Black Lime

Black Lime, which mostly circulates as Black Lime Reserve and is also listed as Black Lime Special Reserve or Black Lime Special, is regarded as the first joint work of the breeder Mean Gene and Aficionado founder Leo Stone. At the Emerald Cup 2014, the cross placed 2nd in the outdoor ranking. Looking back, Stone credits it with a substantial share in making his California seed company a name. Mean Gene works as head breeder for Aficionado and for Freeborn Selections.

Genetics and Origin:

The two came together through another strain: according to a breeder profile, their paths crossed after Aficionado won the Emerald Cup 2012 with Chemdawg Special Reserve. This line, built from Tresdawg and Chemdawg according to the breeder, is one of the building blocks of Black Lime.

The lineage brings together 5 strains. The published results list of the Emerald Cup 2014 names Oil Can, Northern Lights, Lime Afghani, Purple Kush and Chemdawg Special Reserve; strain profiles specify Oil Can as Woodman Canyon Oil Can. Shorter descriptions, including one from a producer, limit themselves to Northern Lights, Purple Kush and Chemdawg Special Reserve, while another producer gives Hollywood Pure Kush, Black Lime and Chemdawg Special Reserve. The strain is classed as indica or as predominantly indica-influenced.

According to 2 strain descriptions, the 2nd place of 2014 came at the High Times Cannabis Cup; the results list and the profile of Mean Gene name the Emerald Cup instead. There, in 2016, an entry called Black Lime Reversed #36 placed 12th in the outdoor category, submitted by a participant other than Aficionado. Whether the same genetics stand behind it is left open by the results list.

As a parent, Black Lime Reserve appears in a number of newer crosses, including Black Lime Bubba and Optimus Lime by Katsu Seeds, Black Lime Goji by Strayfox Gardenz, Lucky Lime by Useful Seeds and Formula One from Aficionado.

Aroma and Flavor:

Pine, lemon and black pepper form the core in the strain profiles, complemented by lime. The breeder profile highlights fuel notes that combine with the lime. A detailed tasting review found sweetness and a musty undertone in the aroma, with earthy and floral parts and a chemical-skunky component above the lime; in the flavor, peppery citrus was followed by hints of rose petals, later sourish chem tones and a cheesy finish with lemon zest. One producer describes lemon-lime soda with gasoline and pine and also names cinnamon. As leading terpenes, strain profiles list myrcene ahead of caryophyllene and pinene; another puts pinene at the top.

Effects:

The user reports share a relaxing effect in the body, along with euphoria and an uplifted mood. They diverge on how strongly the strain sedates: some describe it as heavy and sleep-inducing, others found it focused and creative, in isolated cases even stimulating. In one detailed review, the physical effect set in after 15 to 20 minutes, accompanied by sharpened attention to detail, and faded after a little over 1 hour. Several reports name dry mouth as a side effect; strain profiles add dry eyes and headaches.

THC and CBD Content:

Strain profiles give between 13 and 19 % THC, one names 16 %. For CBD, the figures range from 0 to about 1 %.

Lab Results:

Considerably higher levels are shown by a producer's test figures for 2 products of this strain: 25.14 and 28.34 % THC. The figures name neither a lab nor a test date; moreover, such values vary by batch, cultivation and phenotype. For the second product, 1.09 % CBG and 0.21 % THCV are also reported, while CBD was 0.00 %.

The terpene profile differed as well. The first product reached 0.89 % terpenes, led by myrcene at 0.35 % ahead of caryophyllene (0.17 %) and limonene (0.13 %). In the second, the terpene content was 2.70 %, with terpinolene at the top, followed by caryophyllene and myrcene; ocimene is quantified at 0.24 %.

Cultivation:

One strain profile lists Black Lime for indoor and outdoor cultivation. One profile puts the flowering time at 61 to 68 days, another at 56 to 70 days. Outdoors, the harvest falls in mid-October according to the breeder profile, where the strain is considered straightforward for growers. On difficulty, the strain profiles contradict each other: one considers it suitable for beginners, another moderately difficult.

A grow report describes simple outdoor cultivation with very bushy plants and many small flowers, whose trimming took correspondingly long. A user report also mentions small, very dense buds. In coloration, observations range from pale green flowers with purple spots to deep purple, almost black specimens.