CALIFORNIA CANNON

California Cannon is like the favorite child — the one who bears the best traits of both parents’ families and, as a result, is beloved by all. The strain combines two of the strongest and most sought-after genetic lines in existence: OG Kush and Chemdawg, both of which have received worldwide acclaim for their potent flavors and desirable effects.

Although OG Kush and Chemdawg are similar in many respects, they are not identical. Combining the powers of the two lines, California Cannon offers the dense, frosty buds of the Tahoe OG and the superior vigor and yield of the Stardawg. California Cannon’s unique aroma, flavor, and intense euphoric high and the ease with which it can be grown have made it a favorite among both users and growers. 

Origin of California Cannon

Tahoe OG, the mother of California Cannon, traces its heritage to the original OG Kush, perhaps the most popular strain of all time. The story of OG Kush started in 1992, when Alec Anderson, a grower in southern Florida, bought an ounce of a particularly potent variety, which was labeled “Krippy.” Alec immediately fell in love with the strain and its potent high, dense and frosty nugs, and its gassy, earthy flavor.

Alec found some seeds in the ounce of the Krippy and decided to sprout them. One of the phenotypes that he grew was truly special, and he chose to keep clones of it. Later that year, Alec shared a clone of this phenotype with his friend, Matt “Bubba” Berger, and Matt’s group of growers in the Gainesville, Florida, area. One of Matt’s friends remarked that the flowers looked like “kushberries,” and the name “Kush” stuck.

Throughout the early 1990s, this group of growers held the Kush tightly, and few people were lucky enough to try it. In 1996, Josh D, a grower in Los Angeles, California, persuaded Matt to bring a clone of Kush to California and get involved in the medical cannabis industry. Matt took a clone of Kush and a phenotype of Northern Lights, referred to as “Bubba,” and headed west.

Josh and Matt built a small grow room in Silverlake, California, and started growing the Kush. Demand was both immediate and strong, so the growers expanded their operation to include several grows throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando area.

Eventually, Josh gave clones of the Kush to two of his friends, and they began spreading it throughout California. Soon, many people were claiming to have a cut of the Kush. To distinguish theirs as the original phenotype, Josh and Matt began referring to their cut as “OG Kush,” or “Ogers.”

California Cannon Lineage: OG Kush x Chemdawg

The lineage of OG Kush is unclear. Some believe it is an S1 of Chemdawg because it shares some of the Dawg’s gassy, earthy qualities. Others believe that the strain may be a hybrid of Lemon Thai and Pakistani Kush, which would account for its lemon flavor and Kush-like growth structure. The parentage of Tahoe OG is also unclear. Matt Berger has said that it probably is an original cutting of OG Kush, but it bears some clear differences from the original phenotype. As a result, many believe it to be an S1 of OG Kush, or perhaps an OG/Afghani hybrid.

Stardawg, the father of California Cannon, was released in 2011 courtesy of JJ NYC from Top Dawg Seeds. JJ produced this inbred variety to stabilize many of the prized traits of Chemdawg. To create the strain, JJ crossed an Afghan #1 male from Sensi Seeds with a Chem D cut that he had obtained earlier. He then backcrossed the Chem D two times, locking down its traits. Finally, he crossed this strain with the Chem 4, increasing both its vigor and yield. The resulting cultivar was dubbed “Stardawg,” perhaps for its copious amount of star-like trichomes.

California Cannon is an F1 hybrid of Tahoe OG and Stardawg. The term “F1” means “first filial generation.” An F1 hybrid arises through the crossing of two distinct strains. Growers prize F1 hybrid seeds because they typically offer more stability than F2, or second-generation, strains and they tend to be more vigorous than highly inbred varieties.

Because California Cannon is an F1 hybrid, most of its phenotypes will display a combination of traits from both parental lines. The genetic makeup is roughly 50 percent Tahoe OG, 25 percent Chem 4, 22 percent Chem D, and 3 percent Afghan. Growers find that some phenotypes tend to be more Tahoe-dominant, and some are more Chem-dominant. However, most phenotypes will produce high yields of top-shelf flowers.

Qualities of California Cannon

Aroma and Flavor

OG cultivars universally carry flavors that evoke pine wood, lemon-based cleaning products, burning rubber, and gasoline. Depending on the pheno, each of these scents will be emphasized or downplayed. The Tahoe OG is no exception, and its flavor emphasizes the lemon and gasoline notes, downplaying the pine and burning rubber.

The Stardawg male, a descendant of the Chemdawg family, offers an extraordinarily complex and wonderfully dank aroma. This variety is known for its skunky, grungy, raw oiliness, with notes of bitter lemon and chemical cleaner.

California Cannon is as pungent as its parents and leans heavily toward bleach, lemon-scented chemical cleaning products, petrol products, and industrial scents. This is definitely not for those who want a lighter, fruity-flavored strain. Some OG-dominant phenotypes will primarily display a bouquet of gasoline and lemon, and some Chem-dominant phenotypes will lean toward halitosis, pine, and skunk notes. All phenotypes offer aromas that will please the most discerning of connoisseurs.

Structure

Most OG Kush Phenotypes are tall and stretchy, with thin stems and dense, golf ball-shaped flowers. Tahoe OG is more Indica-dominant than are other OG Kush phenotypes and is slightly stockier. Tahoe OG typically produces modest yields of extremely dense buds that cake themselves in resin.

Stardawg possesses an ideal structure for indoor and outdoor growers, with perfect internodal spacing and sturdy branches. The variety does not stretch as much as OG Kush during the flowering period and typically grows to a medium height. Stardawg produces massive, frosty colas that offer high yield and premium-quality flowers.