By The way weed is purchased has completely changed. Alongside the wave of cannabis legal reform that has taken place around the world over the last decade, there has also been a noticeable shift in the way smokers choose the types of flowers they enjoy. With constant change and shorter and shorter lifespans for all types of flowers, many consumers today are buying for specific growers and brands rather than specific varieties. Cannabis Cup results once dictated the flavors we smoked for years to come, but in today’s market, the lack of consistent availability means shopping with specific cannabis cloths in mind. That leads to a seemingly simple question: What is the life expectancy of cannabis strains?
Cannabis expert and author when asked about trends in cannabis genetics Ellis McDonough Reeferman, a Canadian, came onto the Dutch scene and thought of the big upset that happened at the 2004 Cannabis Cup when he took first place in the Sativa category for Love Potion #1.
“[Reeferman] Appearing on their scene, he swept them all [the Dutch] He brought something new and fresh, so off the map,” she said. Just like what the Californians are doing now, the Dutch had a certain lineage, everyone crossed everything with everything else, but in the end they all ended up in this very similar It became a model for the species.”
McDonagh explained that Rieferman created strains like Love Potion by “traveling the world, finding these native species, growing them in vast fields, selecting them, and breeding them.”
Reeferman was able to create flowers that were very novel compared to what was being produced in Holland at the time, she said.
“I think the time is ripe for the same thing to happen in California. Everyone is sick of these cookie crosses,” McDonough said. You cross the meaning with all the other things, and you get this kind of weird mess.”
Marketing Director now BinsukeMcDonough also looks at strain longevity from another perspective.
“Another thing about this breeding of hype and shortened cycles for new strains is how we, as brand executives, feel. [pressure] from retailers,” she said. “Retailers are always looking for something fresh and different to add to our menu.”
She explained that retailers’ goals are different from traditional cannabis breeders who spend years stabilizing and maintaining their genetics. McDonough likens the cannabis breeding conversation to breeding dogs, saying that generations of Labradors were bred into poodles to create Labradors.
“And they’re still pretty crazy,” she said.
In cannabis, as in dogs, it takes generations to achieve well-defined, consistent and predictable traits.
“[For breeders] That’s your IP, your special sauce,” McDonough said. “And that work takes generations. It takes years for stocks to stabilize. and is not stable.”
Unstable genetics can partly explain why new cannabis strains often lack staying power, but many other factors come into play. Mike DoutenChief Sales Officer fig farmwe believe the unique strain will walk a parabola of popularity that rises and falls in about five years.
“We had [strains] like dark karma What we tried to retire,” Doten said. “Distributors just say, ‘If we do away with this, the demand is too high, we’re just going to lose shelf space.'” Like the “need to keep growing” type of thing.
Doten said the more common strains have shorter lifespans as consumer demand declines.
“To bring in a very common strain like Gelato #41, we have a period of about six to eight months where we reduce the standard amount and then reduce it. to retreat.”
Marketing also contributes to stock life.
“Sometimes we roll out four or five new strains in a month, but we don’t have marketing packages for each,” says Doten. “These can also help extend the life of strains just by having the right marketing kit.”
Another factor that keeps the stock in the spotlight is its flavor profile, which falls into overarching popular categories such as gas and fruit.
“Think of a hype stock’s lifespan as five years,” he said. Luigi Diaz, a comedian who has worked in the cannabis industry for nine years. “That’s when it becomes hype. Then everyone grows it to perfection. Then crossing happens, and by then the new hype has grown, and the grower has moved on, looking for that new fire.” But gas is forever.”
For Josh Vert, co-founder of royal keyis known for producing award-winning extracts, but a major factor in finding varieties to market often has to do with its ability to become a cannabis concentrate. is how a particular stock grows.
Vert is this year’s emerald cup Including Riddle, a red pop phenotype that was hunted from the seed and crossed with itself.
“There were some phenos…there was something called yoplait that we don’t think we have officially killed yet, but it was very moldy, so it wasn’t cut,” he said. “And sometimes I can’t find those details even after running it a few times.”
Vert realized he might have something special when Riddles healed and only revealed scents similar to the popular tropical fruit and Zkittlez bergamot orange essence. .
“It turned out to be really special for me, and that’s fine,” Vert said. You know what we might have missed too? We don’t see it all, we smell it all.”
Vert pointed out that traditional markets are driving many trends. He said Zkittlez has a better terpene profile, but part of the reason the strain is “non-dying/non-dying” is because of the brand behind the strain. Many brands have also started using it in their breeding projects.
“Anytime you breed with it, it’s got a Z on it, so it’s on the market again and again.
Vert explained that the issue of strain longevity is complex.
“And then you get market recognition, overall acceptance, and desirability for that thing. Zkittlez has those two things,” he said.
Alyssa Robertschief of staff Kayla extractagrees that asking about the lifespan of the average strain is a complex question, and the constant quest for new flavors means cannabis breeders don’t always address genetic stability.
“The longevity that we see in genetics is about four to five years when you see strains that actually thrive and get hyped before mating starts,” said Roberts. All of our differentiation is based on the market and what the market wants to see.”
