Northern Lights 5 strain guide
Northern Lights #5, often written NL5, is the best-known selection of the classic Northern Lights indica. People describe a sweet, piney smell and a heavy, relaxed feel. It's close kin to plain Northern Lights, and the two names are often mixed together.
Where does Northern Lights 5 come from?
Northern Lights goes back to Afghani and Thai genetics, and #5 is a numbered selection from that family, usually called its most popular phenotype. The strain reached the Netherlands in the mid 1980s through the seed company that became Sensi Seeds, where breeder Nevil Schoenmaker worked on it. Where Northern Lights first came from before that is not well documented, and sources point to the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s or early 1980s.
NL5 was also used in later crosses, including with Haze. Because so many sellers just write "Northern Lights" or "NL #5", the two are hard to tell apart on a shelf. See our Northern Lights page for the wider family.
What does Northern Lights 5 smell and taste like?
Listings describe a sweet, piney smell with earthy and spicy notes and a hint of citrus. The taste follows: pine and herbs with a tangy, sweet finish.
No source we found publishes terpene results for NL5 specifically, so we've left that out rather than borrow numbers from other strains.
Northern Lights 5 effects: what people report
People most often describe NL5 as relaxed, happy and euphoric, with a creative streak early on and a sleepy, heavy body feel later. It's an indica with a strong reputation for slowing you down.
These are experiences people report, not promises. Higher amounts can feel overwhelming, especially for first-timers, and people mention dry mouth, dizziness and sometimes feeling anxious or paranoid.
How strong is Northern Lights 5?
One strain database lists it at about 22% to 26% THC with around 1% CBD. That's one listing, so treat it as a rough guide and check the label on your own batch. Our guide to reading cannabis labels explains the numbers.
Buying Northern Lights 5 in Canada
Because the name is often shortened or merged with Northern Lights, read the label for the exact name and the producer. Look at the THC and CBD figures and the packaging date.
Northern Lights 5 vs Northern Lights
Northern Lights is the broader strain, and #5 is one selection of it. Both are described as sweet, piney and relaxing. NL5 is the version most often named in breeding history, while plain Northern Lights covers many cuts. If a label says only Northern Lights, you may be getting NL5 or another cut. Ask the producer if it matters to you.
Strains like Northern Lights 5
If you like Northern Lights 5, these are the closest matches:
- Northern Lights: the wider strain it is selected from.
- Afghani: one of the landrace roots of the family, earthy and heavy.
- White Widow: a classic with Northern Lights genetics in its family tree.
- Skunk #1: crossed with NL5 to make Shiva Skunk, a classic of the same era.
