S5 Haze

At the Highlife Cup, to which Dutch coffeeshops submit their strains, S5 Haze stood on the podium 3 times in the category for hydroponically grown Haze strains: 2nd place in 2016, 1st place in 2019 and 3rd place in 2022, each time entered by a different coffeeshop. The strain also appears in the results lists as S-5. Several strain descriptions state that it is propagated exclusively via cuttings; its breeder is considered unknown.

Genetics and Origin:

There are only assumptions about its lineage, and sources contradict each other. English-language strain descriptions consider S5 Haze a cross of Super Silver Haze and Lemon Haze, but describe this derivation as disputed themselves. They place the strain in the Netherlands and classify it as sativa-dominant at 80 % sativa. A 2018 review, however, sees Super Silver Haze and Amnesia as ancestors. A Dutch coffeeshop names Skunk, Northern Lights and Haze, while another description names Amnesia Haze, Jack's Cleaner and Space Queen at a sativa share of 60 %.

As a parent, on the other hand, the strain is well documented: Delta 9 Labs crossed a female S5 Haze with a reversed Chemdawg and lists the result as Magnum Platinum Haze.

Aroma and Flavor:

Citrus is central to the descriptions. Mentioned are a sweet citrus scent that intensifies when the buds are broken apart, as well as lime, lemon and a minty freshness in the flavor. Other sources emphasize pine, floral and spicy tones over an earthy base, or a sour Haze smell. A 2010 review compared the flavor to pine needles and dried flower petals; the aroma there was reminiscent of Super Silver Haze but felt fuller than other Haze strains. A 2021 review found the scent sweet and clean, with a musky undertone.

Myrcene ranks first among the terpenes in 2 strain descriptions. One then names caryophyllene and humulene, the other limonene and pinene; neither figure is attributed to a lab.

Effects:

Experience reports describe a cerebral, mood-lifting effect with euphoria and a tingling in the body. Added to this are creativity, drive and focus, and in individual reports also giggliness, talkativeness and arousal. Reviews from 2010 and 2018 highlight a noticeably sharpened visual perception. Not everyone confirms the stimulating character: in 2 reports the strain instead made people rather tired.

Side effects listed include dry mouth, dry eyes and paranoia, and occasionally also feelings of anxiety, headaches and difficulty concentrating.

THC Content:

One English-language strain description puts the THC content at 15 to 23 %, without attributing the figure to a lab.

Cultivation:

The cultivation figures do not come from a breeder but from strain descriptions and reviews. Reviews from 2018 and 2021 name indoor hydroponics as the preferred method. The figures for flowering time diverge: 2 Dutch coffeeshops set 10 to 12 weeks, the 2021 review names 11 weeks, and the 2018 one 63 to 70 days at an indoor yield of 650 g/m².

In the 2010 and 2018 reviews, the buds are described as small, rock-hard and dense, with a resin coating that makes them sticky. The 2021 review, however, found them unusually large. Other descriptions speak of long inflorescences in bright green with orange or amber pistils.