Types of Maijuana
The different types of maijuana we have nowadays come from these genetic precursors.
Although hundreds of regional sub-varieties have been developed by skilled home and professional breeders, the foundational genetic stock of marijuana is well-known and respected. We can think of these genetic precursors as the basic colour palette from which breeders mix and match to create limitless variations.
Among the most popular base stocks:
Columbian: also known as "Gold," was one of the original sativa imports that fueled the marijuana renaissance in North America during the 1960's.
Thai: sometimes known as Thai Sticks, because this Asian sativa variety produces loose clusters which are often woven onto sticks of bamboo or cannabis stems.
Jamaican: these mostly sativa plants are fast-growing and reputed to produce a stimulating high.
Mexican: the war on drugs has severely afflicted Mexican indigenous production. Some of the best cannabis used to come from Mexico, but these days "Mexican Brown brickweed" has become synonymous with "schwag." Good Mexican is a Sativa offshoot, and even though its THC is degraded by bricking and shipping, it can be a potent and hardy plant when raised in captivity.
Cambodian and Chinese: these cannabis varieties are often problematic. In China, cannabis is cultivated for hemp fiber. In Cambodia, Vietnam and nearby countries, plants often tend to be hermaphroditic, which means that they develop male and female flowers and if left unchecked can fertilize themselves. Some breeders allege that using seeds from mostly-female hermaphroditic parents will produce seeds that favour the female gender. Unfortunately, such seeds also tend to be hermaphrodites, resulting in compromised floral development and resin production.
African: South Africa is becoming one of the world's top pot producers. Some experts allege that South African pot contains a deviant THC molecule which produces super-hallucinogenic highs. Durban Poison is a South African strain. The more northern parts of Africa also produce regional varieties; the further north you go, the more likely the strains are to be Indicas.
Afghani: These are some of the first seed types collected by European and American cannabis researchers during the 1960's hippie era. Afghani and Hindu Kush are indicas which grow fast, have huge leaves, and produce a skunky, mentally-crippling high. These two varieties have become very popular with many commercial growers.
Hawaiian: Island strains, such as Maui Wowie, used to be readily available. Then the DEA started a massive air war against Hawaiian growers, and these varieties became scarce. They are now used mainly in crosses, and often lean toward the Sativa end of the spectrum.
Unless you buy from a seed bank or breeder, it's hard to know for sure which of the above varieties you have in your private seed stash. The size and shape of leaves, maturation characteristics, and the visual appearance of floral clusters are some of the most reliable ways to determine what lineage your seeds come from.
Source: Cannabis Culture, The seeds of change.