Genetics: Greek Cretan domesticate drug cultivar
Sourcing: Delicorganic
Purpose: Bud and hash
Latitude: 35°N
Elevation: 400 – 500 m.a.s.l.
Height: 3 – 4 meters in optimal conditions in natural outdoor environment
Flowering: 11-12 weeks. Flowering starts early August in Greece
Regional Harvest: mid-end of October outdoor in Greece
Yield: 500-600 of dried flowers per plant (outdoor)
THC levels: moderate levels of THC 14-18%
Aromas:herbal,earthy,woody,eucalyptus,helichrysum,turmeric,dittany,frankincense,mountain tea
Taste: Hashy, herbal
High: intense, calming,long lasting. Uplifting with a pleasant body buzz. Potent for a landrace. Sativa profile
Characteristics: light green flowers,neither compact nor airy. Some phenos show vivid red pistils on flowers
Grow type: Outdoor, greenhouse, indoors
The Cretan is another classic and legendary landrace strain from Greece, seeds from these domesticated plants were collected in the early 90’s from the mountainous region of Rethimno on the island of Crete. Cretan is a cultivar that locals cultivated for bud production, not hash, although it has many characteristics of the hash plant family: it’s a fast flowering sativa (also closer to a NLD) with incredible mix of terpenes and amazing effects.
This line thanks to the oldschool genetic profile shows a similar quality of effects such as other Greek cultivars, like Kalamata Red, energetic and creative in small doses but when used repeatedly can become very intense, calming, mildly trippy, like very small doses of psilocybin mushrooms. You will be feeling full of happiness and it will be long lasting and with a slight body effect at the end.
The aromas and taste are herbal, hashy, woody, like eucalyptus, helichrysum, turmeric and dittany. Cretan doesn’t stretch like a pure sativa although it can reach 3-4 metres max with strong branching and ideal short internodal spacing. It finishes around mid-end of October outdoors in Crete with a flowering of 11-12weeks.
These plants have (been) acclimatized for many years to the harsh environmental conditions of mountainous regions in Crete, such as very hot summer days (40°-45° Celsius )and strong winds,at 400-500 metres above sea level. Old Cretan farmers were growing on rocky slopes, to avoid police helicopters, so plants learnt to survive all alone, growing almost wild in rocky soil, with very little watering, no use of fertilizers and harsh environmental conditions.
Guerilla growing techniques by the local growers result in a cultivar showing extremely vigorous individuals that could cope extremely well under many different environmental stresses. Crete has very long tradition in guerilla cannabis growing and it’s a big honour for us that we finally succeeded in preserving and releasing this great, legendary and unique cultivar from the 90’s.
Please note: There are two different versions of the Cretan. One shorter flowering and the other longer flowering. This line is the shorter flowering one (usually 11-12 weeks)
Here’s Cretan DNA analysis results. A very rare genotype with no relatives. Landrace dominance for the genetic profile.
https://phylos.bio/sims/variety/PGTH-504979/delicorganic/cretan-greece
Note: These seeds have been reproduced indoors (from the original stock) using as many individuals as possible
Grow report (indoor)
The Cretan strain is a unusual plant, in that it exhibits mostly sativa heritage harking back to the 1960’s and 70’s.
It is mostly sativa, but in veg and later in bud structure exhibits some minor indica characteristics, such as wide leaves on branches. The grow cycles are as observed; From day of germination through seedling stage is about 15 days, veg times were kept at 20 days to deal with stretch in flower. Plants were flowered at day 40 from seed, beginning at approx. 36″ (90 cm) in veg. Plants stretched to about 60″ (150 cm) within three weeks of initiation into flower. Flowers began forming at week four in large clusters about 3-5″ (7-12 cm) apart on long stems. Flowering completed at 12 weeks, with large colas comprised of multiple bud sites along the stems. The flowers closely resembled specimens of a type typical of the late 60’s, mid-,70’s, being firm yet sativa in appearance with some long more airy colas. After drying and a week’s cure, the buds assumed a naturally goldish brown appearance, again typical of old types seen in the past.
Smoke Report
Several people of different demographics sampled the dried buds both in joints and bongs. The consensus is that the Crete is an uplifting sativa, with a clear, business like high perfect for an active day or night out. It’s very mild on inhale, smooth and deeply herbal on first toke. While being a mild smoke, it packs a nice sativa type high without being anxiety creating, nor speedy.
General estimates would place it in the 15-18% THC range, but certainly not a knock down high. Another guess would place it firmly in the classic sativas of the 60’s-70’s based on the impression that this strain has grown away from most newer strains, owing to it being from an island where it’s probably been grown without outside genes coming in. Just a theory, but interesting.
The flavors range from an almost basil type flavor, to a nicely hashy aftertaste present on the exhale. The buds are mildly frosty, but the plant has a high which is happy, relaxed and focused. All in all, one of the nicest, most unusual legacy plant we’ve grown for some time. Very reminiscent of old style Mexican, Columbian and Central American strains of old.