The Origin Of Strains

Gone are the days where ‘skunk weed’ or ‘brick weed’ were the only varieties available. Now, the market is flooded with a diversity of strains of different colors, sizes and smells. From OG Kush and Blue Dream to Sour Diesel and Grand Daddy Purple, there’s certainly no shortage of strains. But, how did these specifically bred strains come to be?

History shows that humans have used cannabis for thousands of years, dating as far back at 2900 B.C. The plant’s origins trace back to Central Asia, and eventually made their way into every corner of the world.

The plants brought outside of Asia became selectively bred, then crossbred and adapted to the environments where they were grown. Due to the environment, these strains developed their own profiles, depending on the soil, climate, weather, etc. This gave rise to stable varieties, finds the report. Today, these are known as Landrace strains. Some of these strains have been named after the region where they were created. Some examples include: Afghani, Thai and Hawaiian (see article for more examples).

Now, customers are obsessed with variety. Crossbred strains mean there are more hybrids and fewer original landrace strains. However, with this hybridization, cultivators have been able to create more therapeutic strains that are higher in THC or CBD. In turn, this has expand the plant’s medicinal potential.