Super Silver Haze

Also known as: SSH, Super Silver

Breeder: Green House Seeds (Neville Schoenmakers & Shantibaba)

Lineage & Genetics

Cross: Haze x Skunk #1 x Northern Lights #5

Haze is a near-pure sativa developed in the 1960s-70s in Santa Cruz, CA from Colombian, Mexican, Thai, and South Indian landraces, contributing soaring cerebral highs, long-lasting euphoria, and incense/spice aroma. Skunk #1 is a balanced hybrid (Colombian Gold x Acapulco Gold x Afghani) providing vigorous growth, reliable yields, and faster flowering. Northern Lights #5 is a near-pure indica refined in the Pacific Northwest and Amsterdam, contributing dense bud structure, heavy resin production, compact plant shape, and mold resistance.

Terpene Profile

Aroma: Sweet incense-like Haze spice layered over skunky musk and citrus peel. Earthy, peppery Afghani undertones from the Northern Lights lineage. Sharp lemon and pine notes intensify when buds are broken. Extremely pungent during late flowering.

Flavor: Bold, sweet smoke with distinct citrus (lemon/grapefruit) on the inhale, transitioning to spicy, earthy, and slightly skunky on the exhale. A smooth, lingering herbal aftertaste.

Effects & Experience

Onset: Rapid cerebral stimulation with energetic, uplifting euphoria and strong creative stimulation within minutes

Functioning daytime high with full energy yet peaceful, centered, and clear-headed feeling. Gentle body relaxation more pronounced than most Hazes due to NL#5 indica influence. Ideal wake-and-bake strain.

Duration: Long-lasting: typically 2-3 hours of sustained effect

Growing Characteristics

Grow Tips: Height management is the #1 challenge for indoor SSH growers. The sativa genetics drive aggressive vertical stretch that can double or triple plant height after flipping to 12/12. Critical rule: flip to 12/12 when plants are only 16-18 inches tall in a standard 5 ft tent. SCROG is the consensus best method — place a screen 8-12 inches above the medium with 2-inch square openings and tuck growing shoots beneath during veg to create a flat, even canopy. This denies the plant a central cola and distributes energy equally across all flower sites, yielding 800+ g/m². Combine LST with SCROG for best results. Top/FIM early in veg to encourage multiple colas and bushier lateral growth. SSH is described as hungry but fickle — it responds to proper feeding with vigorous growth, but overfeeding causes rapid nutrient burn overnight. Start nutrients at 25-50% manufacturer recommendation and scale up gradually. Switch to bloom nutrients within 5-7 days of seeing pistils — continuing high-N veg feed too long causes excess foliage at expense of buds. pH targets: soil 6.0-6.5, hydro/coco 5.5-6.0. Humidity schedule: seedlings 65-70%, veg 55-65%, early flower 45-50%, mid flower 40-45%, late flower 30-40%. A dehumidifier is essential, not optional, in late flower — dense colas and heavy resin trap moisture. Lollipop the base to direct energy to top bud sites and improve airflow. Heavy colas will need stakes, trellis, or plant yo-yos in weeks 7-11 of flower. Hydro is recommended by multiple sources as it can reduce flowering time and gives more precise nutrient control. Good general resistance to mold and fungi attributed to Northern Lights genetics, but late-flower colas are still vulnerable to botrytis in high-humidity conditions. Light schedule: 18h veg at 300-600 PPFD, 12/12 flower at 600-900 PPFD.

History & Origin

Developed circa 1996-1997 by Neville Schoenmakers and Shantibaba at Green House Seeds in Amsterdam. Neville obtained original Haze seeds from David Watson (Sam the Skunkman) in the mid-1980s and selected foundational Haze A and Haze C breeding males. SSH won 1st Place Hydro at the 1997 High Times Cannabis Cup, then 1st Place Overall in 1998 and 1999 — securing a three-peat. In 1998, Shantibaba and Neville left Green House Seeds over differences with Arjan Roskam, taking all mother/father plants to co-found Mr. Nice Seedbank with Howard Marks. Neville Schoenmakers passed away March 30, 2019.

Notable Crosses

Strains bred using Super Silver Haze as a parent: