Origin/Backstory: I was gifted several seeds from @alohagrown420, created all the way in Hawaii. While not sure which Headband cut was used, Lemon Zinger is an incredibly unique and terpene-filled variety from Bodhi Seeds. I have found nearly anything with "Headband" in the name to be of extremely high quality. The two plants create a beautiful marriage, and combine into one of the most unique varieties I have seen. Although created in Hawaii, I grew her indoors organically in Colorado, like all of the other reviews.
Appearance: Freshly harvested, buds are a vivid and robust lime green with massive calyxes stacked on top of one another, sometimes foxtailing--evidence of the Lemon Thai ancestry. She appears somewhat airy, but upon further examination and breaking buds down, it is not the case. Her calyxes are tightly and seemingly-carefully placed on top of one another. She is also covered in beautiful glands with huge heads on them. I wonder if she would be a good hash-maker? The glands can be seen shimmering with the naked eye, scintillating as one rotates a bud in outdoor sunlight. It is the classic look of high-quality cannabis, save for the unusually large calyxes and bracts.
Aroma: While she shines in all categories, the Lemon Head Zinger has an incredibly complex and unique aroma. Tropical, floral, and sweet, one immediately notices guava, papaya, and lemon in the forefront, without the bitterness of a lemon peel. The guava flavor is extremely strong--I wonder if this is the genetics, or if this is more prevalent due to being bred outdoors in Hawaii? Baby oil and baby powder are also very strong, along with pronounced background tones of fresh starfruit flesh. It all comes together in what seems like an exotic and bizarre tropical fruit baby oil. It is really something else.
Flavor: Tropical guava, lemon citrus, and strong floral baby oil notes are entirely present when the smoke of this strain hits the palate. Upon closing my eyes and really focusing, some sandalwood-like spice and mild starfruit flavors also became prevalent. It is really a great reflection of nearly everything in the scent. Mostly, it is a bright, bizarre, tropical citrus baby oil flavor that I've not experienced elsewhere in cannabis. With this unique species, there's a first for everything!
Effects: A classic creeper, this flower takes a decent amount of time to really settle in to the user. However, it is immediately euphoric and uplifting, being felt in the head and face. Floating and optimistic thoughts occupy the mind, almost like a light dose of psychedelic mushrooms. The Lemon Head Zinger is very potent, with experienced users preferring only 2-4 hits to get in the "sweet spot." Textures and colors become more vivid and pronounced, inspiring one to go out and engage the world! While most of these traits are associated with heart-racing and intense sativas, Lemon Head Zinger remains calm, sociable, and peaceful. I found the rare combination of overwhelmingly-positive euphoria as well as serenity to be a real achievement in cannabis varietals. As previously mentioned, this variety slowly transitions in effect and becomes stronger about 20-30 minutes into the experience. The energetic aspect fades a bit and transitions into a more insightful and objectively-thoughtful streak. This puts the user more inward than outward, providing insight into personal issues and providing for a more introspective feel later in the experience. This eventually fades into a soft, mental pillow-like effect. The finality of the experience settles into a less cerebral and heady experience, and is a little bit tiring. However, it is far from an indica comedown, and is fairly seamless coming back into normal reality.
Overall Experience: Pleasantly and powerfully stinky, delicious, borderline psychedelic, Lemon Head Zinger is an exceptional strain of cannabis. She is potent enough to satisfy seasoned heads, but has enough lightness and benevolence to give a warm welcome to newbies. Euphoric, positive, psychedelic, and calming aspects create a beautiful experience for the user. All of the mental and physical effects are complimented by an extremely enticing olfactory experience, and the flavor is just as unique and pleasant to match. Overall, Lemon Head Zinger is a living work of art.