Juanita la Lagrimosa: The Mother of CBD
Juanita la Lagrimosa: The Mother of CBD
Strain Overview
Type: Sativa-Dominant Hybrid (75% Sativa / 25% Indica)
Breeder: Reggae Seeds (Spain)
Lineage: Reina Madre (Queen Mother) x NYCD (New York City Diesel)
Market Status: The "Matriarch"; Juanita la Lagrimosa (Spanish for "Tearful Jane") is arguably the most important plant in the history of medical cannabis. In the mid-2000s, this strain was the first to consistently test with high CBD levels (often exceeding 10%) alongside moderate THC. She is the genetic backbone of the entire modern CBD movement. Almost every famous high-CBD strain on the market today—from Cannatonic to Charlotte's Web to Royal Medic—can trace its lineage back to this singular, legendary Spanish plant.
THC Content: Low-Moderate (6% – 9%)
CBD Content: High (9% – 12%)
Dominant Terpenes: Limonene, Myrcene, Pinene
Key Effects: Clear Clarity, Mild Euphoria, Profound Relaxation, Anti-Anxiety
Juanita la Lagrimosa is the patient zero of the CBD revolution.
Before Juanita, cannabis breeding was a race for the highest THC. Juanita changed the rules. She introduced the world to the "1:1 Ratio"—a chemical profile that heals without incapacitating. Her name refers to the heavy layers of resin she produces, which often drip from the buds like "tears." She is revered not just for her medicine, but for her incredible flavor, proving that medicinal weed can taste exotic and delicious.
History and Lineage: The Spanish Discovery
The story of Juanita is the stuff of legend in the cannabis community.
The Origin: Bred by Reggae Seeds in Spain around 2004. The breeder, Jimi, crossed Reina Madre (a classic Spanish Sativa) with a male New York City Diesel (a Soma Seeds legend).
The Discovery: Among the offspring, one phenotype stood out. It didn't get users "stoned" in the traditional sense, but it provided an immense sense of well-being. Later lab testing revealed why: it was one of the first recorded strains to possess a 1:1 THC:CBD profile.
The Legacy: Jimi shared a clone of this plant with other breeders (including the founders of Resin Seeds), leading to the creation of Cannatonic and sparking the global "CBD Boom."
Terpene Profile: Citrus and Haze
Juanita la Lagrimosa is famous for her award-winning aroma. She does not smell like "medicine"; she smells like a fruit basket.
Dominant Terpenes
Limonene (The Citrus): The dominant terpene. It explodes with lemon, orange, and mandarin notes. This terpene is also linked to stress relief, enhancing the strain's antidepressant effects.
Pinene (The Haze): Inherited from the Reina Madre, this adds a sharp pine and resin undertone that cuts through the fruitiness.
Myrcene (The Sweetness): Provides a background of ripe fruit and earth.
Flavor Notes:
The Aroma: It is intense and zesty. It smells of lemon haze, sour grapefruit, and exotic spices.
The Smoke: It is considered a connoisseur's smoke. It tastes of ripe mandarins, hashish, and cedar wood.
Strain Effects: The Lucid Dream
Juanita offers a "high" that is fundamentally different from high-THC recreational strains.
The Experience
The Clarity: The effect is predominantly cerebral but crystal clear. There is no fog, no memory loss, and no paranoia. You feel awake, focused, and positive.
The Calm: The high CBD content acts as a buffer. It smooths out any jagged edges of stress or anxiety instantly.
The Functionality: This is the ultimate daytime medical strain. You can work, drive, parenting, or study while under its influence.
The Body: While Sativa-dominant, it provides a gentle warmth to the limbs that helps with inflammation and mild pain.
Best For: Anxiety, depression, inflammation, chronic pain, and users who are sensitive to THC (get paranoid easily).
Growing Juanita la Lagrimosa: The Weeping Queen
For a Sativa, she is surprisingly manageable and generous.
Growth Structure
The Structure: She grows with a classic Sativa shape—tall, with long internodal spacing and thin fan leaves. However, she is not unmanageable indoors if flipped to flower early.
The Tears: True to her name, she is a heavy resin producer. By late flower, the buds are coated in sticky trichomes that make excellent extracts.
The Time: She is relatively fast for a Haze hybrid, finishing flowering in 9 weeks.
The Yield: Moderate. She focuses on quality over quantity, yielding around 400–450g/m².
The Odor: She is very pungent. Good ventilation is required.
Grower’s Tip: Juanita responds very well to topping and SCROG (Screen of Green). Because she likes to stretch, weaving her branches through a net allows you to control the height and create a canopy of resinous, citrus-smelling colas.
Final Verdict: The Mother of CBD
Juanita la Lagrimosa is a living piece of history. She is the strain you grow when you want to experience the original source of the medical cannabis movement. She offers a flavor profile that rivals the best recreational strains (Citrus/Diesel) and an effect that is purely therapeutic. If you want to feel happy, clear, and pain-free without losing touch with reality, you need to pay respects to the Queen.
You should choose Juanita la Lagrimosa if:
You want Medical Relief (1:1 Ratio).
You love Citrus/Diesel flavors.
You dislike Paranoia/Anxiety.
You want to grow a Legend.
Score: 9.8/10 (The CBD Matriarch)