard to pin down one single strain that has the highest percentage of THCA. The industry is evolving all the time, after all, and breeders are perpetually pushing the envelope higher and higher when it comes to maximum THCA percentages in hemp flower.

However, it’s possible to generally say that the highest percentage of THCA you can find in a strain of hemp flower is about 25%. Some strains contain around that much THCA and approximately 5% other cannabinoids, resulting in a total cannabinoid percentage that exceeds 30%.

It’s not necessary for a THCA strain to contain 30% or even 25% THCA to be potent, however. Simply containing over 15% THCA will ensure that a strain has the desired effect, and 20% of the cannabinoid offers a subtle but noticeably higher-grade experience.

The gains achieved between 20% and 25% THCA, however, are less noticeable, and pushing overall cannabinoid percentages considerably over 30% does not appear to be achievable in Cannabis sativa using natural horticultural methods.

All told, the most potent THCA strains contain around 25% THCA, 5% other cannabinoids, and around 5-10% terpenes. Calculating the potency of THCA flower is a subtle art, though — a point we’ve attempted to articulate clearly in this guide. 

Strongest THCA strain FAQ

Still curious about what makes a THCA strain the strongest? Brush up on the facts in this supplementary FAQ section:

Does THCA cause euphoria?

Yes, THCA causes euphoria when it is used in a way that involves the application of heat. When heated, THCA becomes THC, offering the same intoxicating and notably euphoric effects.

Does THCA get you as high as delta 9?

THCA will get you as high as delta 9 if you use it in a way that involves applying heat. Since THCA becomes delta 9 when heated, it gets you exactly as high as this common cannabinoid.

What does “20% THCA” mean?

If a strain is listed as being “20% THCA,” that means it contains at least 20% tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, the chemical precursor to THC. This is not the same as the overall cannabinoid content of the strain.

Is 30% THCA strong?

Yes, 30% THCA is strong — suspiciously so. Make sure any strain of hemp advertised as containing “30% THCA” has not been sprayed or otherwise altered.