Editor's note: This article has been reviewed and updated for accuracy in 2026. The precise number of cannabis strains in the world is unknown. It is a number certain to increase exponentially in the next decade or so, now that medical marijuana is legal in two-thirds of American states and is fully legal in Canada and a lot of other countries. If you are looking to grow your own supply and want the hottest seeds we have a best online seed banks roundup you may be interested. Even during a pandemic, there is a virtually unlimited supply of new strain options. Even though there are likely thousands of cannabis strains, people still want more. Breeders are complying with dozens of new strains popularized annually. First, let’s take a quick look at how breeders find strains to crossbreed in the first place. The Art of Breeding Cannabis If you care about your strain and its lineage, then you need to also know about how the world is gifted with these delicious beauties. Delicious fruity strains like Tropicana Cookies and Zkittlz don't just naturally appear in grow rooms, nor do the just fall from the heavens, as much as we wish they did. Nope, in reality new and exciting marijuana flowers are the results of endless hours of hard work and creativity from breeders, growers, and harvesters. The process to creating a unique tasting and smelling strain can be summarized by combining two similar plants that have characteristics you'd like to combine. This all occurs during the breeding process and is the starting point for many of they hyped strains of 2020. In general, there are two types of crossbreeding: Inbreeding: Involves crossing females and males of the same strain. The goal is to create seeds that closely replicate the parent plants. Outbreeding: This process involves growing male and female plants of different strains. You place them in a room duri