X18

Description

Genetics: X-18 landrace from Pakistan (acclimated to California)
Source: Tom Hill
Traditional use: dry-sifted hash and charas
Elevation: 1000 – 1600 metres
Height: 1.5 – 3 metres in natural outdoor environment
Sowing: April-May
Harvest: October
Indoors Flowering: 8-9 weeks
Yield: medium-high
Aromas: Apple, strawberry, spices, pine, sage, rosemary, pears, occasional extreme skunky phenotype
Taste: Fruity, sour, apple cider, strawberry yogurt
Effects: clear-headed, heavy and psychedelic with a happy, talkative and meditative vibe
Characteristics: Very hardy and cold tolerant. Long nodes and very branchy. Expect candelabras and christmas trees
Grow type: outdoor, greenhouse, indoor

This heirloom Pakistani landrace is a short flowering indica with a long history in California gardens. The exact number of filial generations outside of Pakistan is likely impossible to determine at this point, as the seeds are said to have been acquired on location in the 70s. They’ve since been acclimated to California and popularized by Tom Hill.

Known for its sour fruit and green apple flavours that earned it the nickname of Cider Kush, there’s the occasional rancid skunk phenotypes to be found, if you search for it.

The plants vegetate at a good pace and transition to flower quickly upon shortening daylight hours. In a guerrilla setting the plants will do well to outcompete the local fauna, but will only roughly double in height during stretch. It’s unclear if cool weather is required to bring out their colours. In controlled environments large leaflets and dense foliage would take well to a light defoliation and lollipopping, as they near the end of the transition to flower.

In the last days of senescence the aromas will change substantially. This is a strain that really reaches its pinnacle after the trichomes turn amber, and as its hash matures.