98 HIGH TIMES I OCTOBER 2019
hybridized well with the tall, lanky sativas that
were popular at the time. A collective called
Sacred Seeds emerged in the underground
scene in Northern California and used inbreed-
ing to stabilize a hybrid of Afghani, Colombian
Gold and Acapulco Gold to create Skunk #1,
which it offered to the public in its first seed
catalog in 1981. Skunk #1 quickly became the
most popular strain in California, thanks to its
sweet flavor and soaring high. In 1982, Califor-
nia police shut down Sacred Seeds, but one of
its breeders, Sam the Skunkman, managed to
salvage the prized genetics.
In the 1980s, the relaxed cannabis laws
of the Netherlands attracted growers and
breeders and led to the creation of several
Dutch seed companies, including the Seed
Bank of Holland and the Super Sativa Seed
Club. Fleeing California, Sam the Skunk-
man made the pilgrimage and brought his
collection of Sacred strains, including Skunk
#1. There, Sacred Seeds’ hard work came to
further fruition in a new seed company, Culti-
vator’s Choice. This relocation of Californian
genetics to uniquely weed-tolerant Holland
was a monumental event for the future of
cannabis. Breeding work flourished in Hol-
land unhampered by the government, and a
platform for shipping seeds worldwide was
born. When the first High Times Cannabis
Cup was held in Amsterdam in 1988, Skunk #1by Cultivator’s Choice took first place.
Inbred since 1978, the homogenized, true-
breeding nature of Skunk #1 makes it excel-
lent for breeding new hybrids. When two
true-breeding strains are crossed, the result
is known as an F1 hybrid. F1 hybrids express
traits of both parent lines in a uniform man-
ner among individual plants. F1 hybrids also
usually display “hybrid vigor,” meaning that
the hybrid is more vigorous (better growth
rate, yield, etc.) than the parent lines. Due to
these factors of imparting uniformity and
vigor in crosses, Skunk #1 is highly desirable
for breeding, and it is now a progenitor of a
great many strains, likely more than any other
parental stock.
Owing to its combination of tropical sativa
and Afghani traits, Skunk #1 is a high-yielding
strain. Tropical sativas develop long, airy
colas lacking density, which helps them dry
after rainfall and resist mold in rainy climates.Afghani plants have the opposite characteris-
tics: small, nearly rock-hard colas, adapted to
an arid environment with little pressure from
Botrytis cinerea gray mold. Hybridizing these
contrasting traits creates large colas, with a
moderate, spongy density. This bud structure
is wonderful for yields; however, Skunk #1
is prone to gray mold. If grown outdoors in
humid areas of North America or Europe,
Skunk #1 will continue flowering into fall’s
mold-favoring conditions. Its slightly longer
maturation period and hybrid bud structure
also mean that its first flowers to develop are
aging and surrounded by layers of younger
flowers at harvest time, creating perfect
conditions for Botrytis. For these reasons,
Skunk #1 is best suited for growth indoors or
in greenhouses, or outdoors in a Mediterra-
nean climate. Strains with similarly structured
hybrid buds, such as Serious Seeds’ AK-47
and T.H.Seeds’ S.A.G.E., also perform best in
these environments.
Northern Lights: Northern Lights is
another classic strain, which has led to
numerous, sensational breeding projects.
Originating in the Pacific Northwest, Northern
Lights is thought to be an inbred line of pure
afghanica. It was introduced to the Dutch
cannabis scene via the work of the late
legend Nevil Schoenmakers, founder of the
Seed Bank of Holland. Schoenmakers madeIndoor cultivation has helped
breeders create more potent pot.
Below: A male plant with seedsJOEBENDER^(^2 )