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Not all marijuana plants come from seeds. Meet the clones that will grow into a new strain

Newly planted Zpectrum clones take root under a dome in a grow room at Alien Labs in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2024.
Tim Agne/KJZZ
Newly planted Zpectrum clones take root under a dome in a grow room at Alien Labs in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2024.

Reefer Growing Madness is tracking the growth cycle of legally grown marijuana from clone to smoke. Notice we didn’t say SEED to smoke.

At least some legit weed companies in what prohibitionists might call this Brave New Arizona don’t plant seeds. Meet and greet the freshly cut clones that Matthew Casey aims to follow until they’re ashes.

The tiny copies in question came from a mother plant. It’s an indica-sativa hybrid called Zpectrum.

The lead farmers will explain what happens during the two weeks it takes these fledgling plants to hopefully grow their own root system. And you’ll get to know one of the growers whose approach is strongly influenced by methods developed when marijuana was still mostly an illegal cash crop.

The first visit to the Alien Labs marijuana farm was one of our longest because Bruno Gagliardi, the general manager, graciously let us tour the whole operation.

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