Landrace Genetics 101

conradino23 said:
"Heirloom And Landrace Cannabis Strains"

by Rick Pfrommer, Director of Education, Harborside Health Center

Original landrace and other heirloom strains are often lost in today’s hyperkinetic world of breeding. ‘Landrace’ refers to strains that are indigenous to an area, such as Red Congolese. ‘Heirlooms’ are strains that were collected worldwide during the 1970s and propagated in Hawaii and Northern California. Our constant desire for new strains leads breeders to continually cross and re-cross existing strains looking for the next big thing. There is, however, a small but growing contingent of cultivators who’re returning to our cannabis roots and propagating old landrace and heirloom strains. Varieties range from pure African sativas to Afghani indicas, collected by world travelers on the infamous Hippie Trail (also referred to as the “Hashish Trail”).

All during the 1970s and early 1980s, cannabis aficionados of all stripes traveled the world smoking the finest cannabis and hashish available. From Nepalese temple balls to the famed Mazar-i-Sharif Afghani Black, the Hashish Trail was filled with exotic delights. The trail rolls on through Lebanese Red to Moroccan Kif, with stops in Bangkok for Chocolate Thai, and Columbia and Mexico for their infamous golden strains. Many of these intrepid souls also collected seeds during their travels. It was these landrace strains that became the basis for the nascent cultivation culture that eventually sprang forth in both Hawaii and Northern California.

Talk with any cannabis connoisseur old enough to remember these legendary strains and you’ll come away with tales of their epic strength. Equatorial sativas from Africa to Vietnam flourished in Hawaii’s tropical dreamscape of cannabis cultivation. Indicas from Afghanistan were more at home in Northern California’s cooler climate. I was fortunate enough to live on the Big Island of Hawaii from 1993 to 1997, and I can attest that the best cannabis I have EVER smoked was grown in volcanic soil on the slopes of the largest active volcano in the world, Mauna Loa. By the time I got there almost everything grown in Hawaii was some combination of genetics, no longer a landrace. Yet a few of the old-timers still had access to the classic ’70s strains, making for a wonderfully unique and diverse smoking experience.

From Nepalese temple balls to the famed Mazar-i-Sharif Afghani Black, the Hashish Trail was filled with exotic delights.

The scene in California at this time was slightly different. Northern California, as beautiful as it is, ain’t Hawaii. The Emerald Triangle rests approximately on the same parallel as Afghanistan and the Hindu Kush mountains. While Southern Californians could grow Columbian and Mexican sativas, their northern counterparts found the stocky indica plants much better adapted for their climate. Shorter flowering time allowed harvest to occur before the fall rains came with their mold-inducing downpours. These short and chunky plants produced the infamous skunkweed that became Northern California’s calling card. Again, anyone old enough to remember this cannabis will never forget the pungent, almost rancid, skunk-like aroma. I remember going to parties in the early ’80s with this herb double-bagged-and still being outed minutes after walking in. “Yo man, I know you’re holding, share the love!” Our own Steve DeAngelo also has memories of this era, saying that to this day he’s not seen cannabis like what he saw from Northen California in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

So what does all this nostalgia mean for modern patients and cannabis aficionados? Well, several breeders have also recognized the value in these old-school strains. Ace Seeds, CannaBioGenn, Reeferman Seeds and Tom Hill, as well as the one-and-only Neville, are all selling a wide variety of landrace and heirloom seeds. Look for some of these to be available at Harborside in the near future. Growers who’re looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive environment are turning to these varieties. For patients, many of these strains offer powerful relief in a different fashion than some of the more modern varietals. It’s not that they’re necessarily better, just different, and perhaps more effective for some patients’ specific conditions or needs. In any case, they’re strains definitely worth checking out.
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I so get this and appreciate your write up and perspective. As an older grower I gravitate to the Landrace strains and have been lucky enough to get some Durban Poison and Afghan form Seed banks in Amsterdam that specialize in genetic purity. My first crop of equatorial Sativa's seemed to take forever. Planted in late June they didn't hit veg until end of July and flower in November. I left them in the flower room for almost 11 weeks and was rewarded with big thick juicy nugs throughout, getting almost 900 gm's from three plants grown indoors. I have clones of each variety now in both veg and flower.

I hate paying for seeds so I have focused on finding varieties I like. Given your writing I will plan to get some Indica and Indica dominant strains to try my own feminized seed harvesting of these beautiful ladies!

Thanks for an interesting and insightful write up! I'd love to come over and share over a home brew someday!
 
The colors are beautiful, no ammonia or harsh smell :yummy:
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Wow Conradino23 this is an awesome post from real pure landraces from around the world, complete description from all genetics and very very accurate information. Glad i found this post! I buy my landraces from ACE Seeds and Cannabiogen, do you think they provide original genetics?
Thanks a lot
 
Those flower structures are very like the Purple Satellite I grew (descendant of the Oaxaca). Just beautiful!
:bravo:
 
Have some eighties Mexican bagseed, Oaxacan Lime Green that came direct from Oaxaca to me, Kerala Chellakutti, Kullu Valley, all germing. Nice line up. Only wish I could grow the Cambodian, Burma, Manipur that I have waiting. Space does not allow it.

The Chellakutti is among the trippiest of strains I have grown. Right up there with the Panama Red and Highland Guerrero. Maybe ahead of them.

I grew a Purple Satellite and it was good smoke. Could be trippy depending, lots of indica influence, or modern looking like the Oaxacan above.
 
yesum said:
^^ It is from Charlie Garcia of CBG. While a good strain I am sure, not totally sativa I think. A hybrid. If it was '70 Oaxacan, you might have the old stuff which I prefer. It would look shabby compared to the '79 to be honest.
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Yes indeed the CBG Oaxaca'79 seems to be a hybrid to some kind, but inbred for some generations i think. You can see it on the look and resin production, fast flowering time. Also when you look at phylos it shows that it's a hybrid with a bit Afghani inside. But i like it anyway, and people also liked Mextiza which is CBG Oaxaca'79 dominant. The same goes for the Oaxaca'79SKULL, i would describe both lines as a happy stony up high, there definately is a body feeling in both to some kind. There were already indica genes floating around Mexico in the end of the 70's, maybe both lines already got their indica touch at that time, or maybe later, can't say for sure, but again i like both so far. :)

I do have a very long flowering Oaxaca 12 Fingers line in my little collection, one day i'll grow these for sure....
 
Has anyone grown a Swiss Strain called Purpurea Ticinensis? I have a CBD #1 from Ace Seeds that is a mix of Cannatonic, Erdpurt, and Purpurea Ticinensis. According to Ace, My pheno shows a strong tendency to the PT. Cbd#1 is a 8-9 week strain- mine is in week 12 and still going strong.
I find references to PT here and there, but nothing in detail, especially grow Info. Here’s a couple of pics from week 11. Any info will be appreciated.

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