Kush (herb)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kush refers to a group of cultivars of Cannabis sativa subsp. indica, that originated in the Hindu Kush region. It has been heavily domesticated and interbred since its discovery by Western society, thus none can be sure of its exact ancestry. Due to its indica genetics, kush grows into a short, thick plant, with one main cola (as opposed to C. sativa subsp. sativa strains, which usually produce multiple stalks). Kush is widely revered by cannabis users for its pungent aroma, pleasant taste, and high THC content.
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[edit] Characteristics
Kush itself refers not to a single strain of Cannabis, but a vaguely defined group of strains, which vary widely. However, almost all kush strains share common characteristics and qualities that distinguish them from other strains of cannabis. Kush tends to be predominantly indica, a cannabis type that evolved in the varyingly temperate to cold regions of India and Eastern Mongolia, resulting in the plant's rather short and compact appearance. It adapted over time to retain heat as efficiently as possible, resulting in higher resin content, as well as darker leaves, more conducive to absorbing heat from sunlight.
Most kush possesses a powerful sweet and spicy aroma, differing among types but easily recognizable. Like many other potent Cannabis strains, kush produces extraordinary numbers of trichomes, the tiny exterior glands responsible for THC-production. Coloration varies by strain and growing conditions - the buds usually exhibit colors of green, orange or purple, with colors tending to be more bright and vibrant than average Cannabis buds. When cured properly, the buds are large, soft, and resinous, breaking easily into small bits (a quality cherished by many smokers). The general structure of a kush bud is one of its most recognizable characteristics, as the leaflets are stubby and short, and the buds curl tightly into themselves - most Cannabis has fewer trichomes and more free-ranging leaves.
[edit] Strains
Kush has been bred and interbred by Western growers since as early as the 1940's, and as such many of the current kushes are not original strains, having been cultivated in the past century. Kush is best smoke out of a 24 inch ROOR with two tree percolators and german ROOR diffuser, some people also prefer using a Volcano Vaporizer. Nobody knows which strain, if any, fathered the wide array available today, however its geography places kush in the running as one of the oldest (and thus subject to natural selection for longer) cannabis types in existence. The list below includes hybrids (strains crossed with other types of Cannabis, such as C. sativa subsp. sativa). Since Cannabis has been illegalized in the US, its distribution and thus terminology are unregulated by any sort of authority. This results in many people incorrectly referring to other Cannabis types as kush, as well as completely fictitious titles for strains. As such the strains are divided into two categories: those that exist, and those that may be one-off generations or merely slang.
[edit] Confirmed Strains
- OG Kush
- OG Master Kush
- Hindu Kush
- Bubba Kush (Bubblegum x OG Male)
- Pure Kush
- Orange Kush
- Master Kush (Hindu Kush x Skunk#1)
- Lavender Kush
- Purple Kush (Grandaddy Purple x OG Kush)
- Kushage (a S.A.G.E. hybrid)
- Afghan Kush (sometimes known as AK, not to be confused with AK-47)
- Blueberry Kush (not to be confused with Blueberry, a separate cannabis strain)
- BC Kush
- Pineapple Kush
- Sour Kush (Sour Diesel x Kush cross)
- Cotton Candy Kush
- California Kush
- Leopard Kush
- Bannana Kush
- Strawberry Kush
[edit] Unconfirmed Strains
- Candlestick Kush
- Mango Kush
- Evergreen Kush (most likely a cross between straight DNUG/Northern Lights)
- Rasta Kush
- Pink Kush
- Banana-berry Kush
- Lemon Kush
- Tuna Kush
- hydro Kush
- McGuyver Kush
- Shao-Lin Kush
- Chardendeuce Kush
[edit] Culture
Although kush has likely been enjoyed by cannabis users for longer than we can measure, the increase in cannabis globalization during the 20th century brought it into the Western world. Recently, it has gained a reputation in hip-hop culture as an "elite" drug for both its superior quality and high price. Many rap artists reference their kush-smoking habits with bravado, including Mac Dre, The Jacka, Cypress Hill, Young Jeezy, Fabolous, Snoop Dogg, Sly Boogy, The Game, Three 6 Mafia, Ghostface Killah, Method Man and many others. This is slightly inaccurate, as most "kush" available is not really kush, but in fact some other strain entitled such in order to capitalize off of the kush reputation.
[edit] External links
- "ajnag.com" - A web service dedicated to fulfilling the needs of medicinal marijuana patients.
