Jack Herer is arguably the most decorated marijuana strain ever created, which is saying something since it was first released by Sensi Seeds way back in 1994.
Yet this strain endures not only because of its ridiculous potency and energetic high, but also because it shares its name with the late Jack Herer, the man: one of the most loved marijuana activists and author of the timeless book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes.
Specifically, Jack Herer has won no less than 14 prizes over the last 20 years, including a record-breaking string of 11 Cannabis Cup Awards within a seven year period.
But what exactly makes this strain such a phenom among judges and users alike?
Please keep reading for facts, figures and our own candid thoughts and impressions.
Vital Strain Specifications
- THC CONTENT: 15 – 20%
- PARENTAGE: sativa/indica hybrid; reportedly arising from crosses between Haze, Skunk #1, and Northern Lights #5.
- POTENCY: very powerful, verging on the psychedelic
- AROMA: spicy, citrus aroma that is not overbearing
- GROWTH HABIT: owing to its sativa background, plants tend to be tall and late-flowering.
- CULTIVATION: indoor / outdoor
- STRAIN CREATOR: Sensi Seeds
Jack Herer Strain – Our Overview
There’s no question that Jack Herer is on my shortlist of the top 5 strains that I would welcome being stuck with on some deserted island (hopefully with fertile soil) for the rest of my days. Why?
Jack simply produces some of the most uplifting and clear-headed, creative highs of any strain. In fact, despite its extreme potency (which will have you buzzing with excitement), there is no heavy, stupefying effect that often accompanies other hard-hitting hybrids.
Rather, Jack Herer lifts your mood and spirits in a way that evokes a profound sense of well-being, but which still leaves you functional – no – even more engaged than normal in whatever it is that you are doing or your mind turns to. It is for this reason that many users indicate that they are able to work on projects and interact with others freely, without a distracting sense of paranoia or “heavy” feel that you’d otherwise expect from such an intense high.
These are ideal qualities for medicinal marijuana users, particularly those that suffer from anxiety, depression or other psycho-somatic maladies.
If all of this weren’t enough, the high also lasts a good 2 hours for many users, with virtually no “come down” either. In contrast, the high simply fades into a very alert peacefulness – yet another reason why Jack Herer is considered the ideal “daytime” strain.
Quick Notes on Growing Jack
There is a lot of confusion surrounding growing this strain, which I suspect explains some of the few negative reviews that we sometimes see.
First of all, please recognize that growing plants from seeds will result in plants with varying genetic makeups. And because this is a sativa/indica hybrid, individual plants will vary, with some tending to grow a bit bushier and shorter – owing to the indica side, with others leaning more toward the sativa phenotype, which is characterized by tall plants and significant stretching during the flowering cycle. Indeed, Sensi Seeds has even characterized three typical phenotypes of Jack Herer, each with slightly different characteristics and morphology.
So what does this mean? I suggest that all female plants grown from seed material be carefully identified and cloned before flowering. After you’ve flowered each and can compare their respective growth habits and highs, you can select your favorite(s) and clone them for subsequent grows. According to Sensi Seeds, mother plants can be grown for years without any decrease in clone vigor or potency.
Having said all that, regardless of how squat your particular phenotype may be, if growing indoors, you can expect a fair bit of “bolting” during flowering. To mitigate that, simply trigger flowering of your cloned plants immediately upon rooting. Also, make sure you don’t inadvertently promote even more stem elongation due to sub-optimal, weak lighting.
Concluding Thoughts & Opinions
If you haven’t figured it out yet, this is one of my all-time favorite strains that is perfect for just about any application, short of promoting sleep. Jack Herer offers one of the most pleasurable, happy and clean highs among all ultra-potent strains, with virtually none of the fogginess that one would come to expect from weed of this potency. Moreover, there is little if any detectable drop off in terms of both mood and energy levels after a solid 2-hour high, making one of, if not the best daytime Cannabis varieties for those that like to remain physically and/or mentally engaged throughout their day.
In short, if you’ve haven’t tried it, you are more than likely wasting your time with other lesser strains!
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