Diesel strains: Sour Diesel, NYC Diesel and the gas family

What are Diesel strains?

Diesel strains are cannabis varieties named for, or descended from, Sour Diesel and related fuel-scented lines. The word diesel in a strain name is a smell label first, and a lineage label second.

Most of this lineage is reported by breeders and menus, not confirmed by independent genetic testing. Read it as reported. For how type labels are used on menus, see our indica vs sativa guide.

SativaSour DieselTHC 18–24% · CaryophylleneHybridGorilla GlueTHC 18–30% · CaryophylleneHybridJet FuelTHC 17–30% · LimoneneHybridBruce BannerTHC 21–29% · CaryophylleneHybridHeadbandTHC 17–24% · CaryophylleneSativaSour TangieTHC 18–26% · MyrceneHybridNYC DieselTHC 18–21% · MyrceneHybridDeath StarTHC 18–27% · CaryophylleneHybridLilac DieselTHC 18–26% · TerpinoleneHybridCheddar CheezeTHC 26–31%HybridLemon TreeTHC 17–25% · MyrceneHybridHeadbangerTHC 22–28% · Caryophyllene

Where did Sour Diesel come from?

Sour Diesel is one of the most argued-over origins in cannabis. A common account says it came out of the US East Coast in the 1990s, reported as a cross of a Chemdawg line with a Skunk line. Other accounts describe an accidental cross, or give different parents entirely.

Because the accounts conflict, we do not pick one. What most sources agree on is that Sour Diesel sits close to Chemdawg and that it became the model for the fuel-scented family. Treat any single origin story as reported history, not documented fact. Names like East Coast Sour Diesel and Super Sour Diesel show how many versions now circulate.

What is Chemdawg and why does it matter?

Chemdawg is a strain with an origin story told in several ways. A commonly repeated account says seeds from a bag were grown in the early 1990s and one plant became the famous cut. Details such as names and places differ between tellers, so we leave them out.

What is widely agreed is that Chemdawg and its cuts, such as Chem 91, are the root of much of the fuel-scented family. Many strains with Chem or Dawg in the name point back to it. The Kush connection is covered in our what is kush guide.

What is NYC Diesel?

NYC Diesel is reported as a cross of Sour Diesel with an Afghani line. It is usually described as a sativa-leaning hybrid with a citrus-and-fuel smell, and it became popular as a New York name. As with Sour Diesel, accounts differ, so the lineage is reported, not proven.

Not every jar labelled Diesel is the same plant. Diesel by itself is a generic label, and cuts sold under it can differ from producer to producer.

What does the diesel smell come from?

The fuel smell comes from the plant's aroma compounds. Terpenes such as caryophyllene, limonene and myrcene are often present in these strains, and researchers have also found that pungent smells in cannabis can come from volatile sulfur compounds. No single compound is the diesel smell, which is why two Diesel jars can differ.

Our guide to what weed smells like explains how terpenes and other compounds shape aroma. The smell fades as flower ages, so freshness matters.

Diesel strains at a glance

The summary below is computed from our records, so it always matches the catalogue. It shows how many Diesel-family strains we track, how they split by type, and their typical THC. Because the family label is broad, treat the chart as a guide to the family, not a ruling on any one jar.

Which strains are in the Diesel family?

The Diesel family includes Chemdawg and its cuts, Sour Diesel and its versions, NYC Diesel, and a long list of crosses and flavour variants. The table lists several with records in our database and their widely reported parentage.

Flavour variants such as Blue Diesel, Lemon Diesel, Strawberry Diesel and Purple Diesel mix the Diesel base with another line or a fruit theme. As with any popular name, these may be a true cross, a different cut, or a naming choice, so compare lab results rather than names.

How do Diesel strains smell and rate on THC?

Diesel strains are usually described as pungent and sharp, with fuel, citrus and sometimes sour or earthy notes. The charts below come straight from our records. The first shows the spread of THC across Diesel-family strains, and the second shows which terpene leads most often.

They are averages of reported values, so any single batch can fall outside them. To read the numbers on a package, see reading cannabis labels.

Are Diesel strains indica or sativa?

Sour Diesel and NYC Diesel are generally listed as sativa or sativa-leaning hybrids, though many crosses in the family are hybrids. The labels are a rough shorthand and do not predict what a given jar will do.

The terpene list and lab results tell you more. Our indica vs sativa guide covers why.

How to choose between Diesel strains

When several Diesel-family jars sit side by side, skip the name and read the label. Compare Total THC first, then the terpene list, which is where cuts tend to differ most. Two jars sold under the same name from different producers can still smell different, because growing conditions, drying and curing matter as much as the genetics.

Freshness matters, since sharp aromas fade with age. Check the packaged date. Our guides on whether weed expires and how long a high lasts cover storage and timing. If a strain is new to you, start with a small amount, particularly with high-THC flower.

Our phenotype guide explains why one name can cover several different plants, which is common in a family with this many cuts.

Diesel strains in Canada

In Canada, every strain, Diesel-family names included, must be sold through a provincially authorized retailer from a federally licensed producer under the Cannabis Act. Packages carry the same labelling and THC reporting as any other product, and adults can carry up to 30 g of dried cannabis in public.

For what that amount looks like, see our weed measurements guide.

Diesel strains in our database

Browse the most searched strains in the Diesel family below, with a search link for the rest. The list is generated from our records, so it updates on its own.

Showing 1–24 of 72 strains

SativaSour DieselTHC 18–24% · Caryophyllene

HybridGorilla GlueTHC 18–30% · Caryophyllene

HybridJet FuelTHC 17–30% · Limonene

HybridBruce BannerTHC 21–29% · Caryophyllene

HybridHeadbandTHC 17–24% · Caryophyllene

SativaSour TangieTHC 18–26% · Myrcene

HybridNYC DieselTHC 18–21% · Myrcene

HybridDeath StarTHC 18–27% · Caryophyllene

HybridLilac DieselTHC 18–26% · Terpinolene

HybridCheddar CheezeTHC 26–31%

HybridLemon TreeTHC 17–25% · Myrcene

HybridHeadbangerTHC 22–28% · Caryophyllene

SativaSuper Sour DieselTHC 18–24% · Limonene

HybridSour AppleTHC 14–18% · Myrcene

HybridPineapple DonutTHC 23–30%

HybridSour OGTHC 13–23% · Limonene

HybridMonkey GlueTHC 25–33%

NsHybridNYC Sour DieselTHC 17-23%

HybridSour TsunamiTHC 1–10% · Myrcene

HybridLaughing GasTHC 19–22% · Myrcene

HybridSnoop Dogg OGTHC 22–28%

DiHybridDieselTHC 12–21%

HybridSour RuntzTHC 30%

HybridVersaceTHC 14–25% · Myrcene

HybridSour DubbleTHC 20–27% · Limonene

HybridGrape StomperTHC 16–22%

HybridPink StarburstTHC 20–25% · Limonene

HybridLemon DieselTHC 17–20% · Myrcene

HybridSour PowerTHC 19–23% · Limonene

HybridSourdough KushTHC 19–26% · Caryophyllene

HybridCherry DieselTHC 21–24% · Caryophyllene

HybridBlueberry DieselTHC 15–19% · Myrcene

HybridLemon FreshTHC 22–27% · Terpinolene

HybridBio JesusTHC 19–27% · Myrcene

HybridSour JokerTHC 20–28% · Caryophyllene

HybridSour StrawberryTHC 15–25% · Caryophyllene

HybridSour JackTHC 16–22% · Myrcene

HybridPurple DieselTHC 15–28% · Myrcene

HybridStrawberry DieselTHC 17–24% · Caryophyllene

HybridCasey JonesTHC 17–22% · Limonene

HybridDragon BerryTHC 19–21% · Myrcene

HybridSour CookiesTHC 15–24% · Caryophyllene

HybridBlue DieselTHC 15–23% · Myrcene

HybridNYC VaporTHC 23–27% · Limonene

HybridAJ's Sour DieselTHC 23–28%

HybridSmartiesTHC 17–27% · Myrcene

HybridMolotov CocktailTHC 26–27%

HybridSour BlueberryTHC 12–14% · Limonene

HybridChem BerryTHC 25–32%

HybridMentholTHC 20–25% · Caryophyllene

HybridSour PeachTHC 17–27% · Limonene

HybridChocolate DieselTHC 21–30% · Caryophyllene

HybridSour CandyTHC 14–17% · Myrcene

HybridPineapple ParadiseTHC 20–21%

HybridPurple GasTHC 15–30% · Caryophyllene

HybridChieselTHC 18–22% · Caryophyllene

HybridEast Coast Sour DieselTHC 19–22% · Myrcene

HybridStrawberry Sour DieselTHC 19–28%

HybridZowahhTHC 22–29%

HybridPermanent GasTHC 27–31%

PsHybridPinky SourTHC 16–20%

7hHybrid707 HeadbandTHC 20–24% · Myrcene

DdHybridDelphi DieselTHC 28–39%

HybridG TankTHC 15–22% · Limonene

HybridPineapple DieselTHC 15–24% · Myrcene

HybridRoyal GorillaTHC 21–27% · Myrcene

SativaSour HazeTHC 19–26% · Terpinolene

HybridSour GorillaTHC 15–23% · Pinene

HybridSour Banana SherbetTHC 18–25% · Caryophyllene

HybridGas BerryTHC 23% · Limonene

HybridGassy TaffyTHC 24–28% · Myrcene

HybridSour MangoTHC 18–25% · Myrcene

These are the 72 most searched. Search all Diesel strains

A name tells you about reported lineage. The lab results on the package tell you what is in the jar.