Hi everyone. I have been talking to some folk this week who had no idea about the origins of Skunk, or even any real understanding of what it is and why it is important. I hear this a lot so thought I would write a piece about it to post here.
SKUNK
The term Skunk must be one of the most misused words in cannabis culture. Not only do the mainstream press and media misuse it to try and demonize cannabis and make it seem different to the harmless weed that people had started to stop being scared of, but growers and dealers and users also misuse it as a generic term for almost any strong or smelly weed. This is a shame as Skunk is not only a great strain of weed, it is also perhaps the most important cultivar on the modern cannabis scene and is the source of many of the popular hybrids that we know and love today.
The important thing about Skunk (or maybe more specifically we should say Skunk #1) is that it was the first truly stable indica/sativa hybrid to achieve popular success. The original Skunk #1 was bred by a guy known as Sam the Skunk Man from Sacred Seeds in the US during the late 60s early 70s. This original Skunk #1 is the grandmother of all the skunk varieties and offshoots grown across the globe. Sam created the hybrid by crossing a strong Afghani indica with a Columbian Gold and then crossing the offspring with a Mexican sativa from Oaxaca. The resulting plant was a strong and viable sativa/indica hybrid that was fast growing and fast flowering with heavy crops of dense buds. Potency was high but maybe most importantly, the strain was stable and homogenized.
At some point during the 80s Sam’s Skunk #1 made it across the water from the USA to Holland where those notorious Dutch cannabis breeding wizards got hold of it and totally changed the face of cannabis breeding (and modern cannabis culture) forever. These days Skunk #1 is the genetic source material for a whole raft of hybrids, largely due to its great potency and reliable stability. Strains which owe their existence to Skunk #1 include UK Cheese and all her derivatives, Amnesia, G13, Jack Herer, Afghanica, B-52, Early Bird, Big Bud, Big Bang and many many more. And don’t forget pretty much everything with the word Skunk in the name (Skunk #5, Skunkberry, Shiva Skunk, Swazi Skunk, Ultra Skunk, Swiss Skunk etc.)
So Skunk #1 was the original hybrid that made cannabis hybridization as we know it. It is not the mutant Frankenweed of the popular press and it deserves more respect than being used as a generic name for any old weed. Let’s hear it for the Skunk!
SKUNK
The term Skunk must be one of the most misused words in cannabis culture. Not only do the mainstream press and media misuse it to try and demonize cannabis and make it seem different to the harmless weed that people had started to stop being scared of, but growers and dealers and users also misuse it as a generic term for almost any strong or smelly weed. This is a shame as Skunk is not only a great strain of weed, it is also perhaps the most important cultivar on the modern cannabis scene and is the source of many of the popular hybrids that we know and love today.
The important thing about Skunk (or maybe more specifically we should say Skunk #1) is that it was the first truly stable indica/sativa hybrid to achieve popular success. The original Skunk #1 was bred by a guy known as Sam the Skunk Man from Sacred Seeds in the US during the late 60s early 70s. This original Skunk #1 is the grandmother of all the skunk varieties and offshoots grown across the globe. Sam created the hybrid by crossing a strong Afghani indica with a Columbian Gold and then crossing the offspring with a Mexican sativa from Oaxaca. The resulting plant was a strong and viable sativa/indica hybrid that was fast growing and fast flowering with heavy crops of dense buds. Potency was high but maybe most importantly, the strain was stable and homogenized.
At some point during the 80s Sam’s Skunk #1 made it across the water from the USA to Holland where those notorious Dutch cannabis breeding wizards got hold of it and totally changed the face of cannabis breeding (and modern cannabis culture) forever. These days Skunk #1 is the genetic source material for a whole raft of hybrids, largely due to its great potency and reliable stability. Strains which owe their existence to Skunk #1 include UK Cheese and all her derivatives, Amnesia, G13, Jack Herer, Afghanica, B-52, Early Bird, Big Bud, Big Bang and many many more. And don’t forget pretty much everything with the word Skunk in the name (Skunk #5, Skunkberry, Shiva Skunk, Swazi Skunk, Ultra Skunk, Swiss Skunk etc.)
So Skunk #1 was the original hybrid that made cannabis hybridization as we know it. It is not the mutant Frankenweed of the popular press and it deserves more respect than being used as a generic name for any old weed. Let’s hear it for the Skunk!