By Alex Middleton
The CBD market is witnessing an upward trend owing to the growing realization of its commercial potential. CBD has been garnering a lot of attention from a medicinal perspective. The legalities surrounding CBD are shifting, paving a path for the flourishing industry.
The drift is visible in states in the US and across a substantial number of countries around the world. The global Cannabidiol (CBD) market is expected to gain further traction in the coming years due to its versatility.
Research that is still in preliminary stages points to the possible use of CBD in relieving chronic pain, anxiety, and stress. There are promising studies indicating that CBD could play a significant role in controlling or reducing seizures in epileptic patients.
New studies are constantly evolving, suggesting the relief that CBD can provide in cases of depression. Additionally, clinical trials are underway in assessing CBD's possible use in improving the quality of sleep and, more importantly, to gauge its potential in addressing other ailments that stand to benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD.
Contrary to marijuana, CBD is non-psychoactive. It does not make people high (or stoned). The really low levels of THC in CBD take care of this aspect. Users ingest it more so for the fact that it eases pains, aches, and stress.
Before all the benefits or the so-called therapeutic effects are fully realized, ensuring CBD gets absorbed in the body, specifically in the bloodstream, is essential. Route of administration is the key - this is where the concept of bioavailability comes into the picture. Bioavailability is the rate or degree at which the substance is absorbed, and yields expected results.
Every day a new, innovative product gets launched - oil, tincture, cream, gummies, etc. What sets the products apart is the amount of CBD absorbed. Extracts or oil, tinctures (placed under the tongue briefly before swallowing), and topical products are available.
However, CBD flower steals the show. It has been observed that inhaling has a bioavailability rate of 34% to 46%, at times as high as 56%, while for oral ingestion, the number is 10% to 20%, with tinctures being somewhere in between.
Hemp bud or CBD rich flower contains high CBD and low THC (less than 0.3%). The hemp plant is bursting with compounds such as cannabinoids and terpenes that are believed to possess the ability to produce incredible effects. The CBD rich strain being bred is sold legally in the United States. Obtaining it is as simple as visiting a dispensary in states where it is recreationally legal, while in other states, it can be ordered online.
Let's face it, with a new company emerging every other day, wanting a share of the lucrative industry, choosing the right one becomes an arduous task - myriad sources and a plethora of products at competitive prices. That is precisely why we compiled this list that serves as a guide, providing answers to questions revolving around buying hemp flower online.
Our favorite brands of hemp flower based on relevant criteria are graded and listed here:
Top 3 CBD Flower Brands Online
- Cheef Botanicals – High Quality & Editor's Pick
- Cannaflower – Wide Variety
- CBD American Shaman – Best CBG Flower
Parameters for Picking CBD Flower/Bud Brands
Various criteria feature when choosing a product. Narrowing down to the top few involves scrutiny and comparison of all aspects. We rated the brands based on some critical parameters - methods adopted to grow, the brand's reputation, traceability, transparency, and finally, ease of shopping.
Methods Adopted to Grow
With growing awareness regarding pesticides, there is an inclination for organic products. Organically grown ones take precedence.
When purchasing any product, factors such as small amounts of chemicals that may have inadvertently gotten in the hemp flower during cultivation are considered. We've probed into the methods used by the brands in growing their hemp.
Reputation of the Brand
Reputation sheds a lot of information regarding a business, its practices, and its approach to many things. The CBD market is booming, attracting a lot of newcomers into the industry, offering numerous products. We've investigated criteria such as reliability and trustworthiness of brands, with input from customers.
Traceability and Transparency
Being knowledgeable about the product being purchased is a good practice. It does not necessarily apply to the buyer. Sellers also benefit from adopting a total transparency approach. It helps the brand win the customer's trust and, in turn, enhances sales.
We've reviewed brands, checked the degree of traceability being offered by the brand, implying, disclosing information pertaining to the source of products - where it is grown and whether the product is tested.
Also, its in-house testing or testing done by an external laboratory and whether reports are available. If available, are they accessible to the buyer, or at least can they be procured upon request.
Ease of Shopping
With most legal issues out of the way, CBD products are treated on par with other consumer goods. Thus, a good purchasing experience comes into play, which involves marketing and customer care in addition to a user-friendly online store.
Additionally, we will discuss the aforementioned critical parameters for each of the brands listed here and provide our verdict that highlights the specific characteristics of the products and what makes each of them unique. Having said that, let's get started and discuss our top picks of hemp bud brands.
Best CBD Flower Brands & Strains Available Online
1. Cheef Botanicals – High Quality & Editor's Pick
Cheef Botanicals is the outcome of an effort to offer natural, organic products putting to good use the experience accumulated over 25 years from the organic food industry in combination with hemp aficionados.
The organic approach is what is making them a superior brand. Artificial additives are a strict no, while gluten-free and devoid of lactose aspects are prioritized. The entire line comprises premium products. And what serves as the icing on the cake is the money-back program being offered.
It is a 100% money-back guarantee program wherein the entire money is returned within thirty days of delivery if one is not satisfied with the product purchased. They are a leading brand for the last couple of years, setting an example for new entrants with their strict adherence to an organic, gluten-free approach, also providing a money-back guarantee plan.
Here is the list of the company's CBD flower products:
Hawaiian Haze
Hawaiian Haze is a tropical flavor strain. It has a citrus touch to it. Being fruity and earthy with 18% CBD, it is a winner for a regular care routine and evening gatherings.
Lifter
Lifter can be labeled as a sweet-sour strain possessing the lemon's zesty hints and a little bit of redwood. Similar to Hawaiian Haze, the strain here is also 18% CBD.
Sour Space Candy
Sour Space Candy is richer in CBD when compared to Hawaiian haze and Lifter. This particular strain has about 20 percent CBD and THC content as low as 0.06%. This product rich in CBD helps to improve focus and also instantly lifts your mood.
Sour Diesel
As the name suggests, it is a sour flavor strain. This product is one of the most sought-after strains of the hemp flower. THC content is limited to 0.094%, while the CBD content is as high as 20.165%. It is a fast-acting product. One feels energetic on consuming this strain, can also be called a mood booster.
CBG Flower
On the lines of CBD, CBG has surfaced and gained popularity, whether for recreational purposes or as a potential candidate in medical applications. Owing to the low THC content, it is bereft of the 'high' factor and has advantages just like CBD.
An important point to be noted, highlighting the fact as to why this brand is so popular, is that they were the only ones to offer the strains that are CBG dominant until maybe a couple of months back. Other companies have only recently included similar products to their product portfolio.
Methods Adopted to Grow
This company is committed to a pesticide-free approach, not to mention GMO-free. The company roped in sustainable growers based out of Oregon and Colorado that ensure the criteria are met.
Reputation of The Brand
Despite being a relatively newer brand, their reputation or the status, they achieved in the industry through their practices is commendable.
Traceability and Transparency
Right there, on the product page, lab reports are available. Lab test results of the products can be accessed by anyone, anytime. Also, they share the source of their hemp, emphasizing the confidence in the quality of their product and assuring customers of the strict standards they promised.
Ease of Shopping
The company website is simple. It walks you through the process of shopping and checking out without any hassle. The company website is not complicated, encouraging one to visit again. Customer care is robust, willing to address any issues or answer any questions.
Verdict
This brand, without a doubt, tops the list. They have an attractive refund policy. They are dedicated to offering premium products. Quality is at the core of their mission. The hemp flowers are grown organically.
Being pesticide-free, limiting the usage of chemicals, and above all, the affordability factor makes them unique. The credit for the industry's steady growth can be attributed to Cheef Botanicals making a conscious effort to retain premium quality yet being simple and practical.
Click here to Get the Best Deal on Cheef Botanicals' CBD flower.
2. Cannaflower CBD – Offers A Wide Assortment Of Strains
What makes Cannaflower exceptional is the degree of transparency the company projects. There is deep traceability - a detailed stepwise breakdown of methods used for growing and implementing all the processing techniques.
They host a wide spectrum of strains, which are of premium quality. The pricing is also reasonable, making for a great combination. The integrity of their products and transparency is vital to the company.
Methods Adopted to Grow
They have embraced natural practices. The company grows its own hemp. The entire process is sustainable. The brand adheres to strict organic methods. The brand is proud of the techniques they have adopted for growing and processing their product - their soil practices are such that therapeutic cannabinoids and aromatic terpenes are created and plants without the use of herbicides.
The company claims the product is a representation of the commitment to their farms, the expertise of its trimmers, and the patience of their slow curing process.
Reputation of The Brand
The business practices of the company are noteworthy. They demonstrate exemplary practices - a trait that the brand mastered and is deeply ingrained in the company owing to the fact that they have been in the cannabis industry for a long time.
Traceability and Transparency
They vouch for quality and transparency - promise to supply a federally legal hemp product. The quality guarantee is evident in their approach towards testing the products and making the results available for customers.
The lab test is conducted by an external testing firm that does all the testing for each and every product. Upon completion, the lab provides a certificate of analysis. The brand offers a detailed analysis certificate to customers.
Ease of Shopping
Cannaflower website is minimal. It is a pleasant shopping experience, as the process is smooth and straightforward. For orders exceeding $50, the company offers free shipping. Every order gets processed with heat-sealed packaging. A URL is provided that directs customers to the online COA (certificate of analysis).
Verdict
Cannaflower CBD offers a natural experience, one that can be achieved without emptying pockets. The brand carries a good collection of hemp flowers. A unique feature that lets you shop based on the effect the product offers is available. The feature assists in finding the right product. A genuine and dependable brand for one's hemp bud needs.
Click here to Get the Best Deal on Cannaflower's hemp flower from the Official Site.
3. CBD American Shaman – Finest CBG Flower
CBD American Shaman finds a spot in the list of the top few CBD brands. Their products are rich in terpene, which is super concentrated. The CBD strains offered by the company are diverse and potent. The company plays a significant role in pushing the industry to a better position through participation in various industry-related endeavors.
Methods Adopted to Grow
The company grows and harvests its own plants. The main goal of the brand is to ensure consistent quality. The brand assures 100% organic, non-GMO, free of gluten products devoid of insecticides.
Reputation of the Brand
Owing to the quality standards, premium offerings, and good business practices, the company has established itself as a reliable brand offering a multitude of products - a one stop-shop for buyers.
Traceability and Transparency
The company website carries results of tests related to each product offered. They test every batch of the products they offer with help from an external laboratory and also perform in-house lab tests. After making a purchase, the buyer is provided a batch number to view the test results.
Ease of Shopping
CBD American Shaman website offers a simple and easy check out process with a good shopping experience. The support team, being knowledgeable, is ever ready to help with any concerns.
Verdict
A great brand with good products boasts of a transparency policy that stands as an example for other brands. We recommend trying the CBD flower if you are looking for variety.
Click here to Get the Best Deal on CBD American Shaman flower.
4. Secret Nature: Offers Best Hemp Buds
A brand one would not have missed when looking for CBD flowers. They have a reputation for keeping the entire process simple. The flowers are of superior quality, and the business practices adopted by the company are basic, simplifying the process of any transaction with the company.
Secret Nature grows its own hemp. Complete processing is also done by the company themselves. It is, thus, in complete control of quality and is capable of enhancing the quality.
Secret Nature is an eco-friendly brand. In an effort to explore the full potential of hemp and provide the customer with maximum benefits, the company upgrades its practices constantly. The CBD flower offered is natural, with nearly non-existent THC.
With a wide range of CBD content (15.44% to 24.442%), Secret Nature boasts of 12 distinct strains. They host a wide variety of oils, vape pens, tinctures, and numerous other hemp-based products.
Methods Adopted to Grow
The terpene infused hemp grown by Secret Nature is grown indoors. The eco-friendly approach is what the company is lauded for.
Reputation of the Brand
The company is known to charge higher than most brands. Their attention to detail and green practices, in addition to exceptional quality add to the high cost.
Traceability and Transparency
The company offers a detailed, full lab test report of all products. They are happy to share their process details, highlighting the efforts put into the high-quality product. The company wants its customers to know in detail about the flowers and the processing involved.
Ease of Shopping
Secret Nature has a highly evolved website, modern and elegant, yet easy to navigate, shop, and check out, ensuring a good shopping experience.
Verdict
The brand leads in quality. It is organic and cannabidiol-rich. For all the fantastic features offered, the price is also premium, justifying the product and service.
Click here to Get the Best Deal on Secret Nature's hemp from the Official Site.
5. Tweedle Farms
Tweedle Farms is based in Oregon. It is a family-run company. Most vape cartridge companies use hemp from Tweedle Farms, including many top CBD oil manufacturing companies. They produce good quality hemp that is sought after by many big brands.
What sets the company apart or the unique aspect of the brand is availability and emphasis on strains of CBDa and not just CBD. CBDa stands for cannabidiolic acid, which is an organic and raw form of the final CBD. It has potential medical uses.
Some of the top sellers are:
4 Strain Mystery Sampler
For the shoppers that are confused, the company offers a product called flower mystery pack with four strains of total 4 grams. You can get it from the freshest batch. It is a great way to try different types of CBD flowers - an amazing offering. The variety offered can be a good change from the usual you try.
Special Sauce
A special flavor of sweet berries, it is indeed a unique strain, as the name suggests. It contains 19.66% of CBDa. They use 100% plant-based packaging for the products.
Methods Adopted to Grow
They follow a pesticide-free approach, which is also GMO-free. Tweedle Farms grows their flowers in Northwest Oregon on a farm that the company owns, just like Secret Nature, that operates its own farm.
Reputation of the Brand
Since 2016, the company has gradually built an exemplary reputation. The company assures that its hemp is sustainably grown, and the hemp flowers are responsibly sourced for good quality final products.
Traceability and Transparency
In what appears to be complete transparency, Tweedle Farms provides a terpene analysis in addition to a detailed lab report covering CBD, THC, and CBDa.
Ease of Shopping
For simple purchases, the website is designed to be user-friendly. The vast amount of information on the website provides answers to many questions in the CBD arena. With regard to customer care, the owners have taken it upon themselves to be the point of contact and ensure a quick response is provided to any query.
Verdict
Everything is confined to their own farm. They are in complete control of every aspect and every minute detail gets attention - a very unique feature to Tweedle Farms. The brand is a buyer's go-to store for good quality CBD products.
How Are Hemp Buds Different from Marijuana?
Marijuana is very different from the hemp flower. Marijuana has high amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is rich in THC, the psychoactive ingredient that gives consumers the infamous high.
Both marijuana and hemp belong to the cannabis plant family. However, the differentiating criteria are CBD and THC levels. Hemp contains large amounts of CBD and very small amounts of THC. The amount of CBD present in hemp is the primary reason it is used to create CBD products. Also, most importantly, hemp is legal on a federal level and is not considered a drug.
Marijuana has greater than 0.3 percent THC, the chemical that causes the intoxicating effect. Marijuana is not legal in all 50 states of the US. It continues to be considered a drug, a substance that is controlled by the federal government. Some states have legalized recreational and medicinal use of marijuana.
Hemp flowers are low in THC content, not exceeding 0.3%. They are known to be CBD rich. Legally, the aforementioned percentage needs to be strictly followed to qualify as a legal hemp bud. Farm Bill of 2018 classified hemp as non-intoxicating, implying the THC content is negligible - little or no THC.
Most people are unaware that hemp has been known to mankind for a very long time. Hemp finds numerous applications in various industries. The recent change in legal status, supported by ongoing research, makes CBD a likely candidate in medical applications in the near future.
Does Smoking the CBD Flower make you High?
The impairing effect of marijuana is due to THC. CBD flower, on the other hand, does not contain any THC or has very minimal amounts of THC. Legally, the number is 0.3% or lower THC. The really low values do not suffice to produce the 'high' effect. For that matter, you do not experience drowsiness, too; getting high or impaired is a far cry.
The positive characteristic of CBD flowers is that they boost your mood. Studies underway hint at CBD flower being a cognitive enhancer. The natural properties of CBD have the potential to help curb anxiety and fix sleep disorders, something that is still in the clinical trial stage and is not established yet. The FDA issued a statement that CBD should not be used to treat, diagnose, or cure any ailment.
Is Buying Hemp Flower Online Legal?
In the United States, hemp can be purchased without any qualms. Processing and purchasing are allowed post the Farm Bill passed in 2018. According to the bill, hemp products can be sold, and it is completely legal, provided the THC content is below 0.3%.
The point to consider is to ensure what is being purchased. Double-check to ensure what you are buying is hemp with THC content equal to or below 0.3%. - that is what distinguishes hemp from marijuana and is an important factor to always keep in mind when purchasing CBD products.
CBD Flower and Drug Test - Does It Show Up in A Test?
Workplaces, specifically in the US, require drug tests before hiring you. People are concerned about the CBD flower showing up in the test.
Pure CBD does not turn up on a drug test. However, THC does. Since the THC content of hemp flower can vary up to 0.3%, it is worrisome as the advanced drug tests do detect THC. There are many types of tests, and not all are capable of detecting THC. The answer is yes, some tests do detect, but it is based on the kind of test.
Characteristics of a Superior CBD Flower Product
The finest CBD is characterized by features such as terpenes, CBD levels, and processing methods. An exceptional quality flower can be distinguished from regular ones with the help of these criteria.
Terpenes
The hemp plant's smell and taste are mainly dependent on the terpenes found in the hemp plant. They are aromatic molecules responsible for the characteristic taste and smell of the cannabis plant, in addition to its therapeutic benefits and medicinal values. It is the most significant feature that helps tell the premium flower apart.
CBD Content
CBD level contributes substantially to the benefit you are expecting from the hemp flower. In case of pain relief, the amount of CBD has to exceed a specific number to be effective. Typically, the value for an average bud is 10 to 15%. There are also specialty strains available that are rich in CBD and ensure CBD content greater than 20%.
Processing Methods
The processing method plays a pivotal role in the selection process or while purchasing CBD flowers. Checking if it has been seeded or checking if it has been cured properly and trimmed right is essential. This is particularly important when buying the flower and not so much when buying a product made from extracted CBD.
Most brands have transparency policies that let you access the processing method employed. However, a consumer purchasing a product online generally trusts the brand or counts on visual clues to identify premium products.
Always check the smell, look, and feel for anything that appears to be off from the usual. Alerting signs are having seeds, appearing moist or wet, and having a strange smell. Discard the low-grade stuff with these signs.
Conclusion – The Finest CBD Flower Online
With the numerous brands and myriad products out there, one does need help figuring out the finest brands. We recommend Cheef Botanicals. The positives that make it our preferred brand are the assurance of an organic product that is completely natural at an affordable price.
Additionally, the exceptional quality flower strains offered along with test results from an external laboratory helps make a confident purchase. The lactose-free and gluten-free lineup of CBD-rich products supported by a money-back program pushes the brand to the top spot.
Having made our verdict, we do believe your journey would encompass trying more than one option. Our top 5 brands list is definitely a good place to start, considering the overwhelming number of companies surfacing with the recent surge in the CBD market.