Origins and Backstory: I grew 3 female seedlings from this pack of Top Dawg seeds in 3 different environments on the Colorado front range. One was grown in the same beyond-organic, mostly native soil garden at 4800’, one was dry-farmed next to a creek (my oldest outdoor patch), and one plant was grown in almost pure worm castings in a suburban backyard. For these reasons, it is impossible to tell whether the plants are different due to genetics or environment, but it sure is fun to speculate.
I first heard of Hashplant 13 from Jason King, author of the Cannabible. He rants and raves about HP13 as if it is the most exotic flower to grace earth, and his description definitely perks my ears. This is not the clone that he praises so highly, but is a version of the clone in seed format. As soon as I saw the seeds available, I wanted to evaluate the reputation of HP13 for myself.
Appearance: The plants themselves are gigantic; both towering and bushy at the same time, they produce thick flowers on a robust frame. Perhaps contrary to their namesake, they did not grow like indicas (or broad-leaf drug varieties for those who have read Robert Clarke). In fact, these were some of the tallest plants in all three gardens. All plants exhibited purely green flowers/foliage, with minimal “fall color” fading on either the plants or the flowers. The flowers are mildly fluffy, like a Skunkdog or comparable plant—more dense than a haze or pure sativa, but certainly more loose than a modern indoor cash-crop cultivar. The dried flowers are ubiquitously pale, highly resinous, and remind me of some of the older illegal weed I’d get in the late 2000s.
Aroma: There is a sour fruit component present in all of the plants that is extremely pleasing, and brings me back for more. I detect peach, nectarine, apple, papaya, and mango; one plant actually smells purely of guava and sour green melon, and is truly spectacular. There is a strong floral and perfume-like note among all the plants, that really reminds me of the blossoms of each of the aforementioned fruits. There is an astringent cat piss tone present too—one plant in particular was moved through a home (from backyard to garage) and left the house reeking of eye-watering intensity level cat piss. I am not sure how long the smell lasted in the house as I left several hours later. There is a hint of woody spice in the background too, one that reminds me of Thai weed. This light and incense-like spice was present in the Hashplant 13 x Pogdawg as well, and adds a layer to the bouquet that could almost be described as mysterious. “Exotic” is an overused term these days, but HP13 F2 is certainly that.
Flavor: Most of the aroma translates. One plant tastes like sour nectarine and guava juice, while another is heavier on the astringent tones. There is a prevailing tone of apple blossom in all of the phenotypes as well, but overall Hashplant 13 reminds me of sour stone fruit juices and exotic incense. The lighter, spicier, and deeply complex “mysterious” note comes through as well, making for a supremely delicate yet potent flavor in the smoke.
Effects: Contrary to its namesake, this is not a devastating indica, or really much of a stoney one. This is a plant that gets you super high—based on the fluffy buds, stretching plants, and soaring effects, I’d say the rumor of Thai ancestry is pretty believable. The effect is also very long-lived, and I will feel like my head is still in the clouds hours after smoking. The euphoria doesn’t last infinitely, but it seems like the altered perspective and spaciness do! After the almost rushing euphoria fades, HP13 leaves you with a dreamy, foggy rest of your day. This is not a sativa you can smoke in the AM and later recover your day from. This plant doesn’t neatly fit into “indica” or “sativa” categories, but displays traits from both, and is a great alternative to the more potent designer strains of today.
Overall: While falling short of Jason King’s ecstatic review, I do think Hashplant 13 is a high quality plant with a disproportionately small reputation. The aroma is so pungent I would describe it as juicy—it is really reminiscent of juice from fresh stone fruits, or a teenage girl’s overly-sweet/fruity perfume choice. It is attractive in a strange sense, inspiring hunger and even curiosity moreso than the desire to smoke some dank weed. However, after smoking, it is obvious that this is dank weed indeed. The effects give creedence to King’s assertion that HP13 may have Afghani and Thai genetics—this weed is at once soaring and slothful, a bit of an enigma. Personally, I think HP13 would do well crossed to many of today’s fruity designer strains. The aromas could mesh well, and I think HP13 would actually improve on the effects of most modern smoke. However, I haven’t seen anyone else growing this one, and I fear HP13 will end up extinct or in the hands of obscure collectors, rather than in the canna-genetics of the mainstream.