Synonyms: Wechin
Genetics: Western Himalayas Landrace
Type: Point of Origin, Open Pollinated
Style: Charas, Hashplant
Farmer: Various, Feral
Sourcing: Éloïse (2022, 2023)
Village(s): Waichin
District: Bhuntar
Province: Himachal Pradesh
Area: Parvati Valley
Region: Western Himalayas
Appellation: Malana Valley
Country: India
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Cultivation Details:
Regional Planting: Spring
Regional Harvest: October-November
Height: 1-4m
Classification: NLD type landrace population
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Description:
Hidden above Malana, Waichin remains less accessible than its better-known neighbors, with cultivation areas stretching from the village base at 2600m up to the feral populations and highest fields at over 3200m.
The plants exhibit classic Western Himalayan NLD (Narrow Leaf Drug) morphology, with tall, thin-stemmed structures, long internodal spacing, and extreme resin production. Waichin cannabis is known for its complex terpene expressions, ranging from sweet citrus and mango to heavy pine and garlic spice. The psychoactive effects are powerful, cerebral, and long-lasting, making it a prized variety for traditional charas-making.
Waichin’s extreme altitude and unique microclimates contribute to the diversity of the local landrace, with plants from upper fields displaying deep purple and black hues, while lower fields tend to produce bright green phenotypes with larger flowers.
Despite its relative isolation, Waichin is under increasing pressure, with police crackdowns intensifying and tourism bringing foreign hybrid genetics into the region.
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Context:
Waichin Valley is part of the ancient cannabis cultivation corridor that extends through Parvati and Malana Valleys, where cannabis has been grown and refined for charas production for centuries. Historically, charas from Waichin was traded alongside that from Malana, Rasol, and Tosh, reaching markets in Kullu, Delhi, and even as far as Europe.
Unlike Malana, which has become widely known and commercialized, Waichin has remained relatively low-profile, with its farmers using traditional, low-intervention cultivation techniques.
The encroachment of tourism, commercialization, and law enforcement has left Waichin's traditional cannabis culture in a precarious state, and its continued survival is uncertain
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Accession Details:
Waichin Valley General Population (2022, 2023)
Notes: General population seeds collected from plants throughout the valley by locals making charas during the 2022 & 2023 seasons.
Type: Open Pollinated Domesticate Landrace
Altitude: 2600-3200m
Waichin Valley ‘Village’ Selection (2022, 2023)
Notes: Seeds collected from selected plants in and around Waichin Village by Éloïse during the 2022 & 2023 seasons.
Type: Open Pollinated Domesticate Landrace
Altitude: 2600-3000m
Waichin Valley ‘Upper’ Selection (2022, 2023)
Notes: Seeds collected from selected plants in and around the ‘Upper’ fields, high above the village by Éloïse during the 2022 & 2023 seasons.
Type: Open Pollinated Domesticate Landrace
Altitude: 3000-3200m
Waichin Valley ‘Thal’ Selection (2022, 2023)
Notes: Seeds collected from selected plants in and around the ‘Thal’ fields, higher above the village and deeper into the valley by Éloïse during the 2022 & 2023 seasons.
Type: Open Pollinated Domesticate Landrace
Altitude: 3000-3100m
Waichin Valley ‘Thal’ Feral Selection (2022, 2023)
Notes: Seeds collected from selected feral plants in and around the ‘Thal’ fields, higher above the village and deeper into the valley by Éloïse during the 2022 & 2023 seasons.
Type: Open Pollinated Domesticate Landrace
Altitude: 3000-3100m
Waichin Valley Feral General Population (2022, 2023)
Notes: General population seeds collected from feral plants throughout the valley by Éloïse during the 2022 & 2023 seasons.
Type: Open Pollinated Feral Landrace
Altitude: 2400-3200m
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Current Status:
Increased law enforcement has led to smaller, more scattered cultivation sites.
Tourism-driven hybrid introduction threatens genetic purity.
Excessive use of soil amendments is damaging soil health and causing erosion.
Limited seed stock is available from 2022 and 2023 collections.
A return expedition is needed to document surviving populations, secure new seed collections, and support conservation efforts before Waichin's landrace genetics are lost.
Join us on Patreon to help fund preservation efforts!
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