Forbidden Fruit Strain Information & Review

Sophia Delphi December 09, 2022 - 6 min read
Fact Checked
Forbidden fruit strain review

Thankfully, this strain isn’t “forbidden” in legal weed states, because it’s extremely tasty and potent. And if you live in a prohibition state, it’s worth a road trip to find Forbidden Fruit (sometimes known by its French name, Le Fruit Defendu).

This is a 70/30 indica-dominant strain that delivers a classic indica body melt along with an uplifting head high. It’s best for evening use because the extreme relaxation it provides is usually followed by body lock, lethargy, and often a restful sleep. THC content can vary considerably.

As for the “fruit” part, expect an absolutely delicious fruity aroma and flavor, which blends with touches of pine, earth, flowers, and nuts. Forbidden Fruit is a relatively-recent strain that deserves more word-of-mouth than it sometimes gets.

Effects and Side Effects

Most discussions of Forbidden Fruit focus on its body high, but this strain’s head high shouldn’t be undersold.

The first effects are powerfully cerebral, relaxing, and mood-enhancing, virtually erasing stress and day-to-day concerns in a flash. The high start quickly, leaving many users happy and contemplative in a state that’s been compared to meditation. Others find that Forbidden Fruit’s head blast can trigger glee and giggling fits.

As deep relaxation then spreads throughout the user’s head and neck to the body, the cerebral high turns into a classic stoned feeling. The indica buzz causes muscles to melt as bodily stress vanishes, and smokers can find themselves locked to the couch in a matter of minutes, particularly if they’ve taken more than a few tokes.

Lethargy, drowsiness, sedation, and sleep often follow in order, again depending on consumption as well as user tolerance. Even those who aren’t knocked out by Forbidden Fruit are likely to find themselves fully relaxed — and totally wasted.

We’ve mentioned that the THC levels in this strain can vary widely, and high-THC versions may cause those with anxiety issues to see their anxiety worsen, possibly leading to paranoia. That’s rare with Forbidden Fruit, but it can happen. More common side effects are dry eyes and dry mouth, and of course, sedation. Expect the munchies, too.

Positive Effects:

  • Energy: 2/5
  • Creative: 2/5
  • Pain: 4/5
  • Stress: 5/5
  • Sleep: 4/5
  • Mood: 4/5

Negative Effects:

  • Paranoid: 2/5
  • Dry Mouth: 4/5
  • Dry Eyes: 4/5
  • Lethargy: 4/5
  • Cough: 2/5

Bottom Line: Forbidden Fruit combines strong cerebral relaxation and mood enhancement, followed by even more potent body effects that lock most users to the couch for a powerfully stoned experience. Sedation and sleep may follow in short order.

Medical Conditions

Patients dealing with both physical and mental health issues praise Forbidden Fruit for its strong and varied effects.

The latter says that the initial euphoria and stress relief the strain provides helps them deal with anxiety, and all forms of stress including PTSD, and depression. The former says the heavy body stone is ideal for the relief of temporary or chronic pain, migraines, and most types of muscle aches and spasms.

As you’d probably expect, those who have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep find Forbidden Fruit to be enormously helpful, as do patients with poor appetites because of issues like anorexia or chemotherapy treatment.

Flavor and Aroma

When you sample a strain whose parents have a strong cherry and citrus heritage, you’d anticipate a yummy experience. And Forbidden Fruit doesn’t disappoint.

The aroma is decadent and sweet, heavy with the scents of cherries, berries, citrus, and tropical fruit. The sweetness is balanced out somewhat, though, by notes of pine, flowers, and earthiness.

The strain’s taste delivers what its scent promises. The cherries, berries, and citrus are what you notice first, with some users saying that they notice the distinct flavors of grapefruits and lemons mixing with mangoes and passion fruit. It’s not all sweet, however. Compensating for the sweetness: undertones of pine, nuts, and musky earth. The overall taste is exceptional.

Flavor and Aroma Ratings:

  • Earthy: 3/5
  • Citrus: 5/5
  • Fruity: 5/5
  • Spice: 1/5
  • Wood: 3/5

Cannabinoids and Terpenes

You’ll see authoritative lab tests saying that the average THC content of Forbidden Fruit is in the neighborhood of 16%. We don’t doubt their methods or results, but it’s not at all unusual to find this strain (if you can find it) and other similar strains with much more THC content, anywhere from 22% to 25%.

The differences are largely due to plant phenotype and grower techniques since producers understandably try to cultivate their plants to contain as much THC as possible to meet market demand. There’s very little CBD in Forbidden Fruit, sometimes just a small trace.

Myrcene, limonene, linalool, and caryophyllene are the dominant terpenes in this strain, contributing most of its unique and delicious sweet aroma and taste. Also represented are ocimene, humulene, pinene, valencene and bisabolol.

Lineage

Most (but not all) experts agree with the prevailing backstory of Forbidden Fruit. It’s said to have been created by Chameleon Extracts in Santa Clara, California, by crossing sativa-dominant Tangie (a product of Skunk #1 and California Orange) with indica-dominant Cherry Pie (a product of Granddaddy Purple and F1 Durban Poison).

With such an esteemed heritage, the potent effects of Forbidden Fruit aren’t surprising. Its dominant cherry and citrus aroma and flavor are no surprise, either.

The other story that’s sometimes told is that the strain was developed from the same parents by breeders in Amsterdam and first sold in Europe, which is apparently how it got its alternate French name.

Similar Strains

Perhaps the closest strain to Forbidden Fruit in terms of effects, aroma, and taste is Florida Orange, which is indica-dominant with a Tangie heritage. Banana Cream, Blueberry, and Lavender are also worth trying, as is parent strain Cherry Pie, of course.

Forbidden Fruit Strain Review: FAQ

Q: Is Forbidden Fruit a rare strain?
A: Rare may be too strong a word, but it’s not the easiest weed to find. You may have to do some diligent searching but it’s worth the effort. The alternative (other than one of the similar strains we’ve suggested) is to grow it yourself, of course. The strain isn’t particularly touchy so it only requires a moderate amount of experience, and the seeds are available from reputable seed banks. Autoflowering versions are available, too.

Q: Is Tangie a good alternative for Forbidden Fruit?
A: It is if you’re just in search of scent and taste. But Tangie is sativa-dominant and delivers much more of a focused and creative head high, with much less of a sedating body stone. Tangie isn’t the best alternative if you’re looking to veg out and perhaps fall asleep.