https://www.dinafem.org/en/blog/what-are-main-cannabis-landraces/
Today's cannabis family tree is formed by as a vast sea of strains where it can be difficult to find your way around. But just four or five decades ago, before the emergence of modern breeding and hybrids, things where quite different and cannabis strains were much less numerous. Naming all the Landraces that exist – or have existed in the past– is definitely out of our reach, but what we certainly can do is put together a summary of the most important ones.
Colombian Landraces – Sativa
Traditionally, Colombian Landraces were divided into two categories: the ones that grew in the Atlantic coastal areas close to Panama – low-lying, wet lands such as some areas in Cauca and Nariño – and the ones that grew in much harsher climates in the mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Over time, cannabis growing extended to inland areas such as Meta.
These Landraces were given names such as Colombian Gold, Cali Hills, Punto Rojo and Santa Marta Gold – a clear reference to their place of origin and to the colour of their flowers - and became popular with the American hippies that smoked cannabis in the 70. Local Colombian growers used to divide the plant in two when marketing it. The upper part, called "la mona", sold for about 200-300 pesos a pound and the lower side – "the leave" – for about 100.
Morphology
The traits of Colombian Landrace strains may vary according to their growing area because of the country's geographical and climatic diversity, but mostly they are cone-shaped plants with plenty of lateral branching, large internodal spacing, a long central stem and leaves with narrow leaflets. These strains enjoy the long growing seasons of equatorial climates and might find it difficult to mature if grown in cold weathers in the Northern Hemisphere. Vigorous and THC-rich, these strains are also high in CBD an CBN and have the classical Sativa effect, i. e. uplifting and cerebral.
Did you know?
The yellowish hues of Gold strains are actually due to a drying technique consisting in partially peeling the central stem of the plant during the last phase of flowering in order to reduce the nutrient and water flow, making the plant die slowly while getting its characteristic golden colour.
The apple does not fall far from the tree…
Colombian Gold, one of the world's largest known Colombian Landraces, was parent to the renowned Skunk #1, which has been used in the breeding process of other popular strains such as Cheese. A Colombian Landrace was also used for creating Haze, which has in turn resulted in strains as potent as Original Amnesia.
Hindu Kush Landraces - Indica (Afghanistan and Pakistan)
Grown on the slopes of high-altitude Afghan and Pakistani valleys (over 3,2000 metres), these Landraces have been traditionally used for hash production. Their phenotypic expression is the result of centuries of adaptation to the dry, arid climate of their region and of the genetic selection carried out by local growers generation upon generation. Small in size, fast flowering, highly productive in terms of resin and sedative, these Landraces have been widely used for the creation of the hybrids we commonly see in today's market.
Morphology
Hindu Kush Landraces are small, wide and stocky and have a thick, woody central stem with lateral branches that grow upwards, leaning towards the stem in the shape of a cone, just like a fir. The dark green leaves are composed of 5 to 9 very wide leaflets whose back is a shade lighter than the top and the buds are dense and very resinous, growing along the main branches with a low calyx-to-leave ratio. But with the primary aim of growers having traditionally been hash production, this proportion is not considered a problem, as the high amount of small leaves the flowers develop are entirely covered in resin too.
Did you know?
Hindu-Kush Landraces develop their strong aroma in their early growing stage and keep it for their whole life cycle.
The apple does not fall far from the tree…
This type of Landraces have originated modern hybrids that have become true cannabis icons, such as Bubba Kush, Purple Afghan Kush and Remo Chemo.
Today's cannabis family tree is formed by as a vast sea of strains where it can be difficult to find your way around. But just four or five decades ago, before the emergence of modern breeding and hybrids, things where quite different and cannabis strains were much less numerous. Naming all the Landraces that exist – or have existed in the past– is definitely out of our reach, but what we certainly can do is put together a summary of the most important ones.
Colombian Landraces – Sativa
Traditionally, Colombian Landraces were divided into two categories: the ones that grew in the Atlantic coastal areas close to Panama – low-lying, wet lands such as some areas in Cauca and Nariño – and the ones that grew in much harsher climates in the mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Over time, cannabis growing extended to inland areas such as Meta.
These Landraces were given names such as Colombian Gold, Cali Hills, Punto Rojo and Santa Marta Gold – a clear reference to their place of origin and to the colour of their flowers - and became popular with the American hippies that smoked cannabis in the 70. Local Colombian growers used to divide the plant in two when marketing it. The upper part, called "la mona", sold for about 200-300 pesos a pound and the lower side – "the leave" – for about 100.
Morphology
The traits of Colombian Landrace strains may vary according to their growing area because of the country's geographical and climatic diversity, but mostly they are cone-shaped plants with plenty of lateral branching, large internodal spacing, a long central stem and leaves with narrow leaflets. These strains enjoy the long growing seasons of equatorial climates and might find it difficult to mature if grown in cold weathers in the Northern Hemisphere. Vigorous and THC-rich, these strains are also high in CBD an CBN and have the classical Sativa effect, i. e. uplifting and cerebral.
Did you know?
The yellowish hues of Gold strains are actually due to a drying technique consisting in partially peeling the central stem of the plant during the last phase of flowering in order to reduce the nutrient and water flow, making the plant die slowly while getting its characteristic golden colour.
The apple does not fall far from the tree…
Colombian Gold, one of the world's largest known Colombian Landraces, was parent to the renowned Skunk #1, which has been used in the breeding process of other popular strains such as Cheese. A Colombian Landrace was also used for creating Haze, which has in turn resulted in strains as potent as Original Amnesia.
Hindu Kush Landraces - Indica (Afghanistan and Pakistan)
Grown on the slopes of high-altitude Afghan and Pakistani valleys (over 3,2000 metres), these Landraces have been traditionally used for hash production. Their phenotypic expression is the result of centuries of adaptation to the dry, arid climate of their region and of the genetic selection carried out by local growers generation upon generation. Small in size, fast flowering, highly productive in terms of resin and sedative, these Landraces have been widely used for the creation of the hybrids we commonly see in today's market.
Morphology
Hindu Kush Landraces are small, wide and stocky and have a thick, woody central stem with lateral branches that grow upwards, leaning towards the stem in the shape of a cone, just like a fir. The dark green leaves are composed of 5 to 9 very wide leaflets whose back is a shade lighter than the top and the buds are dense and very resinous, growing along the main branches with a low calyx-to-leave ratio. But with the primary aim of growers having traditionally been hash production, this proportion is not considered a problem, as the high amount of small leaves the flowers develop are entirely covered in resin too.
Did you know?
Hindu-Kush Landraces develop their strong aroma in their early growing stage and keep it for their whole life cycle.
The apple does not fall far from the tree…
This type of Landraces have originated modern hybrids that have become true cannabis icons, such as Bubba Kush, Purple Afghan Kush and Remo Chemo.
