Skunk, 40 years of legend, what makes it so special?
The Skunk marijuana is the first hybrid strain with Sativa and Indica genetics (75% and 25%, respectively). Originally, it was created with pure strains of Indica Afghan (25%) and Columbian Gold (50%), but later it was crossed with Acapulco Gold (25%).
Today and after various decades of stabilization, Skunk is considered a pure strain, thus being perfect for making crossings with other strains since it has powerful genetics. In fact, it retains the best qualities of Indica and Sativa. It has inherited the good yields and fast flowering period from the first one, not usually exceeding 2 meters high, and has inherited the characteristic aroma, taste and high from the second one.
It also produces big, compact and resinous buds and develops few leaves, which facilitates its manicuring. Curiously, the Skunk, despite being characterized by its large main bud, it also develops side branches with abundant lime green and gold buds. Due to its properties and considering its ease of cultivation, this strain is suitable for experienced and beginner growers. All these features make it the most cultivated strain in the world.
Who invented it?
The story of Skunk marijuana, the most famous marijuana in the world, is full of mysteries and adventures. Due to the illegality of marijuana there is not much information or testimony about the crops and experiments that were carried out and to this day we do not know for sure how it was created. The major versions have some features in common but there is already a legend about its birth.
While Sam the Skunkman, who is at the centre of the legend, clearly denies that there was a group behind Skunk #1. He claims he is the sole creator of this strain, ithere is another theory that ensures that it was a collective project. However, both agree on its genetics.
The other theory is that in late 60's there was a group of expert marijuana growers known as Sacred Seeds in Northern California (by the Bay Area in Humboldt County) whose chief and seed manager was Sam The Skunkman. Nearby was a certain Jingles, who would have crossed Indica Afghan with Columbian Gold thus getting a rather unstable strain. He kept it for several years in private until he began to be known in Bay Area.
Therefore, the small group of people known as Sacred Seeds would have discovered the Skunk and would have considered as a collective project in the creation and search for uniformity of this new strain. The group started to grow gradually although being a member was not available to anyone. For that, the new member should know someone from the inner circle, and it was also mandatory for everyone to work on the Skunk.
By including in the genetics of this plant a hybrid strains, the Acapulco Gold, they managed not only to stabilize the genetics of the Skunk but also to significantly improved the flower/leaf ratio.
The best females were chosen from hundreds of specimens through scientific methods. In fact, and using a gas analysis, the percentage of THC weas found to be of 15%. Besides that, a complex process was also used for selecting the best males.
Apparently in these years there was a great outbreak of botrytis, which is a typical grape disease. The gray fungus killed several plants and as a consequence, they started to try different afghan strains to get a greater resistance. After several stress tests with various pests and diseases of plants the more resistant specimens were selected. This new strain was called Skunk #18.2.
By the year of 1977 or 1978 the Skunk #1 seeds went on sale. The public found this market launch a bit curious since Sacred Seeds use to made some discounts to their costumers and despite several complaints, any kind of discount was available for Skunk #1. Even so, each year the seeds were depleted.
Following the legend, an event occurred in 1982 that would determine the worldwide expansion of Skunk #1. The police found the Sacred Seeds store and made a raid in which they arrested Sam The Skunkman and shut down the store. But Sacred Seeds were prepared and thanks to the effectiveness of their lawyers, Sam was released after a few hours. The clumsiness of the police would be decisive in what follows.
The warehouse had been sealed with police tape but there were any other security measure than that. Hence, Sam went back to the warehouse and took a look at the trash containers. He was surprised to find entire plants and several amounts of seeds besides all farming equipment that the police had left there, apparently with the idea of returning the next day to catalog all the seized material.
Sam called some of his colleagues who came quickly and started to dismantle the place. They took absolutely everything that could still be of use. Besides removing all the evidence from the police, they also sold the lamps to cover legal expenses. But, and more importantly, they managed to recover and to revive the plants.
Sam went to jail but due to the lack of the majority of the evidence he only stayed one year locked up. When he left from prison he went to Holland carrying a huge quantity of seeds. It was thus the first stable marijuana hybrid to reach Netherlands. According to Sam, it was the product of at least 10 years of work.
The Skunk in Europe
In Amsterdam, The Skunkman marketed them with his company which he called Cultivators Choice seeds company and is even said to have received another package of Skunk #1 seeds from Sacred Seeds. They were the only two importers of Skunk #1.
The seeds that Sam brought to Holland were the first to guarantee homogeneity and stability, which gave him great reputation mainly in the 80's and 90's. Indeed and in 1988, the first High Times Cannabis Cup took place and Skunk #1 was the undisputed champion regarding its aroma, taste sativa effect and performance.
When the company closed, Neville Shoenmakers bought almost all the remaining seed stock and marketed them using his company, The Seed Bank, which later became Sensi Seeds Banks. Both The Skunkman and Neville worked from these seeds, but each used their own males for making crosses. In both cases the smell was sweet with fruity reminiscences, but there were marked differences between the two main strains of Skunk #1.
At some point this difference was even debated about what the real Skunk was. If Sam's Sweet Skunk, which is a sativa with a pleasant fragrance and high, or if was Neville with Mr. Nice, the Roadkill Skunk, in which the Indica Afghan was more present and whose effect was more Relaxing, like "couchlock"; that is, it is more suitable for sleeping or pilfering on the couch. This strains also has a slightly higher production than Sweet Skunk.
According to Sam, the first Skunks #1 of '76 were rather Roadkill Skunk, although in the following versions he tried to refine it, sweeten it and getting a more enjoyable position, that after smoking it would not end up destroyed or semi moribund. It also says that while stability was achieved, new females and new males were used every year, so the genetics are slightly different depending on the year of the harvest.
The Skunk today
Sam says he has not sold Skunks #1 in the last 10 years, so he does not assure that what is sold today with the same name will match his strain. They are rather new species made from their originals. From all seeds available now, the sweetest version of Skunk #1 is called The Pure and is sold by The Flying Dutchmen seed company, while Mr. Nice markets the most Afghan version, the Shit.
Some information to grow Skunk
Today we can find the genetics of this plant in the majority of strains (above 70%), so it is considered the mother of all strains. It has this name that in English means skunk or skunk, given its strong odour that can easily be confused with the one of these animals.
That is why several people do not grow it. It would be easy for the neighbours to detect this smell, unless grown on indoors and with very potent carbon filters. Also, by the smell people usually confuse and call Skunk to any marijuana of potent smell.
Due to its features, Skunk prefers a warm climate. On outdoors is very suitable in Italy, Spain or California, where it came from. In can also be cultivated in colder climates although offering lower productions. It is usually harvested in early October.
Its indoor cultivation is a bit more complicated than on outdoors due to its large size, although there are crossings with Afghan that are more suitable for growing closets. The Skunk can offer you around 70 grams on indoors (if you use a 600 watt lamp) and up to 100 grams per plant if grown on outdoors and under optimal growing conditions.
In our store we have several Skunk strains available, almost all the ones existing on the market, you can get access to them from Skunk seeds.