Written by Ad OpsBreeding History and Origins
Artificial Tears is a contemporary hybrid bred by Legendary Hybrids, a boutique breeder recognized for stacking complementary chemotypes to balance heady uplift with well-structured body effects. While the exact parentage has not been publicly disclosed, the breeder classifies it as an indica and sativa hybrid, signaling a target for symmetry rather than extremes. In today’s market, balanced hybrids make up a large portion of dispensary shelves, reflecting consumer demand for versatile highs that suit both day and night use.
The strain’s name hints at both potency and sensory character. Some growers associate the moniker with bud density and terpenes so pungent they can make eyes water during trimming. Others read it as a nod to the classic dry-eye side effect that accompanies many THC-forward cultivars. Naming culture aside, Artificial Tears emerges from a lineage of modern crosses where resin output, terpene diversity, and yield are prioritized in parallel.
Legendary Hybrids’ portfolio tends to emphasize high-caliber resin heads suitable for solventless extraction, and Artificial Tears follows that template. In grower circles, it is discussed as a cultivar with robust trichome coverage, suggesting intentional selection for large capitate-stalked glandular trichomes. That selection pressure typically benefits both bag appeal and post-harvest processing, especially rosin pressing and dry-sift.
Because it is a relatively new release, public lab datasets are still sparse. Early adopter reports often precede peer-verified testing by several months, so expect the understanding of its profile to sharpen as more batches enter regulated testing. Until then, growers lean on phenotypic reads and analogs from similar hybrids to guide expectations.
Genetic Lineage and Hybrid Architecture
Artificial Tears is presented as a balanced indica and sativa hybrid, a format prized for minimizing trade-offs between cerebral clarity and physical comfort. In modern hybrids, this typically manifests as moderate internodal spacing, a medium stretch in early flower, and a canopy that responds well to topping and screen-of-green techniques. The absence of confirmed parents means cultivar-specific dominance is not yet codified, but the structural cues point to a contemporary polyhybrid rather than a narrow backcross.
Balanced hybrids in legal markets often land near 50-50 splits, though 60-40 skews are common. Wedding Cake, for example, is frequently cited at roughly 60 percent indica and 40 percent sativa with reported THC around 22 percent in many offerings, illustrating where mid-leaning hybrids often sit. Artificial Tears appears to chase a similar middle ground, with phenotypes that can lean slightly one way or the other depending on selection and environment.
Growers should expect heterosis in seed runs, producing multiple chemovars under the same umbrella. Selection from a pack will likely reveal one phenotype with more compact, kush-leaning structure and another with a slightly airier, cookie or gelato-style architecture. Both expressions can be productive when trained correctly, but canopy planning should account for these divergences to maximize uniform light distribution.
Until breeder-released lineage data is public, phenotype tracking remains essential. Tagging branches and logging terpenes, vigor, internode spacing, and resin head size over two cycles will help lock in a keeper. Clone-only production from a selected mother typically tightens variance and elevates yield consistency batch to batch.
Visual Traits and Bud Structure
Artificial Tears showcases dense, resin-heavy flowers with a calyx-first build and a favorable calyx-to-leaf ratio. Expect medium-sized colas composed of tight, frost-laden bracts that make for efficient hand-trimming and superior bag appeal. Pistils often emerge in fiery orange to tangerine tones, contrasting against lime to forest-green hues that can express faint purples under cooler night temperatures.
Trichome coverage is the calling card. On well-grown examples, the gland heads appear abundantly throughout the sugar leaf, giving a sugar-dusted appearance that persists even after careful trim. Under magnification, capitate-stalked trichomes dominate, an indicator that the cultivar translates well to solventless extraction, where head size and brittleness correlate with wash yields.
Bud density tends to be medium-high, resisting airy foxtailing if heat and VPD are well managed. In rooms with excessive heat stress or under too-high PPFD without CO2 supplementation, some phenotypes can throw late-flower foxtails; dialing in canopy temperature to 75–80 F and keeping VPD in target zones curbs this tendency. Proper potassium and silica support during mid to late flower further stabilizes structure and reduces mechanical lodging.
Cured flowers hold their shape in the jar and grind with a resinous stickiness that coats fingers and grinder teeth. With a good cure, the bud breaks into shards rather than powder, preserving trichome integrity and the aroma locked inside. This physical resilience helps the strain travel well, retaining aesthetic quality in retail settings.
Aromatic Profile and Nose
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that give cannabis its scent, and they are fundamental to the personality of Artificial Tears. As highlighted in cannabis education resources, terpenes drive the nose and contribute meaningfully to taste and perceived effects. Artificial Tears typically opens with layered citrus and sweet herbaceous notes, underpinned by peppery spice and a faint floral-lavender lift.
Limonene often reads as orange rind or sherbet on the first inhale from a jar. Beta-caryophyllene brings a cracked black pepper edge that sits in the mid-tones and provides a grounding base. Myrcene, when present in moderate amounts, can add damp earth and mango peel, rounding the profile into a fuller bouquet.
Some phenotypes show a quiet but distinct linalool accent, the terpene also abundant in lavender and referenced in relaxing varietals like certain Gelato descents. When linalool is more pronounced, the nose carries a soft, powdery floral top note that smooths the sharper citrus elements. Humulene and ocimene can add green hop and lightly sweet, herbal brightness, respectively, adding to complexity.
Garlic or sulfur-driven volatiles are not the headliners here, unlike in chem or GMO-leaning cultivars, though a faint savory shadow can appear at the bottom of the register in some expressions. Overall, the bouquet leans bright and welcoming with a spice spine, straddling daytime friendliness and evening comfort. Proper curing at 60–62 percent relative humidity preserves these delicate top notes and extends shelf stability.
Flavor, Mouthfeel, and Combustion
On the palate, Artificial Tears delivers a citrus-forward entrance, often resembling lemon-lime candy or sweet grapefruit zest. The mid-palate transitions to herbal tea, basil, and a touch of black pepper, with the exhale revealing faint lavender and cream. Vaporization at lower temperatures highlights the floral and citrus layers, while higher-temperature combustion amplifies spice and earth.
The mouthfeel is full yet clean, with resin oil building softly across the tongue without a waxy film. A well-cured sample burns to light ash and maintains an even cherry, indicating the mineral balance and thorough drying were on point. Overly rapid dry or insufficient flush can result in harsher pulls and darker ash, dulling the nuanced flavors.
Flavor intensity is sustained across the session, resisting rapid fade after the first few puffs. In blind tasting groups, balanced hybrids with limonene and caryophyllene frequently score well for perceived freshness and palate length, and Artificial Tears tracks with that pattern. Pairing with citrus seltzer or unsweetened green tea can cleanse the palate and preserve flavor acuity between draws.
For edibles and concentrates, the strain’s citrus-spice-floral triad translates especially well into solventless rosin and live resin. Terp retention is best when fresh frozen within hours of harvest, with low-temp presses preserving the top notes that volatilize easily. Infused products benefit from dose-consistent formulation to keep the flavor as the star rather than chasing overpowering potency.
Cannabinoids and Potency Metrics
Because Artificial Tears is relatively new, comprehensive multi-lab datasets are still developing. In the broader legal market, THC content for balanced hybrids frequently lands in the 18–24 percent range, with premium cuts occasionally testing above 25 percent. Many dispensary inventories across North America report median THC values near the 19–21 percent band, providing a realistic benchmark for modern hybrids.
CBD content in THC-forward hybrids is usually low, often below 1 percent, with minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBC each typically ranging from trace to around 1 percent in select phenotypes. Such minor constituents can still influence perceived effects, especially when total terpene content is substantial. Total terpene content in quality indoor flower commonly spans 1.5–3.0 percent by weight, correlating with stronger aroma and a more layered effect profile.
Onset for inhalation-based consumption is rapid, typically within 2–10 minutes, with peak effects arriving by the 20–30 minute mark. Subjective duration often runs 2–4 hours depending on dose, tolerance, and whether the terpenes trend stimulating or relaxing. Edible formats shift onset later to 45–90 minutes with effects lasting 4–8 hours, so titration is critical.
While single potency numbers are useful, the practical experience is a function of the whole chemovar. Balanced THC levels paired with a bright terpene ensemble often produce clear-headed euphoria without heavy couchlock in the first hour. As metabolism progresses, the body component tends to deepen, particularly in phenotypes that lean toward myrcene or linalool.
Terpenes, Chemistry, and Entourage Dynamics
Terpenes do far more than smell good; they can modify subjective effects when present alongside cannabinoids. Educational resources and strain databases emphasize that terpene composition shapes both aroma and the texture of the high, a point illustrated repeatedly in data-driven profiles such as those published for classic strains like AK-47. Artificial Tears appears to carry a limonene, beta-caryophyllene, and myrcene triad at its core, with linalool and humulene as frequent supporting players.
Across modern balanced hybrids, individual dominant terpenes commonly register in the 0.3–1.2 percent range each, with total terpene content adding up to 1.5–3.0 percent. In this cultivar, expect limonene to sit near the top of the stack, lending mood-elevating citrus, while caryophyllene anchors the profile with spicy depth. Myrcene’s contribution tends to soften edges and can slightly quicken onset through potential permeability effects.
The linalool axis deserves attention. In other cultivars where linalool dominates, like certain cuts of Lemon Cherry Gelato, consumers often report calming, body-lightening effects. When Artificial Tears expresses a higher linalool fraction, evening suitability and anxiolytic tone typically increase, whereas limonene-forward expressions skew more daytime and creative.
Humulene and ocimene add fine-grained complexity. Humulene provides woody hop and, in some reports, appetite-modulating tendencies, while ocimene presents as sweet herb and can lend a clean, uplifting aura. Tracking terpene lab results lot by lot is the most reliable way to predict which contextual effects are likely in a given batch.
Effects, Onset, and Dosing Guidance
Artificial Tears is engineered for balance, offering a clear mental lift paired with a warm, progressive body ease. The initial phase, especially in limonene-dominant expressions, often brings alert euphoria, light talkativeness, and perspective shifting that enhances music and visual detail. As the session unfolds, caryophyllene and myrcene exert a grounding influence, translating to postural relaxation and reduced somatic tension.
At low doses, many consumers find productivity and creative ideation are enhanced rather than dulled. This tracks with observations that some sativa-leaning hybrids, in modest amounts, can boost humor and creative flow during everyday tasks. Artificial Tears, while not a pure sativa, can perform similarly in its brighter phenotypes, particularly before midday or in the early afternoon.
At higher doses, sedative properties become more evident, and time dilation may increase, nudging the strain toward evening relaxation or film-and-couch territory. Expect a 2–4 hour window of meaningful effects after inhalation, with a soft landing if hydration and nutrition are managed well. As with any THC-rich flower, sensitive users should avoid large initial hits and instead zone in with two or three modest inhalations spaced over 10–15 minutes.
Common side effects include dry mouth and dry eyes, which are manageable with water and over-the-counter lubricating eye drops. Practical tips from user communities and strain write-ups suggest that routine hydration and eye care minimize these nuisances. Given the name of the cultivar, keeping actual artificial tears at the ready can feel on-brand and effective.
Therapeutic and Medical Potential
From a therapeutic perspective, Artificial Tears checks many boxes that patients and wellness users value in a balanced hybrid. Limonene-rich profiles are frequently associated with mood elevation and stress relief, while caryophyllene, a terpene that can interact with CB2 receptors, is noted for anti-inflammatory potential. Myrcene and linalool bring relaxation, with linalool repeatedly studied for its anxiolytic and sedative properties in preclinical settings.
For pain management, the combination of THC’s central analgesia and caryophyllene’s peripheral anti-inflammatory action may provide a one-two punch. Patients with neuropathic pain often report that balanced hybrids lower baseline discomfort without rendering them immobile. The strain’s mental clarity in early phases can also help patients remain engaged with daytime activities, which is a practical advantage over heavier indicas.
Anxiety and stress reduction are consistent use cases, especially in linalool-leaning batches where calm and tension release are more pronounced. Mood disorders that benefit from gentle euphoria without precipitous crash may find this profile a good adjunct alongside existing care plans. For sleep, higher evening doses can encourage quicker onset, though pure insomnia cases might prefer even more sedative, myrcene-dominant cultivars.
As with all cannabis use for medical purposes, individual variability is high, and evidence is still evolving. Patients should start low, go slow, and consult a clinician, particularly when using other medications. Documenting outcomes and terpene data over multiple purchases helps create a personalized map of what works best for specific symptoms.
Cultivation Guide: Vegetative Stage and Setup
Artificial Tears cultivates like a modern, cooperative hybrid with moderate vigor and eagerness to branch. Most breeder releases of this type are photoperiod plants, meaning you control flowering by shifting the light cycle to 12 hours on and 12 hours off. If an autoflower version is ever released, it would follow the rule that such plants flower by age rather than photoperiod, eliminating the need for a flip and finishing on a fixed schedule.
Germination thrives at 75–80 F with a gentle root-zone warmth and moderate moisture. Seedlings prefer a light intensity in the 200–300 PPFD range, scaling to 400–500 PPFD by late veg as roots colonize the medium. Maintain vegetative temperatures around 75–82 F with 55–65 percent relative humidity and a VPD of roughly 0.8–1.1 kPa.
Nutrient strategy in veg is straightforward: nitrogen-forward but balanced, with attention to calcium and magnesium, especially under powerful LEDs. Target an EC near 1.2–1.6 in hydro or coco and analogously rich but not hot soils in organics. Aim for a pH of 5.8–6.2 in hydro/coco and 6.2–6.6 in soil to optimize uptake of magnesium, calcium, and micronutrients that support strong cell walls.
Begin training early. Top once above the fourth or fifth node to split apical dominance and encourage lateral branching. Low-stress training and light supercropping create a broad, even canopy ready for a net, minimizing hotspots and preparing the plant for a uniform stretch when flowering begins.
Cultivation Guide: Flowering, Training, and Yield
Flip to 12 and 12 when your canopy fills about 70 percent of its intended footprint. Artificial Tears stretches moderately, often 1.5–2 times its height in the first 2–3 weeks of flower, so factoring in this expansion keeps tops in the optimal light zone. Install a trellis or plant yo-yos before the stretch to guide vertical growth without snapping stems.
During flower weeks 1–3, increment light intensity to 600–700 PPFD, then 700–900 PPFD by weeks 4–7, provided CO2 is at ambient or slightly enriched. If you supplement CO2 to 800–1200 ppm, you can safely push PPFD toward 900–1100 with careful temperature management around 78–82 F. Reduce humidity to 40–50 percent by mid-flower and 38–45 percent in late flower to lower botrytis and powdery mildew risk.
Nutritionally, taper nitrogen after the stretch and emphasize potassium and phosphorus, with magnesium support to safeguard chlorophyll and prevent interveinal chlorosis. Many growers do a light defoliation around day 21 of flower to open airflow, followed by a more conservative touch-up around day 42. Lollipopping the lower third that sits in shade can prevent larf and redirect energy to the productive canopy.
Expect a flowering duration around 8–10 weeks depending on phenotype and target effect. Earlier-pulling phenos may be ready near day 56 when trichomes are mostly cloudy, offering a brighter effect; later phenos at day 63–70 can produce a heavier body tone as amber trichomes increase. Well-tuned indoor runs commonly produce 400–600 grams per square meter, with optimized dial-ins and CO2 occasionally exceeding that in high-performance rooms.
Outdoor and Greenhouse Strategy
Outdoors, Artificial Tears prefers a warm, temperate climate with long, dry autumns. In full sun with quality soil biology, plants can reach medium height with a dense, manageable structure. Trellising is advisable due to resin weight and to withstand late-season winds that can snap loaded branches.
Aim for planting after the last frost once soil temperatures stay above 60 F. Water deeply but infrequently to encourage robust root systems, and mulch to conserve moisture and stabilize soil temperature. Top-dressing with composts and mineral amendments mid-season supports sustained flowering without overfeeding.
Disease pressure outdoors concentrates around powdery mildew and botrytis, particularly in humid regions. While some kush-derived lines demonstrate mold resilience, you should not rely on potential ancestry for protection. Integrated pest management that includes canopy thinning, improved airflow, preventative biologicals, and proper spacing reduces risk significantly.
Harvest windows vary by latitude, but many balanced hybrids finish in early to mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere. Greenhouses extend the window and allow light dep schedules to avoid the heaviest fall rains. In mixed-light setups, expect yields of several hundred grams per plant with careful canopy control and adequate nutrition.
Harvest, Drying, Curing, and Storage
Choose harvest timing with a jeweler’s loupe or microscope. For a brighter, more uplifting profile, harvest when most trichomes are cloudy with minimal amber. For a deeper, more sedative finish, allow an additional 5–10 days for amber trichomes to increase, monitoring that calyx swell has plateaued.
Dry slowly to protect terpenes. A common best practice is 60 Fahrenheit and 60 percent relative humidity for 10–14 days with gentle airflow but no direct fan on flowers. Stems should snap rather than bend before moving to cure.
Cure in airtight containers at 62 percent humidity, burping daily for the first week and then every 2–3 days for the next two weeks. Proper curing time is at least 3–4 weeks, with the flavor maturing for up to 8–10 weeks. Total terpene retention measurably improves with a disciplined dry and cure, preserving top notes that volatilize easily.
Store finished flower in opaque, airtight containers in a cool, dark environment. Avoid frequent temperature swings and oxygen exposure, both of which accelerate terpene loss and cannabinoid degradation. With correct storage, potency and aroma remain vibrant for months rather than weeks.
Troubleshooting, IPM, and Common Pitfalls
Balanced hybrids like Artificial Tears are generally forgiving, but there are predictable pitfalls to avoid. Overfeeding nitrogen late in veg and into early flower can drive excessive leafiness, making defoliation more laborious and raising humidity within the canopy. Stay conservative and let the plant’s leaves tell you when to feed rather than adhering rigidly to bottled schedules.
Under LED lighting, calcium and magnesium demands may rise, and deficiency can present as interveinal chlorosis or necrotic leaf spotting. Introducing a cal-mag supplement or adjusting base nutrient ratios usually resolves this quickly. Maintain stable pH to ensure those minerals are bioavailable, especially in coco and hydro contexts.
Powdery mildew and spider mites are the leading biotic threats in many facilities. A clean-room mentality, quarantining new clones, and a living IPM that includes beneficial insects and preventative foliar sprays in veg help keep populations below thresholds. Once in flower, rely on environmental control, canopy airflow, and biologicals rather than aggressive sprays to avoid residue on buds.
Some hybrid cuts can be finicky, as growers often note with cultivars like MAC feminized that demand precision. Artificial Tears tends to be easier to manage, though the best results still come from disciplined environment control. Keep records each cycle, tune VPD, and adjust irrigation frequency as root mass increases to prevent overwatering and hypoxia.
Comparative Notes and Consumer Positioning
Artificial Tears sits comfortably among modern, terpene-forward hybrids designed for versatility. Its balance echoes the appeal of celebrated middle-leaning strains while carving its own identity through a citrus-spice-floral aromatic signature and resin-rich structure. For consumers, it reads as a one-jar solution that can handle both a morning creative session and a mellow evening wind-down, depending on dose.
For context, hybrids with similar genetic architecture often present THC around the low to mid-twenties and total terpenes near or above 2 percent. That puts Artificial Tears in a competitive slot relative to household names while keeping the focus on flavor and experiential polish rather than raw potency alone. Day-to-day usability is a strong selling point, especially for buyers who dislike committing to single-purpose day or night jars.
Producers can position Artificial Tears as a flagship hybrid that plays well in both flower and solventless concentrate categories. Its trichome density and capitate-stalked head size bode well for wash yields, and the citrus-spice profile tends to shine in rosin. Retailers can lean into the name with a lighthearted reminder to hydrate and keep lubricating eye drops on hand, which doubles as useful harm-reduction advice.
Ultimately, the strain’s strength is composure. It is not the loudest kid in the room on any single axis; rather, it is a complete package that integrates aroma, flavor, effect, and grower friendliness. In a market where terpene literacy is rising, that cohesion often wins repeat purchases.
Key Data and Evidence Context
Multiple knowledge sources inform expectations for Artificial Tears. Cannabis education references emphasize that terpenes shape aroma and, in conjunction with cannabinoids, can modulate how a strain feels, which aligns with the observed balance in this cultivar. Strain databases and product testing pages for legacy cultivars underline that profiling terpenes alongside cannabinoids yields better predictions of user experience than THC alone.
Consumer guides often note that some sativa-dominant or sativa-leaning hybrids can boost creativity at low doses, a pattern that helps explain why bright, limonene-leaning phenotypes of Artificial Tears shine during daytime tasks. Industry overviews of modern hybrids, such as those pointing to Wedding Cake at roughly 60 percent indica and 40 percent sativa with around 22 percent THC, set a reasonable potency and balance benchmark for comparison. Seed and cultivation guides for demanding cultivars like MAC remind growers that not every hybrid is equally forgiving, which is useful context when assessing the relative manageability of Artificial Tears.
Discussions of linalool-rich strains, such as linalool-forward Gelato descendants, provide a framework to understand calming variants of this cultivar. Advice columns frequently mention dry mouth and eyes as manageable side effects, recommending hydration and eye drops, a practical note that feels tailor-made for a strain named Artificial Tears. Autoflower primers clarify that, if this breeder ever releases an autoflowering version, it would not require a photoperiod trigger, simplifying scheduling for some growers.
Finally, broad market testing in North America commonly finds THC medians around the low twenties for high-quality hybrids, with total terpenes in the 1.5–3.0 percent band for well-grown indoor flower. These population-level statistics help anchor expectations until a larger set of lab results specific to Artificial Tears becomes publicly accessible. As more batches enter testing, cultivar-specific numbers will refine these ranges with higher precision.
