Ciskei by Tropical Seeds

Lovers of sativa genetics celebrate the fact that there are such spectacular strains on the market as Ciskei from Tropical Seeds, a pure sativa that does not follow the pattern of most tropical sativas, plants of great growth and endless blooms, famous for their sometimes psychedelic cerebral potency and also for being sometimes difficult or impossible to grow.

Ciskei is undoubtedly one of the flagships of this young but experienced seed bank. We were many growers who saw how the main Tropical Seeds breeders shared their concerns in the lamarihuana.com forums, is undoubtedly a bank born of a passion for marijuana, always from the beginning basing their work oriented to new varieties hitherto virtually unknown.

Aeros and HdB, the two main people behind this project that is now a reality, base their catalogue mainly on pure strains, from indica strains from Pakistan to imposing sativas from Nepal and mainly from Africa. It is from this last continent where we can find one of the largest collections of African sativas available to any grower, unique varieties from Congo, Swazylandia, Reunion Island, Senegal and South Africa.

And it is from South Africa that Ciskei comes from, the original name of one of the 10 independent states embedded in South African territory until its absorption in the mid-1990s after apartheid. Ciskei has important mountainous regions such as Drakensberg, with an altitude between 1500-2000 metres where sativa marijuana has been grown for centuries. Some seeds were imported by Herbaria, a seed bank from Switzerland, now defunct due to prohibitionist laws in that country in the 1990s.

It took more than 15 years for a batch of about 40 of these South African Ciskei seeds to reach the Tropical Seeds breeder team. Without much hope with seeds that old, they germinated them using gyberellic acid due to their age and 12 of them germinated. Not all of them fulfilled the expectations, and after some discarding process they selected 2 females and 2 males. The rest, a slow breeding work until they finally found the variety they were looking for in a 5th generation, leaving the name Ciskei which leaves no doubt as to its origin.

As we say this exotic variety is not a typical sativa, Ciskei has a more typical behaviour of a hybrid or even an indica, it grows strongly and vigorously, with medium internodes and long branches from its lowest nodes that make it almost as wide as tall. Indoors it is for this reason one of the best pure sativas, very easy to grow and once the photoperiod change is made it does not stretch like others. We could say that it is totally manageable even for the most novice grower. The most experienced growers will have no problem with it and will enjoy it, as with few sativas that are usually untamable.

Another of its great virtues is the speed of flowering, as it only needs about 2 months to mature, half that of typical sativas such as Haze, Colombian or Thais. This makes it perfect for almost any climate. In areas with short summers like northern Spain, it will probably be hanging before the first rains of autumn, which sometimes appear towards the end of summer.

Its leaves with sharp petioles do not make us forget that it is a 100% sativa, however when flowering begins again will give the impression of being in front of an indica, the buds are formed at an incredible speed, are very hard, thick, super-resinous and with little leaf, revealing a large caliber flowers that will be the envy of any grower.

The taste is rounded, the aromas and flavours range from fruity and citrus in some specimens, to sour green apple and piney in others. Ideally, being a regular strain, it is best to keep a cutting of each strain until the buds have been tasted. Either phenotype is a delight worth keeping and sharing, it's a strain you can't get enough of growing, let alone smoking.

The effects of Ciskei are energetic and stimulating sativa, very cerebral and with a quick and lasting high, ideal to enjoy during the day, it will keep us in a good mood and awake to do creative tasks, laugh in the company of friends, walk, play sports ... is a plant that will never let you down and always want to give the body activity.

No doubt every grower finds in this pure sativa genetics everything he wants: ease of cultivation, great production, resinous buds of delicious taste, high and high potency, and a flowering speed that will leave everyone speechless.