Mazar I Sharif

A notable strain with a long and illustrious history, Mazar I Sharif is named for the region in Northern Afghanistan from which it originates, near the desert oasis cities of Balkh and Mazar-i-Sharif, the fourth largest city in Afghanistan neighboring the Hindu Kush mountains. The name translates to “Noble Shrine,” a homage to the ornate, blue-tiled mosque located in the center of the city.

The original strain of Mazar I Sharif and many others from this region are considered to be pure landrace indicas. Accordingly, Mazar’s phenotype is indicative of a true indica and shares it’s notable physical characteristics, such as it’s wide-set leaves set upon short, stubby, and bushy plants. However, in fertile soils and ample watering, Mazar can exceed a height of 13 feet. When grown indoors, Mazar typically flowers in 56 days and has a fragrance that ranges from spicy earthiness to a tangy fruitiness, and is undoubtedly piquant.

Being highly resinous, Mazar I Sharif is traditionally cultivated for the production of “Shirak-i-Mazar” or “ Milk of Mazar.” More commonly known as “hashish” or hash, it is a byproduct of cannabis made from resin. It is customary for the Afghan farmers to allow their crops of Mazar I Sharif to get overly-ripe in the interest of maximizing resin production.

The Mazar I Sharif plant thrives in extremely cold environments, where the severe weather conditions bring out a deep garnet color in the flowers. Such resilience has made it both adapt and practical for regional application virtually anywhere on the globe. Make no mistake, however - should you be fortunate enough to obtain some authentic Mazar I Sharif landrace cannabis, it is likely to be a later generation flower produced outside of Afghanistan. There are a number of seed banks advertising the original landrace genetics in seed form which, in places around the world have likely made it to dispensary shelves. As is natural for cannabis, however, the effects of various phenotypes will vary with differing environments and cultivation methods, capable of showing a wide range of chemotypes including high THC with low CBD, equal ratio THC to CBD, and low THC with high CBD.

From a medicinal perspective, this potent Indica strain has sedative effects and is often relied upon at night. When dosage is mild to moderate, one can expect a pacified dreaminess and full body relaxation. It is an effective pain reliever for remedying all pain levels, but is extremely reliable for those with acute or chronic pain. Other appropriate uses include treatment of insomnia, food aversions, stress, anxiety and muscle tension. Over-indulgence produces a mind-warping, immobilising and narcotic effect with heavy couch lock on top of a severe dry mouth and dry eye sensations.