Like other reviews...African Strain is a blanket term here. I am born and raised in South Africa and at 33y/o i have smoked some of my countries best.
Swazi Gold like someone else mentioned was actually used to refer to the Hash we used to get, and there used to be a gold or red stamp burned into the hash brick to indicate red = medium and gold = premium. Swazi Gold or Swazi Red.
I actually still have original Swazi Seeds from the early 90's(1990 - 1993), and grew 2 trees outdoor this past season. One tree gave me about 1300g. Some of the best crystals you have ever seen on marijuana. Today, the best Swazi weed is grown near Piggs Peak Casino. It is the highest point in Swaziland and a match box full of heads cost about R 35/ $ 2.50.
But i have smoked, Durban Poison from intensive African farms in KZN (Tongaat, right next to the river). Not a lot of people know this but Northern Lights Strain is also from KZN/Durban, a vivid upper high. That was years ago....
Then there is Malawi Cob which was "Malwai Sativa" and the farmers in Malawi used to grow the whole plant under ground wrapped up in a Mellie/Corn husk and leaves (Google it, its hard to explain if you don't know what i mean). The weed is very very compact and very dark, almost black and tastes a lot like dirt....Obviously.
Then we have Congo Black, which comes from the DRC(Congo), also very dark...actually black and smokes very harsh on the throat, but a very enjoyable long lasting high.
The Kilimanjaro strain that you know of was refereed to as Tanzanian. Not from Kenya, but just next door. Very chilled normal all day smoke. (2100miles from South Africa Boarders)
Then there is a strain that only a true South African will know and understand and that is Rooibaard. who remembers Rooibaard? Anyone who has NEVER heard of this strain, which is almost impossible to find now days, go and google Bottle Brush trees and look what the flowers of THAT tree look like. The buds have the same colour intensity and hairs just as long as those red hairs. A strain that will make you laugh at literally everything and anything, i cant stress this enough, super relaxed and very very very funny. No matter how long you have been smoking for.
And one lost note before i sign off... I have my suspicions that Original Skunk #1 was cross breed with Swazi to stabilize the strain. And still today Skunk is used to harden a plants resistance and stabilize any cross pollinated strain, today.
We are in mid winter right now, and i am waiting for our grow season which starts end August begin of September, and then budding starts end March Beginning of April. And i will be planting some Rooibaard of which i have kept the best seeds for 15 years. Come back and have a look at my posted pics next year to see.
Here is Sunny South Africa we hardly ever grow under artificial light, I normally extend my grow season by starting my seeds in a cupboard or tent at the end of July. So by September they go straight into the ground at about knee height, but knee high at the very beginning of the grow season - (6 - 7 month Veg Growth) - 8-10 Hr Direct Sun Light daily :) Lucky Luck me.
