I want a body high

Being introduced to the market in 1995, Sensi Star celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Reason enough to take it to the test and find out whether this mostly Indica strain - which has gained highest honours at many cannabis cups in the past and is considered a modern standard in cannabis cultivation has remained as vital and potent as ever. The exact genetics of Sensi Star are kept secret, but a quite high percentage of Afghani genetics is for sure, supplemented by a hint of Sativa which is clearly noticeable in the high.

Sensi StarAfter its introduction, Sensi Star quickly became the flagship of Paradise Seeds, thanks to its outstanding potency and other favourable characteristics such as its stout height, dense white bud formation, enormous potency and spicy-minty floral notes. However, it was not before 1999 that Sensi Star took the Indica crown at the worldwide best-known and highest cannabis cup: The High Times Cannabis Cup. In the same year, it even also won the Highlife Cup. Beginning from 1999, Sensi Star started a triumphal procession that was continued in 2000 with a second prize at the High Times Cup (Indica category) and, a real highlight again, the award Plant of the year 2003, bestowed by High Times magazine. And also recently, Sensi Star affirmed its superior status, winning the bio category at the Highlife Cup 2004 and gaining second place at the Spannabis 2005 in Barcelona. Sensi Star`s latest coup was a third prize at the International Cannagraphic Grower`s Cup 2005 in Amsterdam.

However, one might argue These winner-buds were grown by the seed bank itself or co-operators, so they used special genetics that differ from the actual commercial seed strain. At least, they are all grown from superb clones and not directly from seed. And a seed strain has to prove its value first of all in terms of genetic homogeneity of a whole crop grown from seed, a criterion that can only be scrutinised by sowing a complete seed package and comparing the plants emerging from it. Once again a worthy job for Mr. Power Planter who germinated ten Sensi Star seeds in small peat pots filled with seedling soil. Nine of them had sprouted after four days and were raised under 18 hours of daily light (600 W HPS Osram Planta-T) in the vegetative stage. One week after germination, the plants were transplanted to six litre pots with ready-made soil mixture. Mr. Power Planter knew that Sensi Star doesn't like high levels of nutrients and therefore restricted the EC to a maximum of 1.6-1.8 mS. The plants grew very homogeneously: When flowering was induced 24 days after germination by reducing the light regimen to 12 hours, the difference in height of the shortest and tallest plant amounted to merely 13 cm, with most of the plants having more or less the same height, between 40 and 53 cm. They exhibited Indica-typical dark green leaves and moderate side branching. Nine days after flower induction, all of the plants had revealed their gender. There were five ladies and four males.

Sensi StarFlowering proceeded very well: As early as in the fifth week of blooming, the plants already appeared white with resin, definitely asserting Sensi Stars reputation as white strain. Another three weeks later, the buds were frosted all-over, also the flower leafs were completely coated with rich amounts of resin glands. The flower structure and calyx-to-leaf ratio of the five plants was either identical or very similar, looking Indica-like, but with hairy clusters and easily cuttable short Indica flower leafs. And also in terms of density, the buds could convince Mr. Power Planter, being very solid and quite broad. Their scent was quite unusual and corresponded to what breeder Luc says about his Sensi Star: Her bouquet is strong and somehow fresh like mint, metal and oxygen combined, crazy, hard to explain.

The plants measured 60, 66, 68, 72 and 74 cm in the end and matured within the 56-63 days span stated by Paradise Seeds further proof of great uniformity. When the buds had been dried, single plant yields turned out to be between 20 and 31 grams, what can be considered a good harvest from seed, especially in relation to the fairly small size of the plants. When it came to smoking, the Sensi Star buds could keep the promise of their look, delivering a strong body sensation, but also a certain degree of energetic cerebral effects, thanks to the slight sativa influence. Smoked in a bong, these Sensi Star buds were a one-hitter that would last for hours, pretty damn strong stuff, presumably with a THC content of 16-20%, as measured in different Sensi Star THC tests in the past. The taste was complex, sweeter than expected and quite mild, with minty and metallic undertones. The question raised in the heading definitely can be answered with yes - Sensi Star is as strong as ever, maybe even stronger than ever, and an excellent variety to grow from seed.

Green Born Identity - G.B.I.​