By Steven Voser


AK-47 is a nineties classic bred in the Netherlands by one of the country’s most renowned seed banks. If you’ve been wanting to grow this legendary variety at home, Royal AK by Royal Queen Seeds makes the process rewarding and straightforward. Derived from the same landrace genetics as the original, Royal AK delivers massive flowers packed with sweet skunk aromas, potent effects, and easy growth traits.

Royal AK Strain Information

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AK-47 hit the streets of Amsterdam in 1992. Created by Simon, founder of Serious Seeds, the strain combines all-star sativa landrace genetics from Colombia, Mexico, and Thailand with a robust Afghan indica. Bursting with earthy skunk aromas and packing a long-lasting yet balanced high, it wasn’t long before AK-47 won over the hearts of smokers along with countless cannabis cups and awards—over 27 to be precise.

Fast-forward to today, and AK-47 continues to be a top pick among cannabis lovers everywhere—which is exactly why she’s part of our seed catalogue. Stemming from the best landrace genetics, Royal AK is 60% sativa dominant and shines like a star in any garden or grow room.

Royal AK Strain Characteristics

Like its predecessor, Royal AK stems from Colombian, Mexican, Thai, and Afghan landraces. Indoor growers can expect up to 575 g/m², while outdoor plants can produce up to 650 g each. Reaching 140–170 cm, she’s manageable to grow in almost any setup.

Come harvest time, enjoy as you hang fat, lime-green buds to dry. Caked in thick, white trichomes, Royal AK is an excellent pick for anyone making extracts.

Royal AK Strain Flavour and Aroma

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AK-47 comes bursting with terpenes. Loaded with myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene, pinene, and more, she’s known for her old-school skunk aroma with a strong spicy base and fresh lemon overtones.

Royal AK puts a modern twist on these pungent and classic aromas. Enjoy that same spicy and earthy foundation elevated with notes of sweet, ripe fruit—a delectable experience. Close your eyes as you inhale and savour sweet notes of ripe berries dancing on your tongue while the room fills with the thick stank of gassy, fruity skunk.

Cannabinoid and Terpene Profile

Cannabinoids:

Terpenes:

  • Myrcene
  • Limonene
  • Beta-caryophyllene
  • Pinene

Traditional AK strains have aroma/flavour notes reminiscent of pungent skunk with fresh pine and citrus highlights, as well as musky notes of sandalwood. Royal AK, however, brings fruity gas notes into the mix for a smoother, more balanced flavour and aroma.

Effects

Whether you choose a blunt, bowl, or vape, Royal AK delivers a potent yet balanced buzz—earning her the nickname “one-hit wonder” among experienced users. Gear up for an inspiring, motivating cerebral lift—ideal for concentration, focus, and creativity.

Over time, a heavier physical stone settles in, relieving deep tension without clouding your mind. Keep smoking and this physical relaxation will grow—great for unwinding as you watch movies, socialise with close friends, or settle in for some quiet introspection.

Growing Royal AK

The Royal AK marijuana strain offers an easy and fruitful growing experience. Her medium size, short flowering time, and general hardiness make her an excellent choice for cultivators of all stripes.

Learn what to expect when growing this variety below, from seed to harvest.

Germinating Royal AK Seeds

An illustration of Royal AK seeds soaking in water with a sprouting seedling, featuring a green background, showcasing the germination process for the Royal AK cannabis strain.

Soak your Royal AK seeds in a glass of water for 12–24 hours to speed up the germination process. Next, sow them into cell trays containing a high-quality potting mix. Add a pinch of mycorrhiza powder into the hole to enhance root system development, boost nutrient acquisition, and help protect against nasty fungal pathogens.

Maintain a temperature of 25°C and relative humidity of 70–80%—your sprouts will breach the surface of the soil in no time at all. Run your lights for 24 hours during the first week following germination to prevent leggy growth. Then, transplant your seedlings into a larger pot once their leaves grow past the circumference of their cells.

For best results when germinating cannabis seeds, use the RQS Starter Kit. Complete with feminised or auto seeds, Easy Start seedling pots, and a propagator, this all-in-one seed starter kit makes mastering the seedling phase simpler than ever before.

Vegetative Phase

An illustration of a Royal AK cannabis plant in the vegetative phase, showing healthy shoots and branches with a green background, guiding growers through the growth optimization process.

Once your Royal AK plants have developed 1–2 sets of true leaves, it’s time to welcome in the vegetative phase. Switch over to an 18-6 light-dark cycle to optimise the growth of healthy shoots and branches over the coming weeks.

All going well, your Royal AK weed plants will stand at a height of around 8 cm by the end of week two, and 15 cm at the end of week three. Apply topping, LST, and other training techniques during this time if you’d like to keep your plants compact.

If you’re growing Royal AK outdoors, move your plants into a sunny but sheltered spot as soon as possible after the last frost. Depending on the size of your pots and whether or not you implement training techniques, expect plants to measure 60–130 cm by the end of their veg cycle. Indoors, use a 12-12 light-dark cycle to mark the transition to bloom during the seventh week of veg.

Flowering Phase

An illustration of a Royal AK cannabis plant in the flowering phase, showing dense buds and trichomes with a green background, guiding growers through the bloom optimization process.

The Royal AK weed strain will start stretching during bloom as flowering hormone production increases. Trained indoor plants in small containers will grow to just 80 cm, whereas untrained plants in large pots will top out at around 140 cm. Outdoors, trained plants will reach 130 cm when grown in big pots, with their untrained counterparts surging to 170 cm.

Defoliate your plants frequently during bloom to boost airflow, which helps reduce the risk of fungal infections. Ensure that each bud site is exposed to direct light so it can develop properly.

AK-47’s flowering time is impressively swift for a sativa hybrid. In just 8–9 weeks of bloom, prepare to harvest 525–575 g/m² from your indoor plants. Outdoors, expect harvests of up to 650 g/plant by early October.

Cultivation Challenges and Solutions

Royal AK is a robust, hardy, and versatile strain suitable for beginner and experienced cultivators alike. Here are some things to keep in mind to keep your Royal AK grow hassle-free:

  • Use odour controls: Royal AK plants can develop a strong aroma by week five or six in bloom. To avoid drawing attention to your grow, use a carbon filter or our line of Odour Neutralisers and Odour Absorbers to minimise her smell.
  • Watch out for humidity: Overly humid conditions create a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi that can wreak havoc on your plants. Always keep the humidity in your garden within the appropriate range for cannabis, and prioritise healthy airflow. Remember that, despite her sativa dominance, Royal AK produces dense flowers that can easily trap moisture—so be extra mindful of the humidity in your grow room/garden in the final weeks of bloom.
  • Prioritise pest management: Royal AK is very resilient, but that doesn’t make her immune to pests. Indoors, proactive pest management using beneficial fungi and bacteria, clean growing practices, and maintaining ideal temperature and humidity is typically enough to ward off pests. Outdoors, you’ll want to use companion planting, predatory insects, as well as natural pesticides like potassium soap and neem oil (during the vegetative phase) to keep your plants protected.

Royal AK Strain Relatives

If you enjoy strains like AK-47, these close cousins and crosses of Royal AK are sure to spark your interest, too. Check them out below:

  • Royal AK Auto: The autoflowering cousin of our Royal AK—ready to harvest just 11–12 weeks after germination!
  • AK-48: A unique AK-47 phenotype hunted down by Nirvana Seeds and loved for its dense flowers with uplifting effects.
  • White Russian: A monstrous cross of AK-47 x White Widow with sweet and fruity flavours and up to 20% THC.
  • Cherry AK: A rare AK-47 phenotype with an unmistakable sweet cherry aroma and reddish-purple buds.
  • Colombian, Mexican, Thai, or Afghani: These landraces gave rise to AK-47 and Royal AK!

Royal AK Strain: Fast to Flower With Fruity Flavours

Ready to elevate your next grow with tried and true cannabis genetics? Add Royal AK to your seed locker now to enjoy the glory of the original AK-47 with a refined, modern flair. Savour the same great high with sweeter, smoother, and fruitier terps, and all the excellent growth traits you’d expect from any Royal Queen Seeds cultivar. Happy growing!