This essential characteristic evolved as a necessity for survival in the harsh, inhospitable areas of central Russia where Cannabis Ruderalis, the original autoflowering strain that bred this almost magical ability, originated. Lacking the longer, warmer summers of the Indian continent or the tropical and equatorial zones where (respectively) Indica and Sativa evolved, their relative did not have the luxury of being able to wait for the change in light cycles that signal the beginning of summer to start flowering – the weather would become cold enough to kill the plants before pollination and seeding could take place. Instead, it had to begin flowering as soon as it was old enough in order to have enough time to complete the reproductive cycle and make new seeds. Breeders immediately saw the advantage of this for other strains, and began breeding seeds with this ability to ‘auto flower’.