also known as Arnhem's Wonder, Black Widow
White Widow combines a Brazilian sativa with an indica from Kerala; who originated this strain, awarded in Amsterdam in 1995, remains disputed to this day.
Two landrace strains from different continents stand at the origin of White Widow: a Brazilian sativa and an indica selected for resin from the mountains of Kerala. Who first made the cross remains disputed to this day; undisputed is the double win at the High Times Cannabis Cup 1995 in Amsterdam, where the strain from the Green House Seeds range took first place in both the Bio category and the main category.
Scott Blakey, who works under the name Shantibaba, states that he found the Indian parent line with a farmer in the mountains of Kerala and crossed it with a Brazilian sativa; according to him, the strain was created at Green House Seeds and went on sale in 1994. Arjan Roskam, owner of Green House Seeds, instead names the Dutch breeder Ingemar (De Sjamaan) as the originator: he is said to have already had the plant in 1987 under the name Arnhem's Wonder and won the first Highlife Cup with it in 1989. After splitting from Green House Seeds, Blakey continued the line at Mr. Nice Seed Bank as Black Widow. Documented descendants are White Russian with AK-47, Blue Widow with Blueberry, and Moby Dick with Haze.
Green House Seeds states 8 weeks of flowering and a ratio of 60 % indica to 40 % sativa for the feminized version, plus an autoflowering cross with ruderalis that takes 9 weeks from germination. Royal Queen Seeds cites 55 to 65 days of flowering, 450 to 500 g/m² under 600 W, 550 to 600 g per plant outdoors, around 100 cm of height indoors and up to 200 cm outdoors. Dutch Passion describes an indica-leaning plant of 75 to 100 cm with about 8 weeks of flowering, offers regular, feminized, and autoflowering seeds, and cites around 75 days from germination for the autoflowering version. De Sjamaan sells only regular seeds and states 56 to 70 days of flowering as well as up to 500 g/m².
The reported aromas point to pine, spice, and citrus. Dutch Passion names pine and pepper with fresh citrus notes and points to phenotypes that lean toward diesel with a gassy or metallic edge; the flavor includes spice, pine, citrus, and occasionally diesel or coffee. User reports add earthy, sweetish, and skunky notes.
Green House Seeds describes a relaxing onset that turns into a stimulating sativa high. User reports mention an uplifted mood, talkativeness, creativity, and drive, followed later by physical heaviness up to reluctance to move. Reported side effects include dry mouth, dry eyes, dizziness, and, at higher amounts, restlessness.
The breeder figures vary widely: Green House Seeds lists 25.76 % THC, 0.10 % CBD, and 0.28 % CBN, Royal Queen Seeds up to 19 % THC with low CBD, Dutch Passion around 20 %. Older strain descriptions cite 12 % THC with 1.4 % CBD and 0.6 % CBN, or 15 % THC with 1 % CBG. For medical flower marketed in Germany under this cultivar, 18 % THC and 1 % CBD are declared.
A single measurement by Cannabis Chem Lab from 2026 on a flower sold under this name showed 30.96 % THCA, 27.3 % total THC, 0.05 % CBD, 0.02 % CBG, and 2.77 % total terpenes, led by terpinolene at 1.08 %, ahead of ocimene at 0.39 % and myrcene at 0.20 %. Other descriptions, by contrast, place myrcene first, ahead of caryophyllene and pinene.
For the original version, Green House Seeds cites 8 weeks of flowering, an outdoor harvest in late September in the northern hemisphere, 600 to 800 g/m² indoors, up to 950 g per plant outdoors, and an outdoor height of 170 cm; the plant is described as resin-rich and mold-resistant. Royal Queen Seeds rates cultivation as easy and, like Dutch Passion, points to SOG and SCROG setups. According to Dutch Passion, the stretch falls within the first 2.5 to 3 weeks of flowering.
9 evaluated indoor reports cite flowering times between 49 and 71 days, often longer than the breeder figures, along with final heights up to 200 cm, a stretch of 4 to 6 times, growth ranging from bushy to fir-tree shaped, hard buds, high nitrogen demand, and hermaphroditism with regular seeds. Two phenotypes are distinguished, a stretched sativa-leaning one and a compact indica-leaning one. A grow report published by Dutch Passion documents 270 g of dried buds from a plant that was topped on day 28 of the vegetative phase and flowered for 9 weeks.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or therapeutic advice. If you have any health-related questions, please consult a doctor or another qualified professional.
From reviews and experience reports — subjective, not a medical statement
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Levels vary by batch, phenotype and cultivation — values are indicative
Indicative values from breeder data and grow reports — varies by phenotype and setup
Grow reports cite a stretch of 4 to 6 times; Dutch Passion places the stretch in the first 2.5 to 3 weeks of flowering.
Royal Queen Seeds cites long summers as favorable and considers northern European conditions feasible.
Two phenotypes are regularly distinguished: a stretched, sativa-leaning type and a compact, indica-leaning type. Grow reports describe hard, compact buds, heavy resin coverage, and side branches that need support.
SOG and SCROG are mentioned by both Royal Queen Seeds and Dutch Passion. In a grow report published by Dutch Passion, the plant was topped once on day 28 of the vegetative phase and additionally worked with light low-stress training; toward the end of flowering, branches had to be supported.
Several breeders sell their own versions under this name. Each figure comes from the respective breeder.
First marketed in Amsterdam, Cup wins in 1995; figures 40 % sativa, 60 % indica.
Autoflowering version, a cross of White Widow with ruderalis; 40 % sativa, 40 % indica, 20 % ruderalis.
Genetics reportedly sourced directly from Ingemar; indica-leaning, autoflower version around 75 days from germination.
More breeders (2): Royal Queen Seeds, De Sjamaan
Measurements of individual samples. Values vary by batch, cultivation and phenotype.
Cultivation is considered easy, the buds are described as hard and compact with heavy resin coverage, and the odor during flowering as strong. The effects are mostly described as stimulating followed by physical relaxation, with dry mouth, dry eyes, and dizziness as side effects.
The reported flowering time is often longer than the breeder figures, with values between 49 and 71 days. Reports disagree on nutrient demand: indoor reports cite a high nitrogen demand, while a German-language grow report managed without additional fertilization in the early phase. Reports on final height also diverge widely, from compact plants up to 200 cm.
Related genetics, same dominant terpene, similar effects and aroma — excluding direct parents and descendants
Pine 
Spicy 
Wood