History of Haze

the origins of Haze

While the origins of Haze genetics are ambiguous, the “Haze Brothers” (R. Haze and J. Haze) were widely believed to be the first developers of Haze in California in the 60s and 70s. At the time, many cannabis varieties were making their way to the West Coast, as travelers active in the space brought seeds and cuttings back from around the world. Naturally, many stories surround the development and distribution of “Haze,” and the exact pedigree has long been a subject of controversy.

Haze Genetics

Some believe the original cross was the offspring of landrace genetics from Mexico, Colombia, India, and Thailand – a cross known as Original Haze. “Landrace” refers to pure cannabis strains that grew natively and were not yet bred with other strains. Some speculate that, during its development, Haze genetics varied based on the year a variety was bred. Several colors became available in Haze’s early history, including purple, red, silver, and more. Haze was characterized by its potent, energetic buzz and rich, complex aroma.

the spread of haze

Sam the Skunkman, an acquaintance of the Haze Brothers and an early cannabis pioneer who introduced many strains to Holland from the United States, including Original Haze, offers one version of the story. Sam claimed that this strain was a genetically pure sativa and that all subsequent varieties of Haze are related to the lines he introduced.

Another of several competing narratives suggests that Nevil Schoenmakers, an Australian who founded Dutch Seed Banks in Holland, received real “Californian Haze” from the Haze Brothers. It has been documented that several of Nevil’s Haze varieties have contributed to many of today’s famous strains, such as Super Silver Haze and Ghost Train Haze.

Ghost Train Haze

We sourced our Ghost Train Haze seeds from Rare Dankness – a genetics company, dispensary, and cultivator based out of Colorado. Scott, owner of Rare Dankness, was a part of the Devil’s Harvest Krew, a collection of individuals born from the notorious overgrow.com community in the 90’s.  Devil’s Harvest Krew members “made a promise to acquire and spread quality cannabis genetics across the country by any means necessary.” (See Scott’s forum post about the Devil’s Harvest Krew here.) Following this commitment, Scott shared and acquired many unique genetics, which he would later use for breeding projects. Released in 2011, Ghost Train Haze, a cross of Original Ghost OG x Nevil’s Wreck is one such project. Note that Nevil’s Wreck bears the name of Nevil Schoenmakers, as it is a cross Rare Dankness created using Nevil’s Haze and Arcata Trainwreck.

The legacy continues

All of the conflicting stories surrounding Haze demonstrate the cloudy nature of its origins and distribution. The thread of the story became increasingly murky as the original stock changed hands and organizations. While there are many conflicting narratives, they do intersect on a few points: Haze originated in California with the Haze Brothers, was brought to Holland through their connections with Sam the Skunkman and Nevil Schoenmakers, and went on to transform the cannabis landscape forever. It remains a genetic boon that continues to produce award-winning varieties today.  We owe a debt of gratitude to the many members of the cannabis community that have helped acquire, preserve, and pass on these amazing plants.