One of the most popular seed trends at the minute is that of auto-flowering seeds. Autoflowering seeds can offer many different benefits for growers, but it is still vital that you choose the right auto-flowering seeds if you are to have the best possible result from your investment.
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What Are Autoflowering Seeds?
Autoflowering seeds are incredibly useful strains of seeds for cannabis and marijuana growers, due to the fact that they require less time and care than other seed varieties. Standard seeds that are not classified as being auto-flowering require additional care at the time of flowering, whereas auto-flowering seeds are a little easier.
Specifically, standard seeds will only flower when they are exposed to a certain level of light. In the wild, most varieties of cannabis seeds will only flower at around the time of the summer solstice—when the length of the day is at its very longest. For growers who cultivate their seeds indoors, this can require a specific 12 hour on-off light cycle, and for people who grow their seeds outdoors with natural sunlight, the only solution is to wait.
This isn’t the case for auto-flowering seeds. Descended from a single strain and breed of the wild cannabis plant that doesn’t work by photoperiods and instead of flowers once it reaches a particular size, auto-flowering seeds are not controlled by the weather and the amount of light available. Instead, they will automatically begin to flower as soon as they reach this ‘target’ size—thereby giving yields sooner and more reliably. This descendant plant was actually a unique and often overlooked Russian variety that evolved to be able to cope with the extreme cold in the country which also makes auto-flowering strains tougher and more durable.
Autoflowering seeds aren’t perfect. Generally speaking, they are slightly smaller than their standard cousins and will give slightly lesser yields as well. However, their hardiness and suitability to a number of different climates—they generally cope with extremely cold or hot climates better than their cousins—makes them an increasingly popular choice for modern marijuana and cannabis growers. This is especially true for medical growers, who need a constant supply year-round without fail; the crops from auto-flowering plants are reliable and consistent, no matter the time of year.
The Best Autoflowering Seeds in 2023
As auto-flowering seeds come from strains that originated originally from the harsh and cold climate of Russia, they are hardy but also a little less productive. As such, it is vital that you spend the time so that you can be sure of buying the highest quality auto flower seeds that will give you the best possible return on investment.
10. Auto Bubble Gum Seeds
While this strain of seeds might not be as high yielding as some of the other auto-flowering seeds on this list, it does offer many different benefits. Bred by 00 Seeds, it is a hybrid crossbreed of two other different strains of seeds—the Bubble Gum hybrid and the original Russian strain, the C. Ruderalis—which makes it a particularly hardy strain that is great for growing out in the colder climates.
This strain is discrete, thanks to its native ancestry, with a mature height of only about 80 to 130cm. In addition to this, it will begin to flower within just 9 weeks of being planted and all of the seeds are feminized when you buy this strain! In addition, it gives a modest but arguably acceptable yield of 300 to 350 grams per meter square when grown in indoor conditions which, though far less than many of the other varieties, is still acceptable considering the fact that this is a hardy and easy to care for the first-generation cross.
The cannabis harvested from this strain has a pleasant bubble gum like aroma and flavor, as the name would suggest, making it a highly popular choice for many people looking for something other than the generic fruity flavors that so many of the auto-flowering strains offer.
9. Northern Lights x Big Bud Ryder Auto
Bred by World of Seeds, this strain is a cross between two of the breeder’s highly popular strains. By combining the best genetics from both different strains, the breeder was able to produce a seed that is quick to mature and notably high yielding for a cannabis seed. The strain is ideal for growing outdoors especially, thanks to the fact that it is incredibly hardy and resistant to nuisances such as pests, droughts, and mold spores.
This strain is exceptionally large at full maturity, measuring in at 170cm, and will begin to flower at approximately 8 weeks of age. Outdoor harvests can be on an acceptable level at approximately 70 grams from each plant, however, the best yields from indoor plants can be anywhere from 450 and 600 grams/m2.
This strain is delightfully fruity in both smell and taste, with notes of pineapples and mandarin oranges being reported. Its results include an overall sense of calm and peacefulness, as well as helping to ease pain and migraines; this makes it ideal for both recreational and medicinal purposes.
8. Super Lemon Haze Auto
This somewhat gnarly and rough-looking plant is actually one of the Greenhouse Seed Co’s top, award-winning strains of seeds. Offering up a strong and pleasing lemony aroma and flavor that is sure to hit the taste buds, this strain is loved for both its palatability (when compared to some other strains that can leave much to be desired) and the resulting effects that it can offer for its users which are most notably cerebral. 
Thought this strain is lacking a little in terms of the yield that it can offer, with the maximum indoor yield being about 500 grams per meter square and the outdoor yield being just 70 to 80 grams from each individual plant, this strain offers a number of other benefits that make it definitely deserving of a spot on this list of the top 10 auto-flowering cannabis seeds.
Growing to be little more than 80 to 100 cm in height, this strain is one of the best on this list for its discretion—a trait it surely gets from its wild Russian ancestry. In addition to this, despite being a little lower in terms of yield, the strain is earlier maturing than some other strains on this list; it will begin to flower in as little as 7 weeks—about 2 weeks earlier than the average!
7. West Coast OG Auto
Bred by FastBuds, just like the previous seed strain on this list, the West Coast OG Auto strain is a great choice for all of your auto flower seed needs for many different reasons. When taken, it gives a happy, calming, and relaxing effect for a long period of time, which makes it popular for people looking to escape all of their worries and the stresses associated with modern life. It can also help with pain relief, making it a great choice for medical cannabis consumers.
This strain has a distinctly woody and citrus-like aroma, with subtle undertones of the coast as well. When eaten, it has a rather notable fruity flavor. Since the flavors and aromas can be rather intense in some of the seeds that are grown from this strain, it is largely recommended that cannabis should be filtered prior to use in order to make it more pleasant.
In terms of auto-flowering seeds, this strain is fairly small with a full height of 90cm—great for more discrete growing conditions. It also has an impressive yield for an auto-flowering strain of 500 to 650g/m2 when grown indoors in controlled conditions. The yield, when grown outside, is also acceptable at 70 to 300 grams, although this is notably far less due to the more variable environmental conditions.
6. Amnesia Gold Auto
The Amnesia Gold Auto strain is bred by Pyramid Seeds and is much loved for the fact that it gives a long-lasting cerebral high which is notably psychedelic and exhilarating. It is actually the result of the crossing of two different strains of Sativa-dominant plants, which also means that this strain is also Sativa dominant.
Though a little lower on the THC content than some other strains on this list (at approximately 20%), this strain is a great choice for many other reasons. It matures and begins to flower within about nine to ten weeks and is also suitable for more discrete growers, thanks to its height at this time of somewhere in the region of 60 to 160cm; while some won’t be as easily concealed as others, on the whole, the plant will average out at being quite discrete and compact.
In addition to this, the Amnesia Gold Auto strain offers a number of highly prized different benefits. The strain is well known for being notably strong and prolific, with full buds being the norm and yields of approximately 600 grams per square meter often being achieved indoors, and as much as 150 grams from each plant when cultivated in an outdoor setting.
This strain is great as an appetite stimulant and its pleasing citrus flavor and aroma will leave you craving more for sure. The generous yields and effective, long-lasting high makes this one of the top strains of cannabis seeds on the market.
5. Gorilla Glue #4 Auto
This strain of cannabis plant is bred by Expert Seeds and gives users a strong and happy feel after consumption and use, with many people reporting that they feel happy and cerebral when they use this particular strain. This powerful high is much loved by many people, although it is also said that its use and calming properties can make it beneficial for people who struggle to get a sound night’s sleep as well.
Created through the double-crossing of three different strains of seed—Chocolate Diesel, Chem’s Sister and Sour Dubble—this strain has a good THC content of approximately 25% and is generous in terms of its yield as well, at least on the scale of an auto-flowering plant; when grown indoors, yields of 400 to 600 grams per square metre can be achieved, while outdoor plants that can reach a height of 140 to 200 cm will yield as much as 50 to 300 grams from every plant.
Due to its height, this strain is arguably not the ideal choice for discrete growing and another might be preferable instead. However, the strain does come with many benefits that can make its height less of a concern; it offers a delightful combination of both sweet and spicy berries in its aroma, while giving a pleasing taste that is something of a mix between coffee and chocolate (although the diesel aftertaste leaves much to be admired).
The truly exceptional THC content and unique flavor and aroma combinations make this strain arguably one of the best autoflowering varieties on the market today!
4. Crystal Meth Auto
Notable especially for its suitability for beginner cannabis growers, this strain of seed from FastBuds gives users a cerebral and relaxing high that many love and value very highly. This happy effect comes from the fact that this strain is one of the highest THC content autoflowering strains on the market, with the THC content coming in at 20% for the fullest buds on the plant.
The yield from this plant is impressive, especially considering that it is discrete in stature at only 70 to 120cm tall; outdoor yields can range between 50 to 300 grams per plant, but indoor plants can give anywhere between 400 and 600 grams per meter squared!
This strain is great for relief from a number of different conditions, which can include stress, depression, pain, and many other medical conditions. The strain has a relatively unique flavor and aroma combination which largely remind us of pine and hazelnuts—not at all unpleasant in the slightest and a rather welcome change from the normal citrus!
3. Tangie Matic Auto
Maturing in a respectable 9 weeks, this strain—bred by the now infamous FastBuds seed breeder, whose seeds have appeared multiple times on this list—is great for a number of different reasons. It is the ideal all-rounder, in terms of autoflowering cannabis seeds, and this is why it has managed to achieve the spot of number three on our list!
Yields can be as high as 670 grams per square meter when grown indoors and even outdoor plants can give between 50 and 350 grams. This is impressive for a compact plant that ranges between 80 and 150cm tall—but the best trait of this strain is arguably the fact that the THC content is around the 23% mark!
Because of its high THC content, this strain is great for giving a potent, creative, and calming high. This also makes it useful for many different medicinal needs, too. It should be noted that this strain is incredibly susceptible to stress during growth, though, and so may not be the ideal strain for new growers.
2. Green Crack Autoflowering Seeds
Bred by FastBuds, the Green Crack Autoflowering strain is one which is great for people looking for a hard-hitting high thanks to its relatively generous THC content of over 20%—not the highest on this list, but far from being shabby! The cannabis has a distinctly melony aroma and flavor which many people can appreciate.
This strain is bred to be one of the more early maturing autoflowering strains and reaches its maturity at just 9 weeks. As with other direct crosses between a hybrid seed strain and the wild variety of Russian Rederalis, the yields on this variety can leave a little to be desired than some other autoflowering seeds, but equally, credit has to be given for the still generous amounts that it can offer up; the strain can give anywhere between 500 and 650 grams per square meter when grown and reared in ideal indoor conditions, or can still achieve a yield of between 70 and 300 grams when grown outdoors and exposed to the elements.
One of the main benefits of this strain of cannabis seeds is the fact that the crop is so discrete; much like its wild parentage, the Green Crack Autoflowering plants will measure in incredibly modestly at between 60 and 90cm. This makes this strain one of the smallest and most discrete on this list—which makes its yield all the more impressive!
There can be almost no denying that the number one spot on this list deservedly should go to the Super Critical Auto strain, bred by the Green House Seed Co.
This strain offers many different benefits. At 70 to 120 cm, it isn’t the most discrete of plants but is still easily concealed—and this slight drawback is offset by the incredible stats that it can otherwise offer!
This strain matures as early as 6 weeks—one of the earliest maturing strains on the market—and yields can be phenomenal for an auto-flowering plant; indoor strains can yield as much as 800 grams per square meter, depending on the growing and germination conditions. Sadly, though, this strain is arguably not suited for outdoor growing, with outdoor yields being minimal at just 35grams per plant.
The effect of this strain is powerful and hard-hitting; some people even call the high akin to being sedated, it is that intense. As such, although the outdoor yields aren’t ideal, there is surely no doubt that this strain is definitely top dog in the list of the top auto-flowering cannabis plants.