Sources and methodology
Cannabis strain sources and evidence
Cannabis strain sources can document different things: a directory label, a breeder’s account, a specimen photograph or a reported laboratory range. This page explains how HempLookup attributes those records and how to interpret the differences. Each profile keeps its catalog fields separate from researched reference notes, photographer credits and individual reader experiences.
HempLookup organizes named cannabis strain records and adds original reference notes as sources are inspected. A catalog record and a researched profile contain different levels of detail.
Catalog facts
The starting catalog contains 16,060 records from AllBud’s publicly accessible directory, checked on 9 November 2026. Each profile links to its source. Names, classifications, reported proportions and available potency ranges are kept separately from our reference notes. A snapshot of one directory cannot establish a complete inventory of every cannabis strain.
Type labels such as indica, sativa and dominant hybrid are the source’s classification. Reported THC and CBD ranges are not laboratory results for a particular flower. Missing measurements remain unreported. When reported indica and sativa proportions conflict, the profile omits the ratio and explains why.
Reference notes and disagreements
Expanded profiles identify their sources beside the relevant sections. They bring together breeder descriptions, strain directories and documented historical accounts. Research and drafting use AI assistance. Source links and the checked date make the resulting claims inspectable; we do not imply independent laboratory or genetic verification.
The same name can describe different breeder releases, selections or retail samples. Parentage, origin and classification may differ between sources. The notes attribute those accounts and preserve material disagreements. An alias is a reported naming connection, rather than proof that two catalog records are genetically identical.
Source dates show when the linked material was checked. They do not mean that every statement has been confirmed by its original breeder. Corrections can be submitted through our contribution form.
Photographs and credits
Photographs are recorded against the strain profile where they were published, with source links, identifying labels and the source’s stated rights. Captions retain the published strain or breeder label. Named photographers receive a visible credit and a creator link when available; where the source does not identify the photographer, that is stated. Creative Commons and producer-supplied media carry their stated terms. Other credited reference photographs retain their source copyright and are not offered under an open reuse license.
A photograph shows one specimen identified by its contributor. Its appearance does not authenticate its genetics or show how every example of that name will look. We do not substitute unrelated bud photographs for missing strain images.
WordPress creates responsive sizes for display, and layouts may crop the displayed image. These changes are disclosed in the caption. Public image files are checked for location metadata; GPS metadata is removed where present. Creative Commons images retain the terms linked beside them, including ShareAlike terms where applicable. Public availability, a credit, or the site’s current noncommercial status does not itself supply permission to republish a photograph.
Reviews and contributions
Guest reviews describe individual experiences. They remain private until a site moderator approves them. Reviews are not clinical evidence, and their ratings are separate from reference sources.
Photo proposals and source corrections enter a private editorial queue. A submission is a lead to assess, not automatic publication or proof of ownership. Editors check identification, authorship, permission and the relevant source before using contributed material.
Inspect the original sources
The catalog began with AllBud’s searchable strain directory. Each strain profile links to the individual source listing used for its catalog fields. Additional sources belong to the specific claim or photograph they document; being listed on this methodology page does not make every statement on an external website verified.
Photograph sources can include Wikimedia Commons file pages and individually credited contributor pages. We retain the file-specific creator, identifying label and linked license. General information about the licenses is available from Creative Commons.
Dates, missing fields and corrections
A catalog snapshot date belongs to the imported source fields. An editorial check date belongs to the reference notes whose sources are cited. A photograph’s source check belongs to that image’s attribution record. These dates serve different purposes and are not harvest dates or evidence of a new laboratory test.
Missing fields remain unknown. A blank CBD range does not mean zero CBD, and an absent breeder field does not identify an unknown breeder by inference. The structured reference versions preserve those distinctions with explicit null values. Conflicting ratio fields are withheld when their numbers cannot form a valid composition.
When proposing a correction, identify the profile and link the relevant original sources. Include the breeder release or selection when known, and explain which field should change. Editors can then compare the claim against the existing record while preserving material disagreements. The public notes and sources should let the next reader investigate the same question.