Our growers’ expertise and passion for creating premium-quality therapeutics shines through in every batch of prime products we supply to Commonwealth dispensaries. But have you ever wanted to learn more about the innovative processes and product development happening in our grow rooms?
Our new “Behind the Strains” newsletter has got you covered. In each installment of this educational series, we will give you a prime insider’s look at the expert combination of passion and science that drives our in-house breeding program. We’ll also share downloadable information you can use to learn more about the featured strains’ profiles — outlining descriptive traits, terpenes, and lineage.
In this edition, we’re giving you an in-depth look at one of the reigning cultivars in our exclusive lineup of strains that was our first-ever “Bred in PA” product release— PT Starqueen.
Planting the Seed: PT Starqueen’s cosmic name nods to its indica parent PT Stardawg, a staple from our original strain library that launched the prime line to market in 2018. Paired together in our grow rooms with African Thai, a patient-preferred sativa, these strains were “prime’d” to create a legendary hybrid.
PT Stardawg features dense, kush-like flowers and a diverse range of flavors— distinguished by sweet notes of chem, cream, and hash. African Thai flower displays a true—meaning orignal—sativa structure that is covered in resin-producing trichomes, with a flavor similar to Sour Diesel and tea leaves. Brandon Miller, our Senior Director of Production and Facilities, explains that the reason behind crossing these parent strains was to “combine the very desirable and highly domesticated traits of the PT Stardawg with our super star African Thai male’s high essential oil content.”
Taking Root: Once the parent strains were crossed, we pheno hunted to find the most distinctive, desirable traits and therapeutic potential in their offspring. Pheno hunting refers to the process of cultivating a host of seeds from the same genetic lineage with the intention of finding the best expression that strain has to offer. Miller notes that “during the selection process we identified several plants carrying desirable flavors from the LA Kush “grandmother” plants.”
The result of this breeding project was two reigning expressions that launched our exclusive PT Starqueen cultivar to market in April 2020, the #22 French Toast and, one of Miller’s personal favorite cultivars, the #28 Dutch Peach pheno. African Thai’s true sativa lineage is especially evident in the #22 French Toast pheno’s structure, which displays almost leafless buds that are covered heavily in trichomes (the resin-producing structures on the cannabis plant where cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, are generated). Stardawg traits are most evident in the #28 Dutch Peach pheno, which generally produces large buds that have ample surface area for trichomes and resin production. The #22 French Toast pheno was also influenced by its PT Stardawg parent, inheriting notable levels of the terpene pinene, which contributes to its subtle pine flavor.
Potential Benefits: With mouth-watering notes of maple and buttery batter, PT Starqueen #22 has been aptly named our prime French Toast pheno. Similarly, the #28 Dutch Peach pheno derived its name from its flavor notes of ripe peach and tangerine – a profile that is reminiscent of the legendary strain L.A. Kush. In addition to offering unique flavor expressions, the #22 and #28 phenos may potentially offer different therapeutic benefits. The woodsy pinene content in our French Toast pheno may potentially help manage inflammation. With its dominant myrcene content, the Dutch Peach pheno may potentially provide insomnia and pain relief.
In a Dispensary Near You: Our lab team is shipping out dry resin cartridges that were handcrafted from our cured Dutch Peach plant material. Using our world-class hydrocarbon extraction process, our dry resin cartridges provide a unique expression of your favorite prime strains with rich terpene content that is typically only available in live product varieties. This latest batch of cartridges has tested for over 6.8% total terpenes, available in a ready-to-inhale form. Check with your dispensary pharmacist to learn if this prime product might be right for you.
