Strawberry Cough’s story begins with the breeder and former High Times cultivation editor Kyle Kushman, who claims to have sourced the clone-only strain — reportedly a cross of Haze and Strawberry Fields — from a novice grower in Connecticut. The grower gave Kushman a tiny Strawberry Cough clone from his small basement garden. Kushman accepted the clone, mostly for the sake of politeness, and nearly threw it away before he noticed an overwhelming smell of fresh strawberries emanating from the clone. Kushman decided to keep the strain and began to share it freely among New York growers.

Strawberry Cough became the number one selling strain amongst delivery services in the New York area. When Kushman moved to California to grow cannabis legally, he continued to share Strawberry Cough cuttings across the country. As a result, several Strawberry Cough strains and imitators have sprung up from other cultivators. He teamed up with Tyler Wadleigh and Aaron Justis of Los Angeles dispensary Buds & Roses Collective in 2009, and continues to release Strawberry Cough through their storefront.