Kush strains is no doubt one of the most popular strains in-between cannabis growers and tokers, and nowadays its descendants are prized in every cup they are introduced. But where does it come from? Today we will get deep in Himalayan valleys, where Hindu Kush is located, a fascinating region with a millenary culture, and magic wildlife, that has always gone by hand with cannabis consumption for centuries.
Hindu Kush landrace and Kush strains
When we pull the string, Kush strains takes us to Hindu Kush, a mountain range between Central Asia and Meridional Asia, that take part of Himalayan mountains, from North-east of india, part of Pakistan and par of Afghanistan. A large section of Hindu Kush is in Cachemira and Jammu state, territory that has been disputed since 1947 between India, Pakistan and China, in what's known as Cachemira conflict.
This are is distinguished by its political instability, but also for being a land historically relationed with cannabis production. This because in its millenial valleys, fertile and leafy, grows one of the local strains most wanted worlwide: indica dominant plants, with wide big leaves, covered with large crystals - wich protect plants from the tough mountain climate, and also produce one of the most appreciated hash.
Kush is known as a landrace strain, term used for those pure strains never hybridized before, that have developed in its local area. This endogamic purity of Kush strains results in stable plants, homogenous and leafy. Nevertheless, finding individuals that had never been crossed is more difficult every day, not only in foreign countries, also in its origin, due to the geopolitical changes in the area, that go against preservation and local strains. In example, during the afghani-sovietic conflict (1978-1992), a large number of plants from proceeding from surrounding areas were introducen in Hindu Kush afghan territory, so the purity of plant's genetics got contaminated and many local strains got lost forever.
But how did such a remote plant become one of the most known cannabis strain worlwide? Maybe the hippie trail sounds you familiar, a road to happiness, misticism, pacifism and drugs, that begins in California and goes through all occident and spiritual Orient.
The hippie trail: Travel to Kush strains
In the late 60s, a young occidental army, fans of hippie culture alerted by new waves of freedom, began its way to orient. The way through many countries crossed Europe to Turkey. Once there it follows to north Ankara and Teheran, crossing Pakistan until Afghanistan through Khaiber path, straight to Cachemira, considered by many as the place from what best cannabis in the world belonged, and finally arrived to New Delhi and Goa, in India.
Those nonconformists (mostly from United States, specifically from California, even there was a certain number coming from England and Canada), marched with the idea of staying far from those days lifestyle, make a spiritual travel, group with other young people seeking the same, and also to try the most exotic herbs the could find on their way. Once the pilgrimage finishes, many of them returned home with a pocket full of exotic seeds.
It's said that some of those californinans belong to Brotherhood of Eternal Love, an organization that produced and traded drugs (mostly acids and cannabis) in mid. 60s, in Orange County, with the goal of expanding the knowledge and use of these, and propitiate what they called "psychedelic revolution". Tells the legend that this collective was based in a remote area of Hindu Kush, where they grew cannabis and exported to the United States. We don't known how much real this is, but there is no doubt that they were targeted by CIA as the first cannabis smugglers in Federal levels, besides spreading the term Hippie Mafia.
The hippie trial
Destination: California
The thing is ones to others made possible a cannabis diversity, what caused most of the varieties we know today. When these seeds arrived to California on early 70s, cannabis growing was living its own revolution. the sinsemilla growing technique, and advances got indoor growing where rising the quality and quantity of home gardening.
Kush was crossed with sativa strains of californian scenario (almost all of them sourced by south america), generating amazing strains, that inherited the strength and psichoactive effect from Kush, producing a huge impact in cannabis production. Resulting hybrids were much more stable than their parentals, and became easier to adapt to outdoor growing in such different climates. In addition, growers saw how their vegetative and flowering periods were reduced. Since then, California has become one of the places were Kush strains have developed most.
Kush genetics today
Time has passed, and the clock never stops, nevertheless Kush strains keeps winning prizes. As White Widow did in 1995, Kush hybrids have won many Cannabis cups (vanilla Kush, Ak47 or Kaia Kush among others). Even though, they not only get the highest awards, they are also appreciated by tokers (in example OG Kush is the most demanded strain in United States nowadays).
In the other hand, Kush also overstands in medical values of cannabis. It has many therapeutic properties, and many of its hybrids are prescribed in treatments to solve pain, insmonia, depression, anxiety...
Characteristics of Kush strains
Landrace genetics
Flavour: Sweet, earthy, with woody undertones.
Effect: Relaxing.
Medical properties: Anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, against stress, antidepressant.
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