Landraces refer to strains of cannabis that developed naturally in the environment over the course of centuries. They have survived the natural selection process to thrive in their native locations, growing free from external human interference.
In modern times, they are known by their names such as Durban Poison, Acapulco Gold, Afghani, and Hindu Kush. However, through the years, cultivation techniques have worked to remove some of the unwanted characteristics of these strains. Therefore, what is available today is likely a close hybrid of the original.
So do landrace strains still even exist?! Yes, but given that a key characteristic of theirs is that they are native to a certain geographic location, it is unlikely most of us have ever consumed one. While not widely available, the closest we might get to experiencing a landrace is from an “heirloom” strain. These strains have preserved a lot of the original genetics, but are just not grown in the landrace’s native environment.
