Original Strains "The 5 Landrace"

When someone or something has been described as “original,” there seems to be a higher level of respect or regard for that person or thing. So, it is not unusual to make the connection between original cannabis strains to original folk heroes such as Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg. I’m not going to pretend that I can offer a one-hundred percent accurate account of the original cannabis strains, as history shows… details can get misinterpreted along the way, but I will offer my best urban hippie perspective.

Anyone can Google “original cannabis strains” and come up with multiple lists, however, I’ll focus on five that are consistently referenced as landrace strains: Acapulco Gold, Afghani, Durban Poison, Lambs Bread, and Thai.

For the purposes of this article, “original” refers to the naming of cannabis strains in the United States since around the 1960s – not “original” from the Chinese Emperors’ recordings of cannabis benefits as early as 2700 BC.

The word “cultivar” is more commonly used in botany, and “strain” is more commonly used in biology, therefore, I’ll shoot for a 60/40 usage of the word while we are still in the early conversion stages.When I started researching for this article, I was surprised by how accurate the plant is represented by Hollywood. But after a moment of clarity via a couple of hits of Fire OG, I realized, why wouldn’t they have the information? Humboldt County is not too far away and despite its local flavor, stories emerge and so does the weed. My early recollections of cannabis were stories told through Cheech and Chong movies, which to me maintained themes of being in the moment, going with the flow, and the ability to attract kindred spirits with a single puff of smoke. When I finally tried the Up in Smoke movie referenced strain, Acapulco Gold, in 2018, I expected to feel relaxed and somewhat carefree - instead, I found myself motivated to get things done around the house even after a long workday and on another occasion tapping into creative energy.

My perception of the effects had been based on the overall characteristics displayed by Cheech and Chong. I didn’t realize at the time that marijuana could enhance my overall mind, body, and spirit with energy, focus, and clarity. What a gift cannabis is… when you know how to use it. Speaking of gifts, Afghani came to us baring many; including the opportunity to fall asleep without the use of pharmaceutical meds, to reduce pain, and stimulate appetite. It is also a parent to another popular strain, Northern Lights. With its many benefits, it’s no wonder the government reportedly tried to recreate the magic. “According to one account, at least one U.S. Government agency was allegedly developing weed with assistance from the University of Mississippi, which is where government-approved cannabis grows. The suggestion is that the G- men grew pure Afghani clones labeled from G1 to G23. While every clone had slightly different traits, G13 was allegedly the most stable.” (wayofleaf.com/)

Afghani was also popularized, albeit indirectly, by making its big-screen debut in American Beauty where Kevin Spacey’s character was offered what appeared to me to be an eighth to a quarter of G13 for $2000.

It might not surprise you that this next energetic original made its way into the film as well. Durban Poison, originating from Durban, South Africa, is the name of a 2013 movie about a couple known as South Africa’s Bonnie and Clyde.

Durban Poison also seems to be a popular song name, after doing a quick search on Spotify, there were at least 10 songs with “Durban Poison” as the title. If you’ve tried the uplifting strain, you don’t have to listen to each song to figure out they are singing its praises.

Speaking of singing, Bob Marley’s favorite strain is frequently referred to as Lamb’s Bread. Also referred to as Lamb’s Breath, it originated in Jamaica and is a sativa cultivar that offers the consumer uplifting and pain-relieving effects. Lamb’s Breath is also a parent of Black Tuna whose name comes from the Black Tuna Gang that was famous for smuggling Colombian marijuana into the United States in the 1970s – and was reportedly packaged in tuna cans.

Lastly, coming into the new age of consumption and according to an online source, Thai is one of the most cited weed strains in hip-hop history. The energetic cultivar leaves another mark, a quite spectacular one. What do you get when you combine Thai (energy-focus-creative) with Afghani (relaxed-sleepy)? Northern Lights - the product of two “originals.”

There are so many variables to keeping genetic lines pure and it’s hard to say if the strain of yesterday is the same as today. Yet in theory, if the cultivars were cloned from a mother plant, they will be exact genetic replicas. This process suggests keeping the plant in the vegetative stage with a steady light source (i.e., 18 hours light, 6 hours darkness) keeping the plant from flowering. You can then take cuttings and try to clone plants that are specifically for flowering and keep the original plant available for years to come. If you are growing outside, especially in windy states like Oklahoma, the wind will carry pollen for long distances - so check with an experienced grower for ideas on how to protect your crop from crosspollination.

No matter what angle the subject of originality is approached from, one question seems to keep surfacing: “Is weed stronger today than in the 60s/70s/80s?” I see reports that the THC levels are higher today, but how do we know for sure since testing has advanced. Other factors to consider are the growing conditions and locations as they affect the profile outcome as well.

With the variation in growing climates, it is understandable that a cultivar will produce different terpenes and levels of cannabinoids. As medical mindset consumers, we need to be made aware of those differences.

I’ve seen far too many strains be misrepresented because dispensaries have defaulted to the online profiles rather than the actual testing results. You might ask, “What does it matter?” For the consumer looking at online profiles, such as the strain Blue Dream, to help reduce pain and inflammation, they are expecting to see a terpene profile that includes myrcene, caryophyllene, and pinene – but if your testing results show completely different dominant terpenes, I believe the consumer should be made aware. Even if the consumer does not preview the profiles, they can still notice differences in taste and smell – all of which can be an indication to expect different results.

So, if you are a seeker of originality, my advice is to be aware, educate before you medicate, and realize that sometimes, just like in Hollywood, the originals stand out year after year, and the sequel might be a flop, but it can also be just as fun.