By Marguerite Arnold


When it comes to cannabis, variety really is the spice of life. But how is it that there are so many different strains with different features and genetics? We have landrace cannabis to thank for that. Landrace weed grows in the wild and is not bred with outside strains.

Modern hybrids may do a “better” job of getting you high or delivering the kind of custom taste and effect you want, but they have more diluted DNA. This is one reason it is so important to preserve, if not continue to find new, indigenous landraces. Beyond this, of course, there is also the importance of diversity, generally. Who can forget the fate of the banana, an exotic crop that has essentially been bred into a monoculture almost everywhere?

As a result, landraces are becoming valuable commodities in the cannabis industry at large. Indeed, as cannabis becomes more of a mainstream crop, original genetics becomes even more important.

Allow us to break down what you need to know about landrace marijuana, why it's so vital to the industry, how it differs from cultivars, and some of the different landraces from around the world.

What Is Landrace Cannabis?

A quick Google search on “landrace cannabis” will lead you down a somewhat confusing path of disparate definitions and descriptions. While some tag landrace weed as native or inherent to a given region, this isn’t exactly true. Cannabis of all types is believed to have first been domesticated[1] in the early Neolithic period somewhere in Asia (researchers have not yet discerned if in East, South or North), before spreading to locations far and wide.

So, landraces are actually domesticated cannabis plants that adapted over many years to different geographic locations—from the cold and dark to the hot and sunny. What makes these varieties unique is that they have not been crossbred with foreign varieties or stabilised, which makes them extremely valuable to the world of cannabis genetics.

By selecting landrace specimens and crossing them with various cultivars in controlled conditions, breeders can inject greater diversity into their strain lines, and harness novel characteristics expressed by traditional varieties from different parts of the globe.

What Is Landrace Cannabis?
  • Landrace vs Cultivar

It’s important to understand that landraces, though domesticated, are different from cultivars—cultivated varieties that have been selectively bred to exhibit specific traits. This encompasses “heirloom cannabis” as well. Though heirloom cultivars have not been crossed with foreign varieties, they’ve been cultivated outside of their original geographic location, which makes them distinct from landraces.

That said, many heirloom strains are developed from landraces, allowing growers and breeders to harness the strong traits of a certain type of plant and improve their consistency through inbreeding. For example, Angola Red is an heirloom strain that was developed from an African landrace.

Landrace cannabis differs from commercially available cultivars in leaf size, color, and phytochemical production. It is likely to be less consistent and stable than the average hybrid, but such variation and instability is vital to the preservation of the cannabis species. Indeed, many of the classic strains we know and love today feature landraces as their backbone—which is part of why they’ve remained so successful over the years.

Moreover, landraces from the Cannabis ruderalis "subspecies" are required to endow modern cultivars with the autoflowering trait. These landraces adapted to the harsh and short summers of their Central Asian homeland, which resulted in them adapting to bloom based on age instead of light exposure. In other words, if it weren’t for landraces, we wouldn’t have any autos!

How Many Landrace Strains Are There?

When cannabis spread from its native China, it made its way to many different parts of the world. In the 1960s and 70s, Europe and North America got its hands on landraces as travel increased to more remote areas of the world. As a result, there are numerous types of landraces known to cannabis fans. However, some landrace populations are at risk, which is why careful preservation is key.

It's unclear whether breeders have even found all of the unique landraces out there. This is why there is such a thing as "strain hunters".

What Are the Original Landrace Strains?

Cannabis strains can be traced, much like family trees. New strains are created via the mating of a male and female cannabis plant. They are then mapped, just like human genetics. Landrace cannabis is the forebear of the cannabis family tree. Landraces like Afghan, Hindu Kush, Durban Poison, and Red Congolese are also the basis of many well-known modern hybrids. This is why their addition to new breeding efforts is so welcome—and popular.

Beyond this, however, it is important to remember that cannabis is a continually evolving plant. Move a landrace to another environment, and it will begin to adapt, taking on additional characteristics as it does. This means that “landrace” strains from new environments actually become something else—more accurately, heirloom strains.

Below are some of the most well-known landraces from different regions of the globe, and what they have to offer.

What Is Landrace Cannabis?
  • The Middle East

The names of these strains are world-famous today, even if “just” as the parents of multiple hybrids downstream.

Afghan/Afghani
This heavy indica strain is found in the remote Hindu Kush mountains running through Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. Afghan marijuana is known for its heavy resin production and stoning terpenes.
Hindu Kush
Every serious stoner has at least heard of this one. Found in the same region as Afghan, this strain produces serious trichomes to protect it against the cold. This strain is also used in hash production across India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Mazar I Sharif & Lashkar
These strains also hail from this part of the planet, featuring an abundance of heavy trichomes that also makes them ideal for hash production.
  • Asia

Don’t overlook Asia for its landrace strains. The strains below are also parents of some of the most popular hybrids on the market today.

Acah/Atjeh
This sativa landrace originates from the Aceh region of Indonesia. It is primarily known for its fruity flavor accented with earthy undertones.
Thai
A hugely popular sativa since the 1970s, it is widely known to North Americans because it was exported during this time. However, as it is a sensitive strain, it cannot be grown outdoors in this environment (unless in more humid, sweltering regions). Thai is the parent strain of popular hybrids like Blueberry and Haze.
Chocolate Thai
This deliciously scrumptious-sounding and tasting strain is a descendent of Thai. It offers a unique chocolate-coffee aroma that attracts consumers in every Dutch coffeeshop it is featured in.
  • South & Central America

Both South and Central America boast legendary landrace cannabis.

Acapulco Gold
This pure sativa comes from Mexico. Featuring amber pistils and golden-brown/purple leaves, this strain is becoming increasingly hard to find in its true form, as it has been crossbred with so many other strains.
Colombian Gold
A perennial pothead favorite, Colombian Gold originated in the Santa Marta Mountains of the Central American country after which it is named. This is a euphoric, mood-lifting strain with a skunky, sweet flavor.
Panama Red
This landrace is found in South America, where it was re-discovered in the 1960s and exported to the US for consumption.
  • Africa
Durban Poison
Hailing from South Africa, this landrace is one of the few you can still find in its pure form. Its mild, sweet and spicy aroma and uplifting effects are a big reason for that. Why mess with something that works? Its resin is also used as the basis for many kinds of concentrates.
Kilimanjaro
Hailing from the mountains of Tanzania, Kilimanjaro is a massive strain that holds spiritual significance locally. Its citrusy, fruity notes set this one apart from other strains.
Swazi Gold
This strain is known for its sweet aroma, and its ability to survive in harsh conditions.
  • Jamaica
Lamb’s Breath
This iconic strain is known primarily as one of Bob Marley’s favorites. This sativa purebred has a sticky texture and a herbal, citrus flavor.

Can You Buy True Landrace Cannabis Strains?

The landrace strains that were discovered by Westerners in the 1960s and 1970s are not cultivated on a large scale anywhere, even where cannabis is now legal. There are a few, however, that are so popular that they remain on the market. Nowadays, these can more accurately be referred to as heirloom strains.

That said, they are relatively rare. This is because cannabis cultivators tend to be fairly picky about the characteristics they want. The uber-potent and flavorful hybrids on the market have certainly shaped taste buds and preferences. Ultimately, most people are just not interested in cultivating pure landraces—sometimes due to their fickle, inconsistent growing characteristics, or their long flowering times.

Are Landrace Strains Better?

The only real difference between landrace cannabis and strains of cannabis is that the former is open-pollinated in nature—the latter has been deliberately tinkered with.

The best way to find out which you prefer is to experiment for yourself. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some landrace seeds, put them in the soil and see how they fare! Just make sure you have the time and space to dedicate, and you’ll undoubtedly be privy to a unique growing and smoking experience.

External Resources:
  1. Large-scale whole-genome resequencing unravels the domestication history of Cannabis sativa https://www.science.org
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: