Gush Mints Strain

Gush Mints Strain: Tropical Candy, Cool Mint and a Body High That Takes the Evening

The Gush Mints strain (also spelled Gush Mintz) is what happens when you cross the candy-fruit of Gushers with the minty gas of Kush Mints and give it a jolt of Durban Poison. The result smells like a bag of tropical fruit snacks left in a cold tin of mints, hits with a tingly, happy lift, and then quietly takes your body off the clock. It belongs in the evening corner of our THCA flower collection.

It is also one of the most searched strains in the modern "mints" family, which means a lot of confusion about what it is and what it does. Below: the real lineage, what the lab numbers actually say, how the high unfolds hour by hour, how to use it, and how to tell a good batch from a name on a bag.

Gush Mints Strain Genetics & Lineage

Gush Mints was bred by Purple City Genetics, a Bay Area breeder, and has since been picked up by several seed companies and licensed growers — which is why you will find more than one cut on dispensary menus.

• Type: Indica-dominant hybrid. Most sources put it around 70% indica / 30% sativa; at least one grower lists it as sativa-leaning, which says more about their pheno than the strain.
• Ancestry: Kush Mints × (F1 Durb × Gushers). Leafly writes the second parent as "F1 Durb × TK41" — TK41 being the Triangle Kush × Gelato 41 cross better known as Gushers.
• Origin: Purple City Genetics, California.
• THC Levels: Typically 19–26%. Leafly lists 21% THC and around 1% CBG; the breeder advertises 25–30%+ on top phenotypes.
• CBD Levels: Negligible, usually under 1%.
• Notable variants: Sold as Gush Mintz and Gushmints; autoflower and S1 versions exist from seed companies.

What each parent brings

Kush Mints is Bubba Kush crossed with Animal Mints — Seed Junky's cross that put the cool, minty-gas "mints" profile on the map. It supplies the menthol edge, the dense resin, and most of the weight in the back half of the high.

Gushers (Gelato 41 × Triangle Kush) brings the tropical fruit-snack sweetness and the creamy Gelato finish. F1 Durb is a Durban Poison line, and it is the reason Gush Mints opens with a brighter, more talkative lift than a straight Kush Mints cross would. Stack those together and you get a strain that starts in the head and ends on the couch.

Gush Mints also built a competition résumé quickly — it is widely reported to have taken first place for flower at Michigan's 2023 Hash Bash and third at the 2022 Emerald Cup, and Leafly listed it as a Strain of the Year 2025 nominee.

Gush Mints Terpene Profile

Gush Mints leads with limonene and caryophyllene, with linalool (and in some cuts myrcene) behind them. That combination explains the bright fruit on the nose, the peppery bite on the exhale, and the calm that settles in later. How terpenes and cannabinoids work together is laid out in Ethan Russo's review Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects.

• Limonene: The lead terpene in most analyses — the citrus-and-tropical brightness you smell first and the source of the early mood lift.
• Caryophyllene: Pepper and spice; it gives the exhale its bite and is the one terpene known to act directly on CB2 receptors.
• Linalool: The floral, lavender-family terpene. It softens the edges and is part of why the back half of the high feels so calm.
• Myrcene: Present in many cuts; the earthy, musky base note associated with a heavier body feel.

The mint itself is not one terpene. It comes from the Kush Mints side's overall chemistry — a cooling, almost menthol sensation that shows up on the inhale more than in the jar. If a jar sold as Gush Mints smells like pure candy with no cool edge at all, it is probably something else.

Appearance

Gush Mints grows dense, conical, golf-ball-to-chunky buds in lime and forest green, often streaked with deep violet in cooler finishes. Tight burnt-orange pistils sit close to the bud, and the whole thing is coated in a thick, greasy layer of trichomes that makes it sticky to break by hand. Good cuts are frosty inside and out — the resin production is one of the Kush Mints traits breeders select for.

Aroma and Flavor

Open the jar and you get tropical fruit candy first — the Gushers side — with a cool mint and pepper layer right under it and a creamy, gassy base. Break a bud and the gas comes forward. On the inhale it tastes like sweet fruit and mint; the exhale turns peppery and nutty, with a diesel echo. Leafly's users describe it as mint, nutty and pepper; others call it "tropical fruit collides with midnight gas." Both are right — which one you notice first depends on the cut and the cure.

Recreational Effects

Gush Mints is a two-stage high. The head arrives first, the body wins.

• Tingly: A physical buzz across the scalp and shoulders early on — one of Leafly users' most-reported effects.
• Euphoric and happy: A quick, noticeable mood lift in the first half hour.
• Creative and chatty: The Durban side shows up here, briefly.
• Relaxed: Deep physical relaxation settles in as the high matures.
• Hungry: Reliable munchies.
• Sleepy: The finish — the most commonly reported effect on Leafly.

How the high unfolds: onset, peak and how long it lasts

• First few minutes: smoked or vaped, a tingly head change and a lift in mood.
• 15–45 minutes: the peak — euphoric, loose, often giggly, with the body starting to get heavy.
• 1–3 hours: the long tail is calm, hungry and increasingly sleepy. Most sessions run two to three hours.

It is an after-dinner strain. The opening is light enough that it is easy to keep going, and the sedation arrives later than you expect — the classic setup for overdoing it.

→ Experience it yourself — shop Diesel Hemp's THCA Flower

How Strong Is Gush Mints?

Strong, and it feels stronger than the number. Most lab data puts Gush Mints between 19% and 26% THC; Leafly lists 21%, and breeder-selected phenotypes are advertised above 30%. The linalool and caryophyllene in the profile make the body effect land harder than a bright, limonene-led strain at the same percentage.

THCA flower is labeled differently from dispensary flower: the lab reports THCA, which converts to THC when heated, plus a small amount of delta-9 THC. Compare total THC on the COA, not the headline number — our guide on how to read a THCA flower COA walks through the math.

Gush Mints vs Kush Mints vs Gushers

If you know either parent, this is the fastest way to place Gush Mints:

• vs Kush Mints: Kush Mints is mintier, gassier and more even from start to finish — a steady 50/50 body-and-head buzz. Gush Mints adds fruit on the nose and a brighter, more euphoric opening, then ends heavier.
• vs Gushers: Gushers is the sweeter, candy-forward parent with a gentler finish. Gush Mints keeps some of that fruit but trades sweetness for pepper and cool gas, and it is noticeably more sedating.
• vs Animal Face: both descend from Animal Mints. Animal Face is mintier and more diesel with a more cerebral lift; Gush Mints is fruitier and sleepier.

Who Gush Mints Is (and Isn't) For

Good fit: evening smokers who want flavor and a real body effect; people winding down after work; anyone who likes the mints family but wants more fruit; appetite at the end of the day.

Poor fit: daytime productivity, first-time smokers who won't wait between hits, or anyone who needs to be sharp the next morning after a big session. If you want the fruit-and-mint profile with a lighter, more daytime-friendly lift, a sativa-leaning mints cross like Straw Gua Mintz is the better lane.

What Does Gush Mints Cost?

Gush Mints is a premium, name-brand cultivar, and dispensary pricing usually reflects that — it tends to sit in the top shelf tier on legal-market menus, with the grower's name moving the price as much as the strain. As THCA flower, price should track the lab report and the cure rather than the name. Whatever you pay, ask for the COA and look for the frost and the cool edge described above before you pay a premium for the label.

How to Use Gush Mints THCA Flower — and How Much

THCA has to be heated to do anything. Raw, it isn't intoxicating; heat converts it to THC (decarboxylation).

• Smoking (joint, pipe, bong): the fastest route. One or two small hits, then wait 10–15 minutes.
• Dry-herb vaporizer: the best way to taste the fruit and mint. Around 350–380°F keeps more flavor; 390–410°F hits harder.
• Pre-rolls: the easy evening format — see THCA pre-rolls.
• Homemade edibles: decarb the flower first. Edibles take 30–120 minutes to kick in and last much longer, so dose low and wait.

How much? New or occasional users: one small hit and a full 15-minute wait — with a sleepy strain that is often enough. Regular users: two or three hits usually delivers the full arc. You can always add more; you can't take it back.

Medicinal Benefits

These are uses consumers commonly report, not established clinical outcomes. Individual response varies with dose, tolerance and chemotype.

• Stress and anxiety: Leafly reviewers cite anxiety (27%) and stress (24%) most often.
• Aches and discomfort: Pain comes up in about 23% of reviews, tied to the heavy body half.
• Sleep: The most-reported effect is "sleepy," so many use it at bedtime.
• Low appetite: One of its most reliable effects.

For a plain-language primer on how terpenes are thought to shape these effects, see Project CBD on terpenes. Nothing here is medical advice, and nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Dry mouth and dry eyes — the most common complaints.
• Heavy sedation — great at 10pm, a problem at 2pm.
• Next-day fog — some reviewers report a lingering haze after a big session.
• Anxiety — less common than with sativas, but possible at high doses or for low-tolerance users.

Don't drive after using it. Talk to your doctor first if you take prescription medication (especially sedatives), are pregnant or nursing, or have a heart condition. And THCA flower will show up on a drug test — heated, it's THC.

Is Gush Mints Top Shelf? How to Judge a Good Bag

The genetics are top shelf. The name is not a guarantee. Because several cuts circulate, check the batch:

• A current third-party COA naming the lab, with THCA, delta-9 and total THC. Ours are on the lab results page.
• Frost inside the bud, not just on the surface.
• The cool edge. Real Gush Mints smells like fruit and mint-gas. Candy alone is a warning.
• The cure. Dense colas hold moisture; hay or grass smell means it was rushed.
• Who grew it. Buy from a grower with published lab results, not a reseller relabeling bulk flower.

Growing Gush Mints

Gush Mints grows compact and bushy with a fast veg and one clear stretch, then spends flower stacking weight. The breeder lists roughly 60 days (8–9 weeks) of flower; grow diaries commonly harvest around day 63, and some guides say 9–10 weeks. It is rated moderate difficulty, likes a cooler finish (which brings out the purple), and responds well to topping and low-stress training.

• Flowering: about 8–10 weeks indoors.
• Environment: 70–80°F days, cooler nights late in flower; keep humidity around 40–50% in flower.
• Watch for: bud rot in those dense colas — defoliate for airflow.
• Autoflower: seed-company autos finish in roughly 10–14 weeks from seed.

Is Gush Mints THCA Flower Legal?

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp is federally legal when it contains no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis — see the USDA hemp program. THCA flower is sold under that rule. State laws differ and are changing, so check your state before you order.

Shop Premium Flower at Diesel Hemp

• Straw Gua Mintz THCA Flower — our Kush Mints cross, fruit up front and a cool finish.
• THCA Flower — the full lineup, grown in Colorado by Diesel Hemp and partner farms.
• THCA Pre-Rolls — the same flower, pre-rolled for the evening.
• What THCA flower actually is — the encyclopedia explainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gush Mints indica or sativa?

Gush Mints is an indica-dominant hybrid, usually listed around 70% indica / 30% sativa. It opens with a tingly, euphoric head lift from the Durban side, then settles into heavy body relaxation — treat it as an evening strain.

What is Gush Mints a cross of?

Kush Mints crossed with F1 Durb × Gushers, bred by Purple City Genetics. Kush Mints is Bubba Kush × Animal Mints; Gushers is Gelato 41 × Triangle Kush; F1 Durb is a Durban Poison line.

What are the effects of Gush Mints?

Tingly and euphoric at first, then relaxed, hungry and sleepy. On Leafly, sleepy, tingly and relaxed are the most-reported effects. Most sessions run two to three hours.

How strong is Gush Mints?

Most lab data lands between 19% and 26% THC, with Leafly listing 21%; top breeder phenotypes are advertised above 30%. The linalool and caryophyllene make it feel heavier than the number suggests.

What does Gush Mints taste like?

Tropical fruit candy and cool mint on the inhale, peppery and nutty on the exhale, with a creamy gas base underneath.

Is Gush Mints the same as Gush Mintz?

Yes. Gush Mints, Gush Mintz and Gushmints are the same Purple City Genetics cross, spelled differently by different growers and menus.

What are the dominant terpenes in Gush Mints?

Limonene leads, followed by caryophyllene and linalool; many cuts also carry myrcene.

Does Gush Mints make you sleepy?

Yes — after the initial lift it becomes deeply relaxing, and 'sleepy' is its most-reported effect. It is best used in the evening.

Is Gush Mints good for beginners?

With care. The delayed body effect makes it easy to overdo. Start with one small hit and wait 15 minutes before taking more.

How long does Gush Mints take to flower?

About 8–10 weeks indoors. The breeder lists roughly 60 days; many grow diaries harvest around day 63.

Will Gush Mints THCA flower show up on a drug test?

Yes. Heated THCA becomes THC, and your body processes it like any other cannabis, so expect a positive result on a standard test.

Where can I buy Gush Mints online?

Gush Mints isn't in the Diesel Hemp shop right now. The closest match is Straw Gua Mintz THCA Flower — a Kush Mints cross with the same fruit-and-mint profile, from $29 for an eighth, third-party lab tested, with free shipping over $75.

Related Strains

• Kush Mints — the parent that supplies the mint, gas and body weight.
• Gushers — the fruit-snack parent.
• Animal Mints — the grandparent behind the whole "mints" family.
• Durban Poison — the landrace line behind F1 Durb and the early lift.
• Gelato 41 — upstream of Gushers, for the creamy finish.
• Animal Face — another Animal Mints descendant, mintier and more diesel.
• Fritter Mintz — a fruit-and-mint cousin we've carried.
• Bubba Kush — the heavy indica at the root of Kush Mints.
• Browse the Full Diesel Hemp Encyclopedia