Hybrid

We often hear about marijuana hybrids, cannabis hybrid varieties, F1 hybrids, etc. Some may think that they are strains created in laboratories, that they have been genetically modified or even that they come directly from another planet.

It doesn't have to be this way, in some cases the hybridization takes place in a natural way, the wind or animals transport pollen or seeds from a zone to another one. Sometimes it is man's hand that causes this mixtures, but in many cases it happens in a natural way as well.

Where do Cannabis Hybrids come from?

In the wild, original cannabis varieties are known as pure genetics or Landraces. These plants have adapted to their environment over many years, acclimating from generation to generation. Only the strongest could adapt and obviously only they could reproduce. This makes the offspring of these plants more resistant, as Darwin's theory of evolution taught us.

Phenotypic changes created over the years are represented in unique characteristics that differentiate this strain from all others. Morphologically its structure, its leaves or the shape of its flowers can vary, but big changes are not perceived with the naked eye. The most important are the molecular variations that have to do with its chemotype and its organoleptic qualities, that is, with the kind of effect and the aroma/flavour.

Until about 50 years ago many pure species were kept in their natural environment. People had played little part in the changes of cannabis, at most we had taken seeds from one side and planted them on the other side. But from the end of the 60's this changed, to California arrived cannabis seeds of many different races, and soon after was born cannabis culture that still lasts nowadays, but what happened then? Keep reading and you'll find out...

How were first marijuana hybrids?

On the west coast of the USA they enjoy a good climate for cultivation of cannabis, especially in California, where Mexican genetics have been sown for a century. Thanks to its proximity to Mexico, the seeds of this country can be harvested without problems, but when seeds began to arrive from Equatorial regions this changed, the cold arrived before its maturation, and did not manage to cut the plants at their optimum time.

Luckily some clever growers realized that Colombian, Jamaican or Thai sativa strains that did not finish their flowering, crossing them with Mexicanas their descendants finished their cycle without problems. And it didn't stop there, because the resulting new varieties were always better than their separate parents. At the time they didn't know, but they were discovering hybrid vigour, don't you know what it is? Don't worry, I'll explain you.

Hybrid vigour is an extra of strength, vitality and endurance that nature gives to the result of mixing different breeds. Normally pure breeds are losing vigour over the years, caused by inbreeding created by endogamy, what does this mean? Well, species that do not cross with others, just as they adapt better than any other to their own environment, they are very helpless outside their habitat.

It's the same with dogs, pure breeds are more exposed to diseases than dogs that come from crosses. The pure breed is more prepared than any other to overcome the inclement weather, insects, fungi, viruses and all kinds of pathogens that arise in their natural environment, but outside that habitat is very vulnerable.

For example in the Annapurna no plant is going to support better plagues of that area that Nepalese Landraces, nevertheless that strain will suffer heat if you cultivate it in Ecuador. But a cross between that Nepali and a Colombian can be cultivated both in high mountain areas and in the Caribbean.

Hybrid vigour becomes stronger the more genetically distant the parents are, which is indispensable in the evolution of natural species.

What are the best sativa hybrids on the market?

The first hybrids created by man were sativa hybrids, mixtures of Equatorial sativa strains with Mexicans mainly. Especially during the 70's and 80's, plants from Hawaii, South Africa, Panama, Colombia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and many other places were crossed with Mexican genetics that were used to harvest without problem at that latitude.

The best sativa hybrid created by man is undoubtedly Original Haze, which in its genes includes 4 of the world's best pure sativa strains. First they crossed Santa Marta Gold from Colombia, related to the mythical Red Dot, with Highland Oaxaca Gold from Mexico. The offspring was crossed with a high mountain Thai, which was later combined with Kerala, a sativa seed from southern India.

Hybrids descendants of the Haze turned out to be better than any other variety, the vigour contribution that they obtained gave them greater production, resistance, power... Improve in everything, especially when crossed with an indica.

This is the reason why the market is flooded with Haze hybrids, it is very rare to find a seed bank that does not offer seeds of this kind in its catalogue.

Indica genetic hybrids

They are less common in the cannabis panorama, but hybrids of indica varieties also exist. A good example is Cannabiogen's Sandstorm, with genetics from Morocco and Pakistan. Perhaps the best-known Indica hybrid in Europe is Sensi Seeds' Black Domina. Ortega indica is another good plant formulated with varieties of this type.

What are Sativa/Indica hybrids?

The best marijuana hybrids are those that bring together several genetics far apart from each other. When Skunk#1 came out, many growers changed their concept of cannabis. At that time they knew very well sativa strains and had recently discovered indica ones. They knew the advantages and disadvantages of each cannabis subspecies, but could not imagine that the mixture between sativa and indica seeds would result in top-quality plants.

The soul of a sativa/indica hybrid, or vice versa, contains genes from several types of marijuana plants, so it can cope better with many types of diseases or stress than the others. It can also be said that these plants have a greater hybrid vigour.

How are F1 hybrids?

F1 is the abbreviation of filial 1, meaning that it is the first generation resulting from a crossover. In theory, the expression "F1 Hybrid" only should be used to refer to the offspring from crosses between pure plants, but that term is very commonly used to refer to polyhybrids or crosses between subspecies of cannabis.

Within the commercial cannabis seeds market there are few real F1 hybrids, one of the best known examples is the White Widow. This plant is a mixture between a pure Brazilian and Kerala, a pure sativa strain from South India.

What are the F1 Fast version hybrids?

These are a cross between 2 different cannabis subspecies, photodependent and autoflowering. Usually, when a photodependent plant is pollinated with an automatic one, the result is a generation of photodependent hybrids but very fast flowering.

This type of plants are also known as Early version or Quick, but in all cases refer to mixtures between these 2 subspecies.

What's a marijuana polyhybrid?

Polyhybrids are crosses of hybrid cannabis plants, which contain genetic information of several breeds, and are the most widespread. Polyhybrids are better in many ways than hybrids, for the same reason that hybrids are better than pure species, they contain more hybrid vigour.

The more variety of genes, the more defenses the new variety usually has, but it should also be borne in mind that the more genetic variety less stability. In other words, polyhybrids tend to be less homogeneous because they contain genetic information from several strains.

Nowadays more than 90% of commercial marijuana varieties are polyhybrids, you have thousands to choose from, and at PEV Grow we bring them to you at the best price. If you can not make up your mind you should contact us, we will be happy to help you, feel free to do so.