Toronja

“Genetic diversity.” You hear those two words tossed around in the Cannabis breeding community.

In a market overwhelmed by demand for chunky, candy-sweet purple flowers, diversity is taking a hit. The world of Cannabis cultivation seems to be losing some of its variety to trend-chasing. 

That’s no surprise. It has happened in every segment of agriculture, and it’s happening here. 

Pure Beauty is stepping out of that rotation with its new collab lineup with Purple City Genetics.

“It’s a collaboration to bring awareness to sativas again,” said Pure Beauty Head of Cultivation Lou Carrasco. “The market is super indica hybrid heavy, and there aren’t a lot of individuals who are doing indoor sativas.”

Pure Beauty sought out Purple City to bring a lineup of sativa-leaning strains to the market because they saw a gap for people who love indoor weed but also want an energizing, uplifting experience. Carrasco, a Bay Area cultivator with 30 years under lights, misses a lot of the genetics that initially sparked his passion. His team has recently garnered some deserved attention with their Golden Bear Award, the best-in-show award for Indoor Flower at the California State Fair Cannabis Awards, which they won for their New Jack City.

On a recent tour of Pure Beauty’s Sacramento facility, Carrasco pulled out a jar of one of the new Purple City collab strains, Toronja. It was a familiar, reminiscent sight for anyone with enough history in the grow room — glittering, lanky buds with stretchy foxtail fingers. It’s a look you don’t see very often anymore. 

“I like the alien antennas that pop up out of there,” Carrasco. “To me, it’s more nostalgic. It reminds me of some of that old-school Northern Lights that used to finger up on us.”

A cross between (Grapefruit Chem x THC Bomb) and GovernMint Oasis, the flowers give off salivary aromas of citrus, pastry dough, gas and pepper. The trichomes create a resinous squish when you break it up, gluing your fingers together. Strong citrus peel flavors permeate the exhale. 

“It’s more of what old-school Cannabis users were after back in the day,” Carrasco said. “What we liked. Those terpene profiles you can actually taste.”

As we discussed the flower and the Pure Beauty philosophy in Carrasco’s office, I couldn’t help but notice the flowering-orchid LEGO set perched behind his desk. When I mentioned it, Carrasco said he chose to bring in a LEGO flower because, obviously, no outside plants could enter the facility. Seeing it there was a notable juxtaposition for a conversation about the importance of preserving the unique characteristics of the diverse expressions of the Cannabis plant. It will be fun to watch what the Pure Beauty x Purple City collab puts out next as part of this series.

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