Catalogue entry · lab-tested · every claim cited
Sour Diesel, also called Sour D, is a sativa-leaning hybrid that came out of New York in the 1990s; most accounts trace it to Chemdog’s Chem 91 crossed with Super Skunk, though the second parent is disputed.1,2,3,4 It tests at a median total THC of 21.68% across 1,071 state lab tests of Sour Diesel flower, with the middle half of results between 19.00% and 25.30%.5 CBD is negligible: 2 of 972 tests that reported CBD reached 1%.5
Sour Diesel is a sativa-leaning hybrid tied to Chemdog’s Chem 91. Its second parent, its breeder and even what “Diesel” first meant are disputed.
Plate IISour Diesel flower tests at 21.68% median THC (19.00%–25.30%) across 1,071 state lab results, with β-caryophyllene as the top terpene and almost no CBD.
Plate IIIPeople most often describe Sour Diesel as energetic, uplifted and talkative, with a fast cerebral high. Reported downsides: dry mouth, dry eyes, paranoia.
Plate IVSour Diesel seed versions flower in about 8–11 weeks indoors and grow tall with a strong stretch. Breeder specs, yields, heights and difficulty, side by side.
Plate VSour Diesel flower was listed by 156 stores near Los Angeles on Weedmaps on Oct 3, 2026. Store counts and eighth prices for 27 US markets.
Plate VIHow Chemdog’s Chem 91 cut, a Staten Island grow room and a nickname became Sour Diesel, the 1990s New York strain that still sells: a sourced timeline.
A hybrid that leans sativa. Leafly files it as a hybrid with mostly energizing effects, AllBud lists it as 90% sativa, and the seed versions from Barney’s Farm and Royal Queen Seeds are 70% sativa. The outlier is Reserva Privada’s version, listed at 60% indica.1,2,7,10,11
A hybrid from 1990s New York known for its fuel smell. Leafly lists it as Chemdawg × Super Skunk; other accounts name an unknown plant or Northern Lights lines as the second parent. It also goes by Sour D and Sour Deez, and Weedmaps lists ECSD as another name.1,3,4,12
Above average. Leafly rates its THC higher than average, and across 1,071 state lab tests the median total THC was 21.68%, with 26.3% of tests at 25% or more. One in ten came in under 15.73% and one in ten above 27.76%.1,5
Fuel first. Leafly users most often report diesel, chemical and skunk flavors; on Weedmaps, 48% of flavor reports say diesel, 29% lemon and 23% citrus. Weedmaps describes a sharp fuel-and-chemical smell up front, then sour citrus with earthy, herbal and peppery notes.1,4
No one has proven it. Most accounts credit AJ, a New York grower, with breeding or naming it from Chemdog’s Chem 91 cut; High Times says AJ named an accidental Chem 91 cross “Diesel” in late 1994. Leafly calls the original breeder unknown.3,6,13
Yes. It was #4 in Leafly’s 2025 dispensary orders nationwide, and The Marijuana Herald’s September 2026 list names it Illinois’ top-selling strain. On Oct 3, 2026, 574 stores in 23 of the 27 US markets we checked listed Sour Diesel flower on Weedmaps.14,15,16
Full lab data: by year, by state, terpenes and the downloadable dataset →
Sour Diesel still ranks among Leafly’s best-selling strains: #4 in its 2025 nationwide dispensary orders, back after missing the list the year before, and one of five nominees for Leafly’s Strain of the Year 2025.14,17 The Marijuana Herald’s September 2026 state-by-state list names it the top-selling strain in Illinois.15
It has been a fixture for years. Headset’s 2019 data ranked it the sixth best-selling strain and second by the number of brands selling it, and High Times ranks it third on its list of the 25 greatest strains of all time, with OG Kush first.18,19
Its footprint goes beyond sales. In 1990s New York it quickly won over the city’s connoisseurs and hip-hop stars, according to High Times, and its name has since titled two Doap Nixon albums and a track on Zayn Malik’s 2018 album Icarus Falls.3,20
| Market | Stores | Menu items | Median eighth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 156 | 307 | $34.00 (n=93) |
| New York, NY | 125 | 314 | $47.08 (n=237) |
| Baltimore, MD | 40 | 71 | $35.00 (n=26) |
| Newark, NJ | 40 | 59 | $35.00 (n=28) |
| Detroit, MI | 34 | 43 | $20.00 (n=15) |
| Chicago, IL | 30 | 81 | $43.50 (n=30) |
Stores within 50 miles listing Sour Diesel flower on Weedmaps, Oct 3, 2026.16
Sour Diesel
Super Skunk or something else? AJ, ECSD and NYC Diesel: the full genetics page →
The Sour Diesel universe
If Sour Diesel is your strain, you talk to clocks, you take the bridge, and you have never once been late. Meet the Night Courier.
