Critical

Six days after the switch to 12/12, the first signs of flowering appeared on the seed-grown plants in a grow report by Royal Queen Seeds; harvest followed 79 days after germination. The 4 seed-grown plants yielded between 37 and 49 g dried, while 2 rooted cuttings produced 63 and 75 g. Critical is regarded as an indica-dominant cross of Afghani and Skunk, described as fast and productive, with flowers whose density also favors mold. Numerous seed companies market their own lines under the name, several of which are traced back in descriptions to Critical Mass by Mr. Nice.

Cultivation:

For its own feminized version, Royal Queen Seeds states 50 to 60 days of flowering, 550 to 600 g/m² indoors and 600 to 650 g per plant outdoors, where harvest takes place between the 15th and the end of September. Height figures diverge: the current breeder page cites 80 to 140 cm indoors and 180 to 220 cm outdoors, while a description of the same line reproduced elsewhere gives 45 to 50 cm and 7 weeks of flowering, along with just over 100 g per plant outdoors.

In the grow report mentioned, 2 of the 4 seed-grown plants stretched noticeably. The shorter ones formed more compact flowers with tight internode spacing, while the stretched plants produced hard buds with more space between them, all heavily coated in resin. The report points to air movement and controlled humidity because of the dense flower structure. Independent grow reports and strain descriptions likewise warn of mold in late flowering; the latter also recommend support stakes so that heavy side branches do not break. The plants in the report were not trained, though one grower describes a good response to topping. The breeder and other descriptions rate cultivation as easy.

Genetics and Origin:

Royal Queen Seeds names Afghani × Skunk as the parents, other descriptions specify Skunk #1. Who bred the strain is not presented consistently: one strain description credits Royal Queen Seeds as the breeder, another credits Mr. Nice Seedbank. Their Critical Mass, likewise Afghani × Skunk #1 and described as a reworked Big Bud, emerged according to Spanish accounts before 2000 under Shantibaba and Nevil Schoenmakers. Around 2000, a single plant grown from Critical Mass seed near Bilbao was kept as a cutting; this clone spread through Spain as Critical Bilbo. Dinafem followed in 2005 with Critical+, according to the breeder from Big Bud × Skunk. An overview of the strain's history points out that the name alone does not prove descent from Critical Mass.

Versions from Different Breeders:

A strain overview lists 14 vendors with a strain called Critical, with verifiable individual figures available for 3. Royal Queen Seeds states 60% indica and 40% sativa, while elsewhere 70% indica is given for the same line. Zamnesia describes its feminized Critical as Afghani × Skunk with 7 weeks of flowering and 600 g/m² indoors. Advanced Seeds sells a different genetic makeup under the name, Critical Mass crossed with a Brazilian-South Indian line, with 7 to 8 weeks of flowering, 350 to 450 g/m², 60 to 90 cm height indoors and 16% THC.

As an autoflowering derivative from Critical and Ruderalis, Royal Queen Seeds offers Royal Critical Auto, which according to the breeder takes 70 to 80 days from germination to harvest with up to 14% THC.

THC Content:

Royal Queen Seeds states up to 18% THC with low CBD for its own version; the description that names Mr. Nice as the breeder likewise reaches 18%. A strain overview based on tested commercial products lists 19% THC and 1% CBG.

Aroma and Flavor:

The breeder describes the scent as earthy, fruity and piney with a skunk note and candy-like sweetness. In the grow report, the untouched flowers barely smelled; broken open, they showed earth, a note of burnt almond, spice and a slight hint of fuel. The smoke tasted of hashish, more strongly of skunk in the denser plants. Consumer reports describe tar first on the inhale, then wood, with lemon and apple in the aftertaste; grow reports mention lemon, pine with a fruity-sour edge, and once a mix of chocolate, blueberry and coffee. A strain overview based on tested products names pinene as the leading terpene, followed by myrcene and terpinolene.

Effects:

Royal Queen Seeds classifies the effect as heavy, physically relaxing and stoned. User reports mention relaxation and drowsiness alongside an uplifted mood, talkativeness and creativity; one grower describes an initially sociable impression that later turns into a physical effect, another a balance between head and body. In the breeder's grow report, the effect set in with a delay, was clearly physical, accompanied by euphoria and not particularly long-lasting, without tying users to the couch. Zamnesia, by contrast, describes its own version with couch-lock. Whether the effect sets in gradually or abruptly is described differently across consumer reports. Reported side effects include dry mouth, dry eyes and dizziness, with one report mentioning impaired concentration.

Community Experiences:

For the Royal Queen Seeds version, grow reports cite flowering times of 60 to 65 days, 61 days, and in one case 84 days; one grower considers 9 to 10 weeks appropriate for individual phenotypes. Individual plants yielded around 60 and around 72 g, with one plant reaching about 60 cm. In one grow, the compact flowers turned purple toward the end, another describes a favorable calyx-to-leaf ratio. The strain is consistently regarded as robust and productive. Diverging from this, one grower reports 3 hermaphrodite plants out of 5, another reports powdery mildew that the plant survived. Growers estimate nutrient demand as ranging from low during flowering to medium.