Northern Lights #5
Also known as: NL#5, NL5, Northern Lights No. 5, CI #5 F1
Breeder: The Seed Bank (Nevil Schoenmakers); now maintained by Sensi Seeds
Northern Lights #5 is the crown jewel selection from the original Northern Lights breeding project in Seattle. A clone-only cut obtained by Greg McAllister in 1982 and sent to Nevil Schoenmakers in the Netherlands, NL#5 became the most influential indica mother in modern cannabis breeding. It brought hybrid vigor, resin density, and fast flowering to an otherwise pure-indica lineage, serving as the direct parent of Jack Herer, Super Silver Haze, and Shiva Skunk. The original US mother was lost during the 1989 DEA Operation Green Merchant raids but survived through Dutch propagation.
Lineage & Genetics
Cross: Afghani (Purest Indica) x Hawaiian
The 'Purest Indica' mother was an Afghani landrace maintained by Steve Murphy in Seattle — a squat, heavy-resin plant that formed the backbone of the entire NL line. The sativa father (Hawaiian or possibly Northern Mexican) contributed the tropical nose, slightly taller structure, and hybrid vigor that distinguished #5 from the heavier, slower #1 and #2 selections. The cross produced what growers describe as 'lightning in a bottle' — Afghan resin production with sativa-like growth speed.
Lineage Dispute
The sativa parent is contested. Greg McAllister (original Seattle crew) told Todd McCormick it was 'a supposedly Hawaiian variety that Greg thinks was really from Northern Mexico.' SeedFinder and CannaGenie list it as Hawaiian. Some secondary sources (The 420 Crew, Sacred Seeds AU) list Thai instead. The indica mother is consistently identified as Steve Murphy's 'Purest Indica' Afghani line. The cross was made by 'Herbie' who worked at Murphy's Indoor Sun Shoppe in Seattle, circa 1980–82.
Terpene Profile
Myrcene —
Pinene —
Caryophyllene —
Aroma: Classic earthy-sweet musk with pine undertones and faint spice. The myrcene expression is remarkably consistent across plants — a trait attributed to decades of stabilization. Todd McCormick describes NL#5 as having 'a more tropical scent' than the heavier #2 phenotype. Cool late-flower temps bring out a subtle sweetness beneath the dominant earth-pine base.
Flavor: Earthy and piney on inhale with a sweet, slightly spicy finish. The smoke is smooth and clean for an indica of its era. Woody undertones emerge on exhale. After a proper 6–8 week cure, the sweet-earth terpene profile develops fully.
Effects & Experience
Onset: Gradual onset over 15–20 minutes, beginning as a warm physical heaviness behind the eyes and in the limbs before building into full-body relaxation.
Deep body stone with quiet mental euphoria. Not the heaviest cerebral hitter — the mind goes calm and content rather than racing or anxious. Muscle tension dissolves. Described as 'not as heavy as the #2' by those who've grown original genetics. The myrcene-dominant profile makes it hit harder than THC numbers suggest.
Duration: Long-lasting — 2 to 3 hours of primary effects with a slow taper into drowsiness. The sedative tail makes it a reliable sleep aid.
Commonly Reported Uses
Growing Characteristics
Grow Tips: Responds well to topping and LST to maximize canopy coverage In hydro, flowering can finish in as little as 6 weeks Harvest when trichomes are mostly milky with 10–20% amber for peak body effect Wet trim is easy due to open node structure Trichome heads are large and well-formed with robust stalks — excellent for ice water hash extraction Heavy resin production makes this a strong wash strain; commercial hash rosin tests 80–84% THCa with the earthy-pine profile translating well through extraction LED grow lights with supplemental UVB during late flower will push trichome density further
History & Origin
The Northern Lights project began in the late 1970s in Seattle when a group including Steve Murphy and 'The Indian' grew and selected 11 Afghan-based plants numbered #1–#11. Around 1980–82, 'Herbie' (who worked at Murphy's Indoor Sun Shoppe) crossed the Purest Indica mother with a Hawaiian (or possibly Northern Mexican) sativa to produce the #5 selection. Greg McAllister obtained the NL#5 clone in 1982 via trade with Herbie and recognized it as a standout. Greg sent the #5 cutting to Nevil Schoenmakers in the Netherlands, who commercialized it through The Seed Bank of Holland starting around 1985. Nevil used NL#5 as a mother for numerous crosses, most famously NL#5 x Haze (1988). In October 1989, the DEA's Operation Green Merchant raided Murphy's shop and dismantled the Seattle crew's operations — the original US NL#5 mother was believed lost. The genetics survived through Nevil's Dutch propagation. When Nevil sold The Seed Bank to Ben Dronkers in 1990, the NL#5 genetics transferred to Sensi Seeds, where they remain today. Seeds found in a deceased relative's belongings later provided Greg McAllister with original pre-Holland NL#5 seed stock, now preserved by AG Seed Co.
Awards & Recognition
- ●1990 High Times Cannabis Cup — Pure Indica (The Seed Bank)
- ●1989 High Times Cannabis Cup (NL#5 / NL#5 x Haze — The Seed Bank)
- ●1992 High Times Cannabis Cup (NL#5 x Haze — The Seed Bank)
Notable Crosses
Strains bred using Northern Lights #5 as a parent:
Sources & References (12)
- SeedFinder.eu — Northern Lights #5 (The Seed Bank) strain info
- AG Seed Co / Todd McCormick — 'What is Northern Lights?' (history from Greg McAllister)
- CannaGenie — Northern Lights Genetics (full lineage documentation)
- Cannabis Cup Winners — 1990 High Times Cannabis Cup results
- Sensi Seeds — Northern Lights #5 x Haze product pages
- Cannapedia.ai — Northern Lights #5 strain profile
- The 420 Crew — Northern Lights 5 Strain Complete Guide
- Sacred Seeds Australia — Northern Lights Strain Review & Grow Guide
- Seedbanks.com — Northern Lights Seeds Guide (grower notes)
- Royal Queen Seeds — Northern Lights blog
- THC Farmer forums — NL phenotype discussion
- ICMag forums — 1989 NL5 thread
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