History of cannabis strains

Few things generate as much nostalgia among cannabis veterans as the strains from the 60s and 70s. Those who tried them often repeat the same phrase: "there's no weed like that anymore." And in many cases they're right, though not for the reasons they think. It's not that today's weed is worse, it's that those specific plants stopped being cultivated, were mixed with others, or got stuck in some grower's freezer who ended up arrested. This article reviews, based on specialized media and breeders' own accounts, the history of the most legendary cannabis strains considered extinct or, at the very least, lost in their original form. For each one we'll see where it came from, why it became famous, what made it disappear, and what remains of it in today's market. In search of lost cannabis strains It's worth warning from the start: in the cannabis world the line between history and legend is very thin. During decades of prohibition, no one kept genetic records, names were used as marketing tools, and much of what's considered "official history" has been built through word of mouth. Throughout the text we'll point out which facts are reasonably documented and which belong to the realm of myth.

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Some of the most famous genetics of the last decade have had to change their name by court order or through an out-of-court settlement. Gorilla Glue #4 is now GG4, Girl Scout Cookies is GSC, and Zkittlez has become Z. The plant is the same; what changed was the label. For decades, naming a variety was a game of wit: you borrowed the name of a candy, a movie, or a well-known brand and gave it a cannabis twist. In the underground, no one complained about anything. But with legalization in many U.S. states, cannabis became a business with licenses, packaging, websites, and social media. And that's when big companies started paying attention. The commercial name of certain cannabis varieties has led to legal battles. An important nuance: in almost all these cases, we're not talking about copyright, but rather trademark law. Companies claim that a name similar to theirs confuses consumers, takes advantage of their prestige, or worse yet, associates their children's product with a drug. In this post, we review, variety by variety, their history, why they became famous, what happened in court, and what they're called now.

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Few cannabis varieties have generated as much buzz, as many conflicting versions, and as many grower bar theories as Toad Venom. In just two or three years, this hybrid went from being an anonymous plant among thirty seeds germinated in Los Angeles to becoming one of the most sought-after, counterfeited, and discussed clones in the American market, with cuttings that in some illicit markets have been sold for thousands of dollars. But behind the hype there's a genuinely tangled origin story, with at least two breeders claiming part of the credit, a controversial name change, a genetics substitution scandal, and, as often happens in the cannabis world, several competing theories without any official technical document yet to settle the dispute. The Toad Venom variety has quickly become very popular. This article reconstructs, from specialized sources, industry media (Leafly, Weedmaps, GreenState, Vice, MiCannaCast, Leaf Magazines, among others) and accounts from growers and seed banks, the origin of Toad Venom: where it comes from genetically, who created it, how it was first called "Becky", why it ended up being called "toad venom" and what's true about the parallel stories of Frog Poison and Detroit Runtz.    

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For decades, cannabis was synonymous with diversity, not only in potency or production, but in something much harder to define: character. There were varieties that seemed to belong to different worlds, some smelled like varnish or solvent, others like incense, musk, even fruit... impossible to fit into any other known botanical category.Within the same harvest, the experience could change dramatically from one plant to another, yes; great differences between sisters. Cannabis seeds: where it all begins. However, in recent years, one idea has been repeated insistently among growers, breeders and experienced users: much of modern cannabis seems to move within an increasingly narrow range of aromas, effects and sensations, giving rise to flowers impeccable in appearance, resinous, and potent. But also in many cases, surprisingly familiar to each other, as if different genetics were increasingly speaking a common language. The question is not whether this is good or bad. The question is another, more uncomfortable one: how did we get here? In this article, an old-school grower shares his perspective on the current state of the international cannabis landscape.

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What is the Emerald Triangle? The Emerald Triangle refers to an area located on the northwest coast of the United States (northern California) and comprises Mendocino, Humboldt, and Trinity counties. To delve into the origins and traditions of cannabis cultivation in this region, we must go back to the 60s, during the Summer of Love in San Francisco. During the second half of the decade, and with the hippie counterculture as a backdrop, a good number of growers settled in this area in search of a place that would meet the ideal conditions for the outdoor cultivation of cannabis, namely isolation and a privileged climate. Since then, the Emerald Triangle has been one of the main sources of cannabis supply to California. As of 1996, and after the approval of California's Proposition 215 for medical cannabis, the production in these three counties shot up due to the increase in demand, reaffirming the Emerald Triangle as one of the main producing areas of the country.

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The Cheese cannabis variety is an indisputable figure in the world of cannabis. Its name comes from its distinctive aroma of old cheese and its strong cultural roots in the United Kingdom. Cheese has been used over the years as a base to create new hybrids with unique characteristics. Its distinguished aroma and effects continue to be part of its legacy, as well as its particular history. In this blog entry, we are going to try to contextualize a bit, and we will talk about the origin of the famous Cheese, a current phenomenon with a long and curious history behind it...

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Origins of Diesel cannabis strains In recent years, Diesel strains have become, by their own merits, one of the most popular cannabis genetics, sought by growers and users both for their intense and special taste and for their strong effect, mainly caused by THC contents which can exceed 20% in most specimens. As it often happens in the world of cannabis, the exact origin of this genetics is uncertain, although one of the most commonly accepted theories tells us that it's directly related to the Chemdog and, later, also to the OG Kush marijuana. Therefore, to clarify the origins of Diesel, we need to know more about the mythical Chemdog strain - often called Chemdawg - and how it reached the East Coast of the United States.

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Mr. Nice Seedbank, a project by Shantibaba, Nevil and Howard Marks Almost 20 years have passed since Mr. Nice Seedbank was founded in 1998 by Scott Blakey, Nevil Shoenmakers and Howard Marks. Scott and Nevil, former partners of Arjan Roskam in the Green House Seed Company, decided to share their strains by creating a new seed company that quickly earned its place in the market and which got the name of the alias of the third partner, Howard Marks. At the time when feminized seeds were entering the market and demand was increasing every day (in countries like Spain and thanks to grow shops people were starting to grow their own pot), Shantibaba (Scott) and Nevil developed some of the most popular genetics of that time, like Black Widow (their own version of the White Widow), Neville's Haze, La Niña or the renowned Critical Mass.

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Every now and then, very rarely, a new strain will burst onto the scene and completely change the rules of the game, as was the case with genetics such as Skunk, Haze or Northern Lights. The appearance of these outstanding strains not only represents a step forward in cannabis breeding, but they can have such an impact on consumers that they quickly reach mythical status, something that is even easier today than it was a few decades ago. Indeed, on one hand, these genetics often become the foundations on which dozens of new hybrids are developed, some more balanced than others, but always presenting new and exciting traits in the offspring. On the other hand, and as any cannabis consumer will know, the appearance of one of these "superplants" inspires a real fever to try it and grow it, thus elevating it to the Olympus of the cannabis gods. This is the case of the strain that concerns us today, a legend in every sense of the word: Chemdog, also known as Chemdawg.

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The Skunk gene pool The Skunk is, doubtless, one of the most widely known and grown cannabis strains worldwide. The Skunk strain is a polyhybrid between two Sativa landraces - Colombian Gold and Acapulco Gold - and an Afghani Indica purebred. This legendary cannabis strain was developed during the early 70s in California by a group of growers and breeders known as Sacred Seeds, led by Sam "The Skunkman". During this glorious time, selections of thousands of plants were usually performed outdoors. In this way, the best traits of the gene pool were detected and stabilized over the years, according to the criteria that have made the Skunk become a truly impressive cannabis variety: nice yields, early flowering, nice branching, dense and resinous flowers with few leaves, and extraordinary scent.

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White Widow is a legendary cannabis strain known by the vast majority of stoners. Who hasn't heard of it? Who has not tasted the White Widow or some cross of the White family? Many old-school stoners right now are sure to have memories of their first trips to Holland with White Widow. White Widow is considered a hybrid between a Brazilian Sativa Landrace plant and a South Indian Indica, a genetic that appeared on the scene in 1995 like a hurricane, winning the Dutch High Times Cup at a time when plants like Skunk, Northern Lights, or Haze dominated the scene. Today, we tell you everything we know about its origin.

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The so-called 'Malawi cob' is an ancient method of transporting and curing cannabis that has been used by the people of this part of Africa for centuries. However, nowadays, it is very difficult to find grass fermented in this way or a genuine traditionally cured cob. In fact, the fame of the Malawi Gold cannabis strain has led to its demise, as the high demand for this legendary strain has resulted in a market where any quality of this herb can easily be sold. Traditional curing methods are no longer necessary and are all but forgotten, as any product stamped 'Malawi Gold' can be easily sold, with buyers from all over the region queuing up before the buds have even matured. The overall quality of the weed is now seed-filled and uncured, for sale to tourists looking to get their hands on this type of cannabis.

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Any fans of American cannabis genetics will already know of the Jungle Boys, a Los Angeles-based collective of growers who aim to produce high-quality, clean, and potent cannabis. They are known in particular for discovering and breeding amazing White Fire OG phenotypes, but also for the famous Mimosa and many other cannabis strains. These days, they are an essential part of the North American cannabis scene, offering high-quality cannabis buds and extractions in several dispensaries in the United States, in addition to producing a whole range of derivative products, as well as a catalogue of seeds of their best-known varieties. Today we are going to discover the history of the Jungle Boys, the origin of their adventures, from the first lamps in the garage to the installation of grows with several thousand lights, the opening of dispensaries, the production of seeds and merchandising, the lawsuits... and of course we will also tell you all about the notoriety that the Jungle Boys enjoy today. Early steps of Ivan from the Jungle Boys Today, the Jungle Boys are very likely one of the most popular breeder collectives in the US However, they have a turbulent history full of tribulations, so today we invite you to discover their history and, in particular, the journey of Ivan, the enthusiast behind this popular collective. A story full of twists and turns, from discreet grows in a garage at the beginning to installations with hundreds of lamps, a dispensary, corruption problems, legal battles with the city of Los Angeles... and finally the well-deserved success.

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This week began with the sad news that GG4 co-creator Joesy Whales aka Don Peabody, had died. He passed away in Las Vegas on May 6th at the age of 69 years old, doing what he loved most, and is survived by his wife, Angela, and their two children. We'd like to take this opportunity to pay our respects and pass on our deepest condolences to his family and at the same time, tell you a little about his enormous impact on cannabis culture.

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Zamal, cannabis from Reunion Island Cannabis or marijuana is a plant that currently can be found in all corners of the world. There is clear evidence that the cannabis plant originated in the Eastern/Central Asian regions. Then, it spread to the Middle East, and afterwards, to both the African and American continents. Over the centuries, through traveling and commercial activities, humanity established cannabis cultivation in areas where it didn?t grow naturally. A perfect example of this expansion is Zamal, the strain that reached Reunion Island and acclimatized to the point of growing spontaneously as a pure landrace for over two centuries.

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What's the story of Haze? Haze is, probably, the most grown and renowned 100% sativa hybrid throughout the world. Its origins date back to the early 1970's in the region of Santa Cruz, California (USA).During this time, two brothers known as the "Haze Brothers" (R. Haze and J. Haze) cultivated and crossed different cannabis lines using seeds of the best imported sativa strains, most times offered by their friend and neighbor Sam "The Skunkman".It all began with a hybrid between a landrace sativa from Mexico and another landrace from Colombia. One year later, the best females selected from this hybrid were crossed with a landrace strain from southern India. Finally, the female offspring of this new hybrid was crossed again with a landrace male from Thailand.

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