Super Silver Haze
Also known as: SSH, Super Silver
Breeder: Green House Seeds (Neville Schoenmakers & Shantibaba)
One of the most decorated sativa-dominant strains in cannabis history. Created in the mid-1990s at Green House Seeds, SSH combined three cornerstones of cannabis breeding into a hybrid that delivered the soaring cerebral high of a pure Haze within a more practical flowering window and plant structure. It captured the cannabis world by winning at the High Times Cannabis Cup three years running (1997-1999) and remains the direct parent of over 230 documented crosses.
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
Terpinolene — Fresh, piney, floral, herbal-citrus; 0.15-0.45% typical, dominant in some phenotypes
Myrcene — Earthy, musky, herbal; 0.04-0.38%, dominant in other phenotypes
Limonene — Citrus, lemon zest; 0.04-0.25%
Beta-Caryophyllene — Peppery, woody, spicy; 0.05-0.28%
Linalool — Floral, lavender; 0.05-0.23%
Alpha-Pinene — Pine, resinous, sharp; 0.03-0.10%
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
Commonly Reported Uses
Grower's Notes
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.
Growth Structure and Training
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. 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.
Nutrient Management
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. Hydro is recommended by multiple sources as it can reduce flowering time and gives more precise nutrient control.
Environment and Climate
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.
Pest and Disease Resistance
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.
Lighting
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.
Awards & Recognition
- ●1st Place Hydro, High Times Cannabis Cup 1997
- ●1st Place Overall Cannabis Cup + 1st Place Hydro, HTCC 1998
- ●1st Place Overall Cannabis Cup, HTCC 1999
- ●3rd Place Overall Cannabis Cup, HTCC 2007
- ●1st Place Haze, Highlife Cup 2005
- ●1st Place Bio-Haze + Best Cannabis, Highlife Cup 2009
- ●1st Place Hybrid, Santa Cruz Cup 2016
Notable Crosses
Strains bred using Super Silver Haze as a parent:
Frequently Asked Questions
7 common questions about Super Silver Haze
What is Super Silver Haze and what are its genetics?
Super Silver Haze is a sativa cannabis strain (70-80% Sativa / 20-30% Indica) bred by Green House Seeds (Neville Schoenmakers & Shantibaba). It is a cross of Haze x Skunk #1 x Northern Lights #5, testing at 18-23% THC. One of the most decorated sativa-dominant strains in cannabis history. Created in the mid-1990s at Green House Seeds, SSH combined three cornerstones of cannabis breeding into a hybrid that delivered the soaring cerebral high of a pure Haze within a more practical flowering window and plant structure.
What does Super Silver Haze smell and taste like?
Super Silver Haze's dominant terpenes are Terpinolene, Myrcene. The aroma is described as 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.. The flavor profile features 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..
What are the effects of Super Silver Haze?
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. Duration is typically long-lasting: typically 2-3 hours of sustained effect. Commonly reported uses include Headaches/migraines, Fatigue, Low mood, Stress.
How hard is Super Silver Haze to grow?
Super Silver Haze is rated moderate to hard difficulty. It flowers in 9-11 weeks, reaches tall (6-7 ft indoor) in height, and yields 450-800 g/m² indoors. Best suited for indoor preferred environments.
What are the parent strains of Super Silver Haze?
Super Silver Haze is a cross of Haze x Skunk #1 and 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.
What strains were bred from Super Silver Haze?
Super Silver Haze has been used as a parent in several notable crosses, including Super Lemon Haze, Amnesia (clone-only), Silver Buddha Haze, Golden Haze, Critical Super Silver Haze. Its genetics contribute to a wide range of modern cultivars.
Has Super Silver Haze won any cannabis awards?
Yes. Super Silver Haze has received recognition including 1st Place Hydro, High Times Cannabis Cup 1997; 1st Place Overall Cannabis Cup + 1st Place Hydro, HTCC 1998; 1st Place Overall Cannabis Cup, HTCC 1999.
Sources & References (7)
- Green House Seeds via SeedFinder]( https://seedfinder.eu/index.php/en/strain-info/super-silver-haze/green-house-seeds)
- Leafly]( https://www.leafly.com/news/growing/how-to-grow-super-silver-haze-marijuana)
- Hypnoseeds Grow Diary]( https://hypnoseeds.com/the-blog/how-to-grow-super-silver-haze-seeds-2025-grow-diary/)
- Royal King Seeds]( https://royalkingseeds.us/super-silver-haze-feminized)
- Cannabis Cup Winners]( https://cannabiscupwinners.com/blog/2011/03/18/super-silver-haze-green-house-seeds/).
- SeedFinder comprehensive awards list]( https://seedfinder.eu/index.php/en/strain-info/super-silver-haze/green-house-seeds)
- HSCrew results archive]( https://www.hscrew.ch/en/blogs/news-infos/high-time-cup-results-from-1988-2018)
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