White Widow at a glance
White Widow is a hybrid cannabis strain with a near-even split of sativa and indica traits. It showed up in Amsterdam coffee shops in the mid-1990s. Lab tests put THC at 15% to 25% and CBD under 1%. Flowering runs 8 to 9 weeks. The name comes from the white trichomes that cover the buds near harvest.
Genetics and history
Breeders credit Shantibaba, then at Greenhouse Seeds in the Netherlands, with the first stable release. The parents are a Brazilian sativa landrace and a South Indian indica. Shantibaba later moved to Mr. Nice Seeds and kept working with the line. Some accounts differ on the exact parent stock. No breeder has published a full genetic record.
Tracing the name
The word white refers to resin, not to leaf color. Growers in the 1990s saw dense trichome fields that read as white under sodium lights.
THC, CBD, and lab numbers
Most flower tests at 15% to 22% THC. Top cuts in legal US markets test near 25%. CBD lands under 1%, so users get little of the counterweight that CBD gives. Terpene content runs 1% to 2% by weight in good lots. State labs differ in method, so numbers on two labels do not compare in a direct way.
Smell and terpenes
Myrcene leads in most samples. Pinene and caryophyllene follow. The nose reads as earth, pine, and spice with a sweet edge. Cured flower keeps this profile longer than most fruity strains.
Effects
Users report a quick lift, talkative mood, and focus on tasks. Body relaxation arrives later. Common side effects are dry mouth, dry eyes, and red eyes. High doses can bring anxiety, racing thought, and short-term memory trouble. Onset runs 5 to 10 minutes when smoked or vaped. Edible onset runs 30 to 90 minutes.
Growing notes
White Widow grows in soil or hydro. Indoor plants stay short, often 60 to 100 cm, which suits small tents. Indoor yield runs 400 to 500 g per square meter in skilled hands. Outdoor plants finish in late September in USDA zone 8 and warmer. The strain resists mold and common pests better than many Dutch classics. It is photoperiod, not autoflower, unless you buy an auto version.
Medical claims and legal status
No cannabis product holds FDA approval for general use. Two CBD drugs do, and neither uses this strain. State medical programs list chronic pain, nausea, and stress as qualifying conditions in some cases. Clinical proof for White Widow in those uses is thin. Federal law lists cannabis as Schedule I. In the US, adults 21 and older can buy it in states with legal adult-use programs. Rules differ by state and by county.