Cherry Punch seeds are seed lines that reproduce Cherry Punch, the balanced hybrid that California breeders Symbiotic Genetics created by crossing Cherry AK-47 with Purple Punch. Released in 2017, it placed third in its category at the 2018 Emerald Cup and is known for a cherry-candy and berry aroma with reported THC of roughly 20–24%.
Cherry-named cultivars are everywhere in modern seed catalogues, and most lean on a single purple or Cookies parent for the fruit note. Cherry Punch is different. It pairs a cherry-scented selection of a 1990s Dutch classic with the most influential American indica hybrid of the last decade, with a named breeder and a cup placing behind it. This guide covers who bred it, the genetics, the reported data, and how to tell a genuine Cherry Punch listing from a name-alike.
Who bred Cherry Punch?
Cherry Punch is credited to Symbiotic Genetics, a northern California breeding partnership. According to its SeedFinder entry, the company was established in 2014 by two breeders known as The Village and Budologist, and it is best known for Purple Punch crosses such as Mimosa and Wedding Crasher. Cherry Punch belongs to that family of releases.
A Leafly feature by David Downs, which named Cherry Punch its strain of the month in April 2022, dates the release to 2017. The same article records that a Cherry Punch entry took third place in the Emerald Cup’s “Outdoor – Private” category in 2018, a placing SeedFinder also lists and most seed banks quote.
Cherry Punch genetics: Cherry AK-47 × Purple Punch
Every source we checked agrees on the two parents; Leafly’s strain page specifies a Purple Punch F2.
- Cherry AK-47 is a cherry-scented phenotype selected from AK-47, the sativa-leaning hybrid that Simon of Serious Seeds created in 1992 from Colombian, Mexican, Thai and Afghan stock. It supplies Cherry Punch’s top note and its lighter, sativa-influenced side.
- Purple Punch is Granddaddy Purple × Larry OG. High Times credits it to Supernova Gardens in Hawaii in 2012, and Symbiotic Genetics later made it the backbone of its catalogue. It contributes the grape-candy sweetness and dense indica structure the whole “Punch” family shares. An F2 is a second-generation selection from that line rather than the original clone.
The result is usually described as an evenly balanced hybrid, which is unusual for a Purple Punch cross: most of Symbiotic’s Punch lines lean indica, and the AK-47 side pulls this one back to the middle. Our guide to indica, sativa and hybrid cannabis seeds explains what those labels do and do not tell you about a line.
Cherry Punch at a glance
The figures below are reported breeder, seed-bank and strain-database data, given for genetic comparison only. They vary between sources and phenotypes, and ungerminated seeds contain no THC.
| Attribute | Reported data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Breeder | Symbiotic Genetics, California | SeedFinder, Leafly |
| Release | 2017 | Leafly (Downs, 2022) |
| Lineage | Cherry AK-47 × Purple Punch (F2) | SeedFinder, Leafly |
| Classification | Balanced hybrid, listed as 50/50 on our product page | SeedFinder, Canna Genetics listing |
| Reported THC | 22% (Leafly); around 24% (SeedFinder); 20–24% (our listing) | Leafly, SeedFinder, Canna Genetics |
| Reported CBD / CBG | CBD below 1%; CBG about 1% | Leafly, GrowDiaries |
| Dominant terpenes | Caryophyllene, limonene, humulene (Leafly strain page); myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene (Leafly feature, our listing) | Leafly, Canna Genetics |
| Aroma | Cherry candy, blueberry, sweet berry, citrus, hint of skunk | SeedFinder, Leafly |
| Cup result | 3rd, Emerald Cup 2018, “Outdoor – Private” | Leafly, SeedFinder |
Aroma and terpene profile
SeedFinder’s description is the most vivid: a full-bodied candy aroma, “sugary energy drink with a subtle hint of skunk”, with cherry candy and blueberry leading and citrus behind. Leafly’s reviewers sum it up as a sweet, berry and cherry smell. The skunk note is the AK-47 inheritance, and it separates Cherry Punch from softer cherry lines built only on Cookies or Gelato parents.
On terpenes, sources agree on the main compounds but not the order. Caryophyllene (peppery) and limonene (citrus) appear in every reported profile. Leafly’s strain page adds woody humulene as the third, while Leafly’s 2022 feature and our own listing put earthy myrcene in that slot. Both readings fit the parents: Purple Punch is itself reported as caryophyllene and limonene dominant.
How Cherry Punch compares with its Punch relatives
Collectors who already hold Purple Punch Fast feminised seeds will find Cherry Punch the natural next piece. The grape-candy base carries across from the shared parent, but Cherry Punch swaps the heavy indica lean for a balanced profile and layers cherry and skunk on top. Among Symbiotic’s other Punch crosses, Mimosa leans citrus and Wedding Crasher leans vanilla and gas, leaving Cherry Punch as the fruit-forward member of the set.
How to read a Cherry Punch seed listing
Cherry Punch is a name that gets reused, and not every listing carrying it describes the Symbiotic cross.
- Check the parents, not just the name. SeedFinder notes that Symbiotic Genetics never released Cherry Punch as feminised seed. Feminised Cherry Punch seeds, including ours, are therefore seed-bank reproductions of the Cherry AK-47 × Purple Punch line, and a good listing should name both parents. Our guide to why the same strain name can mean different genetics explains how to weigh a reproduction against an original release.
- Watch for name-alikes. One large seed bank sells a “Cherry Punch F1” reported as Purple Punch × Banjo, and an “Auto Cherry Punch” exists built from Cherry Pie and Purple Pie with ruderalis. Both are legitimate lines, but neither contains Cherry AK-47. Leafly also lists “Black Cherry Punch” as an alias, but some Canadian producers sell a separate cultivar under that name, so treat it with caution.
- Expect ranges, not a single figure. THC reports for the original line cluster between 22% and 24%. A single unsourced number, or a figure far above that range, is a reason to ask questions.
Cherry Punch sits in our feminised seeds category, in 1-seed and 3-seed packs, alongside the rest of the range.
Is it legal to collect Cherry Punch seeds in the UK?
Yes. Cannabis seeds are not a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, because an ungerminated seed contains no THC, so adults aged 18 and over can legally buy and collect them in the UK. Germinating or cultivating them without a Home Office licence is an offence. Our guide to whether cannabis seeds are legal in the UK in 2026 covers the law in detail.
Cherry Punch seeds: frequently asked questions
Cherry Punch is a cross of Cherry AK-47 and Purple Punch. Leafly specifies a Purple Punch F2, a second-generation selection from the Granddaddy Purple × Larry OG line.
Cherry Punch was bred by Symbiotic Genetics, a northern California partnership established in 2014. Leafly dates the release to 2017, and the line placed third in the Emerald Cup’s “Outdoor – Private” category in 2018.
Reported figures run from about 20% to 24%. Leafly lists 22%, SeedFinder says most examples reach around 24%, and our product listing gives 20–24%. Ungerminated seeds contain no THC.
Reported aromas are cherry candy, blueberry, sweet berry and citrus with a hint of skunk from the AK-47 side. The main reported terpenes are caryophyllene and limonene, with humulene or myrcene third depending on the source.
No. Those are different crosses from other seed banks, reported as Purple Punch × Banjo and Cherry Pie × Purple Pie with ruderalis. Neither contains Cherry AK-47, so check the stated parents on any listing.
Yes. Adults aged 18 and over can legally buy and own cannabis seeds in the UK because ungerminated seeds contain no controlled substances. Germinating or cultivating them without a Home Office licence is illegal, so Canna Genetics sells seeds strictly as collectible souvenirs.
A note for collectors
Canna Genetics sells cannabis seeds strictly as collectible souvenirs to adults aged 18 and over. All strain data in this article, including THC and terpene figures, is reported breeder, seed-bank or strain-database information published for genetic comparison only. We do not provide germination or cultivation advice, and germinating cannabis seeds in the UK without a Home Office licence is illegal.
