Purple Punch is a cross of Larry OG and Granddaddy Purple, bred by Supernova Gardens in Hawaii around 2012. It is famously sedating — both parents are heavy indicas and Purple Punch inherits the full sleepy profile from each side.
It is also one half of Mimosa, which is where things get interesting, because Mimosa is not sedating at all. A parent this dominant usually decides the effect of whatever it is crossed with, and in that one case it did not.
Understanding why matters if you are reading pedigrees to predict how something will behave. Purple Punch is the clearest example in our catalogue of a parent whose reputation does not automatically transfer.
Purple Punch at a Glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Genetics | Larry OG × Granddaddy Purple |
| Breeder | Supernova Gardens, Hawaii |
| Created | Around 2012 |
| Aroma | Grape candy, blueberry muffin, tart berry |
| Effect | Sedating — head then body |
| Structure | Short, stocky, dark purple hues |
| Best for | Evening, sleep, nausea |
| Notable descendant | Mimosa |
The Parents
Larry OG
Also called Lemon Larry, this is an OG Kush descendant that contributes vigour, heavy resin production and complex flavour nuance.
It is the reason Purple Punch is more interesting than a straightforward purple cultivar. Without the OG side it would be sweet and one-dimensional.
Granddaddy Purple
The male came from Ken Estes’ line. GDP supplies the colour, the sweet berry aromatics and a great deal of the sedation.
Granddaddy Purple is one of the most reliably sleepy cultivars in circulation, and it passes that trait on consistently.
| Parent | Contributed |
|---|---|
| Larry OG | Vigour, resin, flavour complexity |
| Granddaddy Purple | Purple colour, berry sweetness, sedation |
| Purple Punch | Grape candy nose with a double dose of sleep |
This Purple Punch genetics history covers the breeding story in more detail.
The One-Two Punch
The name describes the effect. It lands between the eyes first, then settles down into the limbs — a distinct two-stage arc rather than a gradual build.
Both parents are documented heavy indicas, so there is nothing pulling against the sedation. That makes it predictable in a way many hybrids are not, and genuinely useful if sleep is what you want.
| Stage | What happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| First | Pressure behind the eyes, head-heavy | Fast |
| Second | Sedation moves into the body | 20–40 minutes |
| Peak | Heavy limbs, strong urge to lie down | 45–90 minutes |
| Best used for | Evening, sleep, nausea, body aches | — |
The Mimosa Puzzle
Here is what makes Purple Punch worth understanding as a breeding parent: Mimosa is Clementine crossed with Purple Punch, and Mimosa is uplifting.
That should not happen. Purple Punch normally dominates the effect of whatever it is crossed with. In Mimosa the Clementine side wins on effect while Purple Punch still supplies berry sweetness and purple colour.
| Purple Punch | Mimosa | |
|---|---|---|
| Effect | Heavily sedating | Uplifting, clear |
| Best time | Evening and night | Daytime |
| Lead aroma | Grape candy | Orange citrus |
| Colour | Strong purple | Strong purple |
| Body load | Heavy | Light |
Our Mimosa profile covers the finished cross, which reaches our catalogue through Garlic Cocktail and into Baijiu.
Larry OG and the Lemon Line
Larry OG, sometimes called Lemon Larry, is an OG Kush descendant with a citrus lean. It is the less visible parent because Granddaddy Purple dominates both the colour and the aroma.
Its contribution is structural and qualitative rather than obvious: vigour, resin production and the complexity that stops Purple Punch tasting like generic sweet candy. Without it the cultivar would be considerably less interesting.
Larry OG traces back to OG Kush, which means Purple Punch carries OG heritage on one side and pure indica sedation on the other — a combination that guarantees weight.
The Colour Trap
Purple Punch purples heavily and reliably, and that has driven a great deal of its commercial success. Purple flower photographs well and sells faster.
Anthocyanin is a pigment. It contributes nothing to flavour, potency or effect, and chasing colour with cold late-flower temperatures at the expense of terpene retention is a genuinely bad trade that plenty of growers make anyway because purple flower moves faster off a shelf.
If you are choosing between two Purple Punch jars, the darker one is not the better one. It may simply have been finished colder.
Our terpenes guide covers what actually determines the experience.
Why It Sells
Purple Punch became a commercial staple for reasons that have little to do with effect. It is compact and easy to grow indoors, it purples reliably, and grape candy is an approachable flavour that almost nobody dislikes.
Add a genuine sleep application and you have a cultivar that sells to several different buyers at once. That combination is rarer than it sounds.
| Selling point | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Purple colour | Photographs well, strong shelf appeal |
| Grape candy nose | Broadly likeable, easy to describe |
| Compact structure | Fits standard indoor rooms |
| Reliable sedation | Clear use case for sleep |
Storage
The candy sweetness fades before the earthier OG notes do, so an older jar reads flatter and less distinctive. Sealed glass, cool and dark, and check the harvest date before assuming a batch is underwhelming.
Growing Notes
Purple Punch is short and stocky, which makes it manageable indoors, and it produces dense flower that needs the usual care.
- Compact structure. Easier to fit than most OG descendants.
- Dense flower needs airflow. Standard for anything this tight.
- Cool finish for colour — but weigh it against terpene loss.
- Feed conservatively. The candy sweetness fades under heavy nitrogen.
See grow room climate and harvest and cure for the detail.
Buying Purple Punch
Because it is grown at scale almost everywhere, quality varies enormously. The name tells you the genetics and nothing about the execution.
Ask the harvest date first — the candy sweetness is the first thing to go. Ask who grew it, and be sceptical of unusually dark purple flower, which sometimes indicates a cold finish chased for appearance at the expense of terpene retention.
Our Michigan craft cannabis buyer’s guide covers the questions worth asking, and the COA guide covers reading the lab report.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Purple Punch genetics?
Purple Punch is Larry OG crossed with Granddaddy Purple, bred by Supernova Gardens in Hawaii around 2012.
Is Purple Punch good for sleep?
It is one of the more reliable sleep cultivars available. Both parents are heavy indicas, so there is little pulling against the sedation.
What does Purple Punch taste like?
Grape candy, blueberry muffin and tart berry, with stone fruit and cookie notes underneath.
Why is Mimosa not sedating if Purple Punch is?
In the Mimosa cross the Clementine side dominates the effect while Purple Punch contributes sweetness and colour. It is an unusual outcome for such a dominant parent.
Does the purple colour mean anything?
No. Anthocyanin pigments express in cool temperatures and do not affect flavour, potency or effect.
Educational content for adults 21+ in legal jurisdictions. Lost Leaf flower is available only through licensed Michigan provisioning centres.