Check out the HIGH TIMES exclusive CBD Family Tree. This outlines the main groups of the common CBD strains on the market today. Many crosses exist of the strains listed here, but they all branch off this main backbone.
The adventure starts with two hybrids of G13, a pure indica that reportedly came from an American grower named Sandy Weinstein. Nevil Schoemaker brought G13 back to Holland in 1984 and used it to make crosses with his already famous Haze genetics. A cross of G13 and Super Neville’s Haze, a sativa dominant hybrid, led to G13 Haze. TH Seeds came out with a powerful strain named MK Ultra (G13 x OG Kush), in honor of the infamous CIA brainwashing project.
Resin Seeds introduced one of the first strains marketed for its CBD content: Cannatonic. A phenotype from a cross of MK Ultra and G13 Haze, this strain reportedly produces a 1:1 ratio of CBD, but actual values will fluctuate considerably. This strain is still unavoidably psychoactive, its grandparents being some of the most potent strains of cannabis to ever exist. Many breeders have made crosses of Cannatonic, most of which have “tonic” in their name: Startonic, OG Tonic, etc.
A cross of Cannatonic with an unknown ruderalis accession gave birth to ACDC and Valentine X, as well as potentially other unknown phenotypes. ACDC is a very well known high-CBD strain that has very little THC, making almost completely non-psychoactive. Valentine X is another phenotype from this cross named after Saint Valentine, the patron saint of epilepsy. Many crosses of ACDC exist and they commonly reintroduce THC genetics to make flavorful, psychoactive strains with 1:1 THC:CBD ratios.
On the other branch we’ve detailed the background of Harlequin genetics. Harlequin has a very diverse background of landrace strains, but the CBD genetics likely stem from its Swiss lineage. Cannabis native to Europe and Siberia naturally produce all CBD, with less than 0.3% THC. Harlequin also has produced many crosses, a notable one being Harle-Tsu: Harlequin and Sour Tsunami, a Hawaiian high-THC hybrid.
These two branches are not completely separate. Ringo’s Gift, a cross of ACDC and Harle-Tsu, unites the two, but that’s not to say other strains we’ve left our also join the connect the branches in other places.
Photo Credit: HRB
