White Widow is a renowned cannabis strain that most marijuana enthusiasts are familiar with. Who hasn’t acknowledged its name? Who hasn’t experienced the unique taste of White Widow or its variants from the White lineage? Numerous traditional cannabis users undoubtedly recall their initial journeys – to the Netherlands – accompanied by White Widow. However, if you are a newcomer to the world of cannabis or haven’t yet sampled White Widow, relax and acquaint yourself with this incredible strain!
Strain Origin
White Widow, a hybrid strain that emerged in 1995, is believed to be a crossbreed between a Brazilian Sativa Landrace and a South Indian Indica. It made a powerful entrance by winning the Dutch High Times Cup, a time when varieties like Skunk, Northern Lights, or Haze held sway.
While its exact birthplace remains a puzzle, we can confirm that the authentic White Widow is a Dutch classic, initially cultivated in the Netherlands. The birth of the first White Widow happened when a Sativa landrace from Brazil was cross-pollinated with an Indica hybrid from southern India. Rumor has it that White Widow strain emerged from years of meticulous selection and breeding in the hills of Kerala to yield marijuana plants that were rich in resin.
Ever since its initial launch in the 1990s, White Widow seeds have been spread worldwide, resulting in various modifications of the primary strain. At present, the majority of credible seed banks carry a variation of WW, along with numerous online stores such as RQS, Zamnesia, and Herbies who feature an assortment of White Widow marijuana seeds.
What Was So Good About It?
Most marijuana enthusiasts concur that White Widow has made a significant imprint in the cannabis culture, being the cornerstone for countless hybrid strains, collectively known as the “White family”. White Widow was indeed a game changer in marijuana breeding, providing the key assistance for the emergence of numerous new seed banks.
The late 1980s didn’t showcase diverse strains with pronounced terpene variability, as observed presently. Amongst the existing varieties, Sativa took the limelight followed by the Haze. Haze would continue reigning the charts, accompanied by Northern Lights and Skunk genetics in the years to ensue. In those triumphant days, mass-scale cultivation was authorized in the Netherlands and Switzerland. Moreover, outdoor marijuana plantation was conducted in terraces, courtyards, or orchards without any misgivings, due to the neighbors’ unawareness of the cannabis plant.
White Widow, along with NL and Skunk, was one of the strains that was introduced to indoor cultivation in Europe. During this time, most plants displayed vigorous growth and untamed traits (due to landrace influence), making them less adaptable to indoor environments, resulting in longer flowering times and lower yields. The majority of plants could only showcase their full potential under the sun and in specific favorable climates. However, White Widow broke this mold as it thrived under HPS grow lamps, maintaining a manageable height and producing dense buds with incredible visual appeal, unlike most sativa strains. With White Widow, it became possible to achieve multiple harvests in a year, yielding impressive amounts of resin and weight, which was highly uncommon at the time and the coffee shop market successfully capitalized on this opportunity.
Is It Worth Growing?
White Widow is a low-maintenance plant that grows quickly and can withstand harsh weather conditions. It is also very forgiving of mistakes made during cultivation. Most of the time, it can handle a high amount of nutrients, resulting in a successful flowering period and buds covered in resin. The effects of White Widow are strong and noticeable soon after consumption. In small doses, it provides an energetic and uplifting high, followed by a soothing and calming sensation. Unlike the Haze strains from the past or certain Skunk varieties with more Sativa characteristics, White Widow does not cause intense effects such as rapid heart rate or anxiety. In terms of smell and taste, it offers spicy aromas with hints of wood that can sometimes be mistaken for the popular “OG” strains available today.
Final Thoughts
Aside from potential alleviating effects of pain, individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder have mentioned a decrease in symptoms upon consuming White Widow. Having knowledge of its origins, aroma, flavor, and potential impact, take the opportunity to experience White Widow firsthand.
