Why Cali Weed Is The Best?

Are you a fan of Cali weed strains? At Paradise Seeds we have had a soft spot for the fine USA cannabis varieties produced on the West Coast since the early days of the company and so we have been only to pleased to add our own impression to the latest trend for great Cali weed!

California has always projected a certain type of image across the world typified by sun (it’s sunny 76% of daylight hours!), freedom (it’s the birthplace of the counter culture and the 60’s hippie movement), coolness (surfing, Hollywood) and of course – for our readers at least – superb Californian cannabis strains. With all the marketing hype focusing on the latest ‘trendy’ strain the essence of what Cali strains are all about is often lost. Yes it’s about California, but the picture is much bigger than that.

Cali Weed and The Emerald Triangle

The reason California produces such great weed is down to a mixture of great growing conditions and a mindset forged in the counter culture which has made the state a magnet for cannabis pioneers over the years. As a  result, California has long held a reputation as the biggest center of cannabis production in the USA, cemented even more by legalization in 2018 (which Paradise celebrated with the release of Californian Gold in homage to the Golden State!).

At the center of this center of US production is a mountainous and forested region known as The Emerald Triangle which encompasses Humboldt, Trinity and Mendocino Counties. Its remoteness provided the perfect cover for early Cali weed pioneers to experiment with cannabis genetics, nurtured under the hospitable Californian sunshine. As its reputation grew, it became a hotspot for cannabis production, boasting a concentrated knowledge base and skill se, which has produced household name cannabis strains that are recognized around the world such as such as Blue Dream, GSC, Gelato, Sherbert and GG4.

The Dutch Connection

While the focus may be on California, it is important to recognize the contribution of the Dutch to this exceptional cannabis scene. Paradise has a long history of happy connections with our Californian counterparts, relationships that go back to the time when the company was formed in the mid 1990s. At that time genetics were being swapped in Dutch coffee shops, with Californian growers bringing seeds from the USA and heading home with seeds from Amsterdam.

The meeting of great cannabis minds from two continents (USA and Europe) should be seen within the context of the War on Drugs , a policy which was politically popular in the USA in the 1970s and 1980s. This led to a crackdown on domestic cannabis producers such as the legendary Sacred Seeds (the collective commonly recognized as being the creators of original Skunk), with many of them fleeing to the Netherlands in the 1980s. Amsterdam became a melting pot of exchanged knowledge, expertise and of course Cali weed genetics were at the heart of this mix!

Paradise Seeds Top 5 Californian Strains 

Naturally, old friends keep in contact and over the years the Paradise Seeds strain library has been consistently stocked with strains which have Californian genetics in their makeup (and in return our genetics have traveled the other way!). So if you are looking to grow some quality Cali weed, then check out some of our special Paradise Seeds Californian strains:

1) Californian Gelato: Sunset Paradise

This is our own take on the popular Gelato and combines two mouth watering Cali components in one smooth tasting indica  - Thin Mint GSC and Sunset Sherbert. First released in 2020, Sunset Paradise v.2 was issued in 2021 and got immediate recognition by winning first place in the ‘USA Variety’ category in the prestigious Highlife Cup. In 2022 it won first and second in Colombia's Copa del Sol. Check it out in this Homegrow TV special video!

2) Californian Auto: Auto Kong 4

A potent and extremely flavorful autoflower coming straight out of the Tommy Chong’s Collection. This plant has great pedigree, formed from an original GG4 (Gorilla Glue) cutting and the Paradise big yield auto favorite Pandora.

3) Cali Cookies x Kush: El Dorado OG

One of Paradise’s most popular strains since its release in 2020, this plant has pedigree! A recognized ‘trichome bomb’ filled with tasty spice, skunk and fuel notes it is a pleasantly potent indica with a combination of Thin Mint GSC and OG Kush in its genes.

4) Californian special hybrid: Space Cookies

This Cali hybrid is typified by its high potency (20%+ THC) and sweet, sweet taste. Yes there are many Cookies strains out there, but Paradise’s own brand of GSC stands out on its own. Characterized by a superb terpene profile and a strong, but wonderfully harmonious effect.

5) Californian stink!:  Mendocino Skunk

Mendocino made it onto this list because it typifies old school Emerald Triangle quality. It’s a mouth watering sweet natured skunk developed in collaboration with Tommy Chong, this plant is a very productive hybrid and one of Paradise’s most popular strains in the Californian Collection.

Conclusion

Cali weed has been flying high on the consumer wish list for the past few years, carried on the winds of change brought by legalization, which has turbo charged the breeding process in the USA. While the name suggests that this genre of cannabis varieties needs to come from California, as this article illustrates, the connection between Californian and Dutch cannabis breeders and genetics runs deep. As a consequence, read beyond the hype and you will find that you can find great Cali weed strains with their origins in Europe too!