As “no where man” said: “To draw the history of the queen of sativa is as hard as to complete a puzzle with thousands of pieces!”. Actually, to discover the real or presumed origin of “Haze” has not been easy, considering the various and contrasting versions around the history of this plant. Haze is really a myth and is considered as the most famous, old and appreciated strain of the last 30 years…
After a lot of “Landrace” experiments, in 1970 two Californian friends of Santa Cruz, called “the haze Brothers” selected a crossing between a Mexican and a Colombian sativa ; in the following years they have added to this crossing other two sativas coming from the south of India in the first breeding phase and coming from Thailand in the second.
So in the middle of 70’s a Poli-hybrid 4 ways was born, a very complex and refined strain which became a Cult-strain, a milestone for the lovers of this culture. The aim of the “haze Brothers” was to create the best Sativa in the world. If they really succeeded it, will be decided by the future generations.
The reason of the complicate history of “Haze”, and the confusion about the attribution of its fatherly, is easily understandable because many seed banks and Breeders, have tried to reproduce or improve this plant during the years.
However, being Haze a 4 ways hybrid (Mex Sativa, Thai Sativa, Colombian Sativa and South India) you can easily imagine how many combinations have been developed during years from breeders all over the world. This could be the explanation of these debates which often happen in the world of Gardening… Even people presume that the real receipt does not exist any more; if we consider the fact that it has been created very far from Europe and almost 30 years ago, it’s easy to presume what “Haze Brothers” differently think about “HAZE”, compared with what we can taste today.
Apparently without a reason, “Haze Brothers” in 1984 stopped to cultivate and handed over this strain. People say that they left to follow different business. I repeat, the true about who introduce this hybrid in Europe is not clear and even today has not been clarified.
Someone says that John Neville had the first clone. But the most confirmed version is that “Sam the Skunky-man” (creator of Skunk#1 and Cal. Orange), being the old master of “Haze Brother”, has received as present the original clone.
Sam “Skunky-man” moved to Holland to cultivate, also thanks to a good moment from a commercial point of view and in the development of seeds market.
Many Dutch breeders could have thanks to Sam a clone of this plant: Ben Dronker (Sensi Seeds), Scott Blakey ( breeder of Green House), Eddie Reedeker (Flying Dutchmen) and many others. But the feeling is that John Neville, friend of Sam, had the first and original clone, keeping it and improving it. Thanks to him now, after 30 years, we can still taste this precious hybrid.
Eddie Reedeker, founder of Flying Dutchmenman, Sam’s friend and partner, swears of having the original clone, and this version is also supported by Robert connel (on Marijuana Botany).
However, we let you this complicated puzzle: to find the real fatherly of this strain.
There is still another thing to say, a part from whoever was the first in having the original “haze Brothers”: Neville, Reedeker with “The pure Haze”, Dronkers with “Northern#5 x haze” Shantibaba with “Super Silver Haze”; all of them have in some way contributed in keeping and spreading “HAZE” up to today, sometimes changing it or improving it.
This can be defined “ conservation of the species”, and is an habit that in future should not be lost, especially with certain kinds of Strain so peculiar…
Considering the importance of this old plant, and the obvious problems of space, we have decided to divide this reportage in chapters, this one to tell you the history and the next one about its characteristics and behaviours during cultivation.
See you next time…
FILO GREEN
Published on Dolce Vita International 2
