Manufacturer: Fleur du Mal
In the late 1970s, Ed Rosenthal selectively bred several plants from a bag of South African seeds that he brought back to the USA. Rosenthal then passed on some prime specimens to fellow breeder Mel Frank, who subsequently refined the genetics. Frank's efforts resulted in ‘A’ and ‘B’ lines of the original seed; the B line was passed on to the famous Amsterdam breeder Sam the Skunkman. Sam further shortened the flowering time of the strain and created the famous Durban Poison...
Decades later, Frank released a small amount of self-fertilised female seeds of the A-line. Fleur du Mal used selected females from this line and crossed them with two selected males, giving the resulting offspring a beautiful orange flavour and strong disease resistance. The result is the best of old school Durban, offering the classic aniseed and orange notes, strong mould and pest resistance and great results.
Lineage: (Mel Frank Durban A x AKCC Durban) x (Mel Frank Durban A x Double Durban) Genetics: mostly Sativa Flowering Time: 10 - 11 weeks Smell: aniseed, oranges THC: 17%
Fleur du Mal has been doing its thing since 2001, focusing on strains that go way back. Most of what they work with are those well-known indica and sativa plants that helped shape early cannabis breeding. Everything is meant for either indoor or outdoor setups, depending on how you like to grow.
Quick Facts Location: United States Focus: Classic strains and heirloom crosses Types Available: Regular Well Known For: Cinderella 88, Sweet Tooth #4, Durban-Thai Highflyer C99, Shiskeberry Works Well For: Growers who are into solid old-school genetics
A lot of this came together thanks to friendships built over the years with other breeders who were willing to share. The person behind it all, Baudelaire, kept at it—gathering seeds, dialing in selections, and keeping things grounded in history. If you like strains with a story, and ones that still hold their own, this collection might speak to you.