(examples pictured above were grown by Tierra Rojo for Natural Remedies in Denver, CO — there are also several micron grades of water-extracted hash (known as “solventless wax”) made from S.D.D.C. trim by Essential Extracts)

S.D.D.C. STRAIN INFORMATION

General Information

Type:  Indica-dominant hybrid

Genetics:  East Coast Sour Diesel x Tom Hill’s Deep Chunk

Geographic Origin:  Texas, USA

Seed Company/Clone:  Clone-only, though the two popular phenotypes were selected from seed stock originally

Description:  A wonderful example of hybrid vigor, this strain brings together two strains on nearly opposite ends of the spectrum in the 70+ day flowering Sativa-dominant Sour Diesel and the burly, hashy, trich-covered Indica Deep Chunk.  The flavor and scent expression of the parents changes slightly depending upon medium, phenotype, and growing conditions.  It normally finishes a deep purple color, with both leaves and calyxes darkening as it approaches harvest time.

History

Story:  Bred by Tierra Rojo, this strain has made a home in the Colorado medical marijuana scene, but a special phenotype also still appears in its home state of Texas as the “Texas Hog Plum”.

Awards:  None

Growing Information

Flowering Time:  55-60 days

Preferred Growing Medium:  While it performs just fine in hydro, these plants tend to really respond to a robust soil or soilless mix, something that will keep them deep green and healthy until it’s time to flush.  It forms fairly strong central colas but also has a good amount of leaf, making pruning and a judicious trim necessary.  It handles training well and works for SCROG much better than it does in a single cola SOG style setup — medium sized plants (around 3′) tend to taste and smell best.

Patient Expectations

Appearance:  As it’s growing, the plants have a deep green and purple coloration that stays intact through harvest and drying/curing.  Most plants have large hooked calyxes that “crown” as the plant reaches maturity, with very fat trichome heads which make fabulous water hash.  It has a moderate amount of leaf coverage, but the main colas are thick and have a better calyx-to-leaf ratio than the lower branches.

Scent:  The ECSD comes through most clearly in the scent, which has strong notes of rubber, fuel, skunks.  However, there is a creamy, hashy Deep Chunk sweetness that manages to make its way to the forefront now and then.  The astringent aromas dominate post-grind and this is a strain that is easily-noticed from several feet away when disturbed.

Flavor:  When properly-grown, a deep flavor which nearly matches the pungency of the aroma lingers on the palate after smoking.  The flavor is slightly hashier than the aroma, but still has clear skunk, rubber, and fuel elements, especially on the attack.  The smoke tends to be fairly thick and can cause coughing, but if well-trimmed and cured, it can be very smooth for such a potent smoke.

Effects:  A buzzing throughout the face and head comes on with an immediacy that definitely brings to mind the Diesel side of the family.  It also tends to hit the eyes quite a bit, at times making them burn with effect and continually fluctuating pressure.  The early part of the duration feels rather Sativa in nature (though on the “stoney” and narcotic side of that spectrum) and improves mood while also providing such strong initial potency that it would be difficult to fall asleep.  However, that changes rather quickly (normally around the 1 hour mark) and the Deep Chunk seems to take hold, filling the body with a buzzing relaxation and bringing the mental pace down quite a few notches.  This strain is most suitable for an evening burst of cerebral activity leading into relaxation and eventually sleep.  It’s also useful as an all-day medication for users who can continually consume smaller amounts and remain in the Sativa parts of the effect.

Medical Benefits:  Mood elevation early on, strong ocular effects, body relaxation, light pain relief, anti-anxiety, and digestive relaxation

Biesel #1 (Original Diesel “D2 Pheno” x [Great White Shark x Super Silver Haze])
Sativa-dominant hybrid

Though this strain is a Sativa, it hits like a ton of bricks and definitely takes after its mother, the head-knocking Original Diesel, an East Coast favorite.  There are a few different phenotypes of this strain available, but the most popular is the #1, which is the most Diesel-dominant and has reportedly tested at 25%+ THC on several occasions.  Its acrid aroma carries strong skunky elements and an enticing blend of fuel and Haze spice battling for attention in the background.

It has quite potent head effects to start, doing the normal Diesel thing and filling the user’s head with pressure and a buzzing sensation, and causing the mind to wander off at the slightest distraction.  This excited and cerebral initial effect quickly drops into a much more “blank slate” feeling, where the mind is really just processing information and the user is not doing much interacting — it’s suitable for movies and other passive entertainment, but anything active would probably be a little too much.  The body effects are a strong muscle relaxation and the tendency to remain seated due to the general comfort level this med provides.  Strong appetite stimulation and ocular effects signal “Sativa”, but the overall tenor of the experience is more along the Indica lines past the initial 30-45 minutes.

Biesel is kicking around at several dispensaries throughout Colorado, and it’s definitely worth a look for patients who like a more stoney and sedative Sativa with a complex Diesel bouquet.

Lemon Skunk Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  The Herbal Cure

Grade:  A

Type:  Sativa-dominant hybrid

Lineage:  Clone-only Skunk strain supposedly derived from old Sacred Seeds stock, originted in Las Vegas — see the KindReviews Strain Profile on Lemon Skunk for more info

Price:  $45/8th

Appearance:  (8.5/10)  This strain was a classic-looking one which had the perfect bright oranges and greens that recalled its old-school origins in the Skunk #1 family.  We appreciated how dense the trichomes were, and also how well-preserved everything was in general.  This sample was of average density, but the dryness level seemed to make it feel more dense than normal because there was little give before it began snapping and breaking apart.  Harvest-timing was well-done in our estimation, with about 15% amber trichomes creeping in among the mostly swelled-up, large-headed clear and cloudy heads.  We found some tiny seeds in some areas of the buds, but the presence was minor overall.  We also thought the trim could have been tightened up a bit to show off the large calyxed structure, but the remaining leaves were very frosty, and it wasn’t seen as a real flaw.  This is certainly an appealing strain, both in the hand and up-close, and this particular example was frostier than many Lemon Skunks we’ve seen.

Aroma:  (8.25/10)  Though it wasn’t the most pungent aroma prior to being broken apart, this sample still had a definite lemon presence, with a sweet but not candy-like aroma.  Having reviewed our share of Super Lemon Haze, the Lemon Skunk influence in that strain was clear from this one.  Once it was broken apart, the pungency stepped up a big notch, and a crisp lemony sweetness came out more directly, with a hint of sweet Skunk in the background.

Taste: (8/10)  The flavor was enjoyable, though less sweet and more earthy/skunky, with the only real lemon presence coming on the exhale.  We felt that the smoke was fairly expansive and it seemed to fill the chest easily, causing coughing on the unexpectedly large hits but otherwise hitting the throat smoothly.  It burned away to a mottled medium gray ash with some white specks, showing it received a quality flush, though not a perfect one.

Effects:  This was a rather “facial” med to start, getting right into the eyes and face and creating a pressure that seemed to push outwards.  Noticable effects were also present through the jaw and neck area, but mostly stayed above the shoulders initially.  We felt a definite increase in mental activity and mood, but also noticed that our bodies seemed to lag behind, feeling comfortable and and smoothly relaxed compared to the excitable mental state.  We felt a little spacey at times, jumping back and forth between mental tasks and sometimes losing the details in the mix, but overall it was functional.  One thing we noticed is that though the effects were not astoundingly potent, the decrease that normally happens at about an hour of effects seemed to be very slight,  and we felt that it stayed medicinally-potent longer than most strains.  A smooth decline did have us a little on the sleepy side once it receded, but nothing too dramatic.

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Mood elevation, mental energy, muscle relaxation, minor to moderate pain relief, appetite stimulation, fatigue, and migraines.

Overall:  This was a very good example of this genetic line, displaying a distinct lemon quality in the aroma and flavor areas while checking off a variety of our boxes in the other areas.  Though we did find a few small flaws, the grow overall was very well-done, as was the post-harvest care.  We really liked how quick the effects came on, as well as how the potency seemed to stay at a nice even ’7′ throughout most of the experience, making this a lasting med that worked espeically well for the morning (seemed to make the duration even longer).  This one is versatile though, as the final effects were somewhat sedative, making this one that

Captain Kush Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  Chronic Wellness

Grade:  B

Type:  Sativa-dominant hybrid

Lineage:  Snowcap x OG Kush (this phenotype is Snowcap-leaning)

Price:  $30/8th

Appearance:  (7.5/10)  The structure of this sample was definitely on the dry and rocky side, just on the acceptable side of “too dry” (though the FSL moisture percentage would say otherwise).  Lots of dark red-orange pistils covered the surfaces of the bud, seemingly taking up as much visual real estate as the leaves and calyxes.  Up-close, we wished that there were more trichome heads preserved, as many seemed to be mutated, broken, or otherwise damaged (maybe 30% intact).  We didn’t really find too much other flaw with it, and overall the trichomes were dense, but the damage served to hurt the overall visual appeal (and likely the potency).

Aroma:  (8/10)  While the aroma wasn’t particularly pungent, it did develop a bit when ground up, releasing a crisp, clean, sweet pine-citrus aroma that definitely brought to mind Snowcap and other similar strains (NL #5-Haze, Jack Herer, etc.).

Taste: (6.5/10)  Softly sweet and piney, the flavor was fairly similar to the aroma on the first few hits, but declined from there and just because neutral and smokey.  It never really tasted bad, but the flavor just disappeared rather quickly — we think that the dryness level may have had a lot to do with the way the flavor declined, as well as the way the smoke tickled the throat.  The flush certainly wasn’t to blame for any harshness, because the final ash was mostly white with some black flecks, showing a very quality flush prior to harvest.  This one ultimately just fell short of its potential.

Effects:  A moderate pulsing throughout the body and limbs was the signal that effects had begun, coming on rather smoothly and creeping up in potency over the first 20-30 minutes.  While we didn’t really feel much of a change in mental energy or mood, but rather a gentle relaxation which had us able to concentrate on non-interactive activities, but fading out a bit when deep concentration and attention was required.  Several members of the staff commented that this med was almost invisible at times throughout the experience — it’s certainly not a “punch in the face” type of med, but rather a smooth Sativa that kept us between mood elevation and relaxation with no negative effects or abrupt comedown.  Some staff were left wanting more peak potency, but the duration was very good, lingering out to over 3 hours for all of our staff.

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Relief of minor stomach/digestion issues (one reviewer noticed some appetite reduction), mood stabilization, and a slight energy boost.

Overall:  We’re not sure if the strain itself is just not super-potent (the lineage would suggest otherwise), or if the trichome damage may have knocked the potency down a peg, but for whatever reason, we just didn’t feel that this one hit its potential.  It never was overtly potent and despite lasting a long time, we sort of lost track of the effects at times because they were mild and unobtrusive.  In many senses, this is a good thing (this was a pretty clear-headed med suitable for a day of work), but we think that this one is best saved for newer patients and those seeing moderate relief which last a long time but doesn’t ever feel pushy.  There’s probably more to this strain, and we saw another phenotype which looked better, so we’ll be looking for it again to see if the opinion changes.

Bubba Kush-dominant Phenotype:

Tang Tang-dominant Phenotype:

THE PROPHET STRAIN INFORMATION

General Information

Type:  Hybrid, depends upon phenotype

Genetics:  Pre-’98 Bubba Kush x Tang Tang males

Geographic Origin:  Northern California

Seed Company/Clone: Grindhouse Medical Seeds

Description: The Tang Tang is from Grindhouse Medical Seeds’ Sonja line (derived from Blockhead but Sativa-dominant) and adds some needed heft, vigor, and yield to the normally stingy Pre-’98 Bubba Kush mom.  The different phenotypes are almost like different strains, with the Bubba-dominant phenos taking on the rounded shape and large calyxes of the mother, and the Tang Tang growing pointed colas with leaves coated from stem to tip with trichomes.  A skilled selection process will yield incredible results with this one.  More information via “Steele Savage” of Grindhouse here.

History

Story:  This strain was released in 2010 by Grindhouse Medical Seeds.  The particular phenotypes shown above were isolated by breeder “Tierra Rojo” during that same year, in an effort to find the two ends of the parental spectrum.

Awards:  None

Growing Information

Flowering Time: 65 - 70 days, depends slightly upon phenotype (Tang Tang-dominant plants at times take longer to finish)

Preferred Growing Medium:  Grows well with heavy training such as “super-cropping”, as the Tang Tang line adds more flexibility and strength to the often brittle Bubba branches.  Either phenotype produces much larger yields than the Bubba, with the Tang Tang phenos being especially prolific.  The nugs produced are extremely dense, so bud mold can be an issue in higher-humidity environments.  The Tang Tang plants will stretch at least twice their height when flowered, while the Bubba-dominant phenos stay slightly more compact.

Patient Expectations

Scent:  The Bubba-dominant plants definitely recall the mother, but have a less foreboding and musky aroma, seemingly being freshened up by the herbal and zesty Tang Tang.  Both phenos have notes of incense, hash, citrus, and the backing  deep chocolate/coffee notes of the Bubba, but the Tang Tang just has less aroma overall, smelling mostly of the trichomes that coat every surface.

Flavor:  With a background of the Bubba dankness, the flavor is lightened up by the Tang Tang, adding elements of citrus and herbs.  The flavor isn’t overwhelmingly strong like a proper Bubba is, but it hands in the mouth in much the same way, reminding the user of the flavor seemingly at random for a while after smoking.

Effects: The Tang Tang adds a potent package of head effects and seems to step up the overall potency of the Bubba.  The Tang Tang phenotypes have a very strong head presence, with a feeling of a boulder rolling around inside the back of the skull at times, as well as quite a bit of eye pressure fluctuation.  It has major mood elevating properties as well, finishing cleanly and without any sort of crash — it makes for a versatile medication suitable for day or night use.  The Bubba-dominant phenotypes are definitely heavier, and if let go long will pack quite the narcotic punch, aiding sleep and relaxing muscles.