Permanent Marker: The Strain That Took Over America

Permanent Marker is a plant famous for an unforgettable aroma of ripe fruit, heavy fuel, and a sharp edge like a freshly uncapped marker, and its story runs from the famous plant families of San Francisco to a former rocket factory in Northridge, a chance meeting at a famous Northern California competition, a name that changed everything, and a rise that carried it across America and all the way to Europe. What’s covered in this video: How JBeezy and his partner Wes started a small Southern California team obsessed with searching through huge numbers of plants to find the rare ones worth keeping. How Mario Guzman, better known as Mr. Sherbinski, created Sunset Sherbet after a happy accident in San Francisco, and how it led to the creation of Gelato. How Biscotti came together from Gelato and South Florida OG, and why Caleb Counts described the perfect balance between a subtle, gentle Gelato and an OG that smelled like burning fuel. How JBeezy and Wes created Jealousy, a rich, fuel scented plant with a bright citrus edge, and why it became such an important parent. How the project behind Permanent Marker began inside a massive former rocket factory in Northridge, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, a place that once helped build the American aerospace industry. Why it took years of searching to find the right plant, and how the friendly debate between JBeezy wanting fruit and Wes wanting fuel shaped the final choice. How the plant went by several different names before anything stuck, and why none of them ever captured what made it so special. How a chance meeting with Ryan Bartholomew at a famous competition in Santa Rosa led to an invitation to the old rocket factory. Why Bartholomew said it reminded him of Zoap the moment he smelled it, and how he came up with the name Permanent Marker. What makes the aroma so unusual, from ripe fruit and berry to a sharp note that reminds people of fresh ink, paint, and a new box of art supplies. How the plant debuted at a Hollywood premiere and arrived in Los Angeles and New York at the same time. What Permanent Marker looks like, with dark purple leaves and a sparkling white frost, and why it was described as almost too pretty to touch. How the natural aroma compounds myrcene, limonene, and caryophyllene shape its signature scent, and why lab testing confirmed the same trio again and again. How it went from almost unknown to a nationwide favorite as gardeners in California, Washington, Florida, Michigan, and New Mexico embraced it, and why its reputation spread so quickly by word of mouth. How it was named among the very best plants of its year alongside Zoap and Triple Lindy. How Permanent Marker changed tastes at a time when so many popular plants had started to smell exactly the same. How it turned up in Barcelona and won honors in Michigan and Maine. How it earned a top national honor of its year, following its own parent Jealousy, and what JBeezy and Wes said about its success. How it spread to Ontario in Canada, and then across the Atlantic to Germany and the United Kingdom, where its offspring Pineapple Marker followed close behind. Why copycats and confusing versions followed it everywhere, and why the famous name started showing up on plants that had little to do with the original from Northridge. How the Kaleidoscope Collective won top honors in New York, and how a local team earned recognition at a newly launched competition in Billings, Montana. How Permanent Marker passed its character on to Magic Marker, Cherry Marker, Permanent Cherries, Red Eye, Permanent Shotz, Scented Marker, and Pineapple Marker, carrying its fruit and fuel character into a whole new generation. Why a plant named after something designed never to wash away became among the most recognizable aromas of its era. Mentioned in this video: Permanent Marker, JBeezy, Wes, Mario Guzman, Mr. Sherbinski, Sunset Sherbet, Gelato, Biscotti, South Florida OG, Caleb Counts, Jealousy, Northridge, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sunset District, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Ryan Bartholomew, Zoap, Hollywood, New York, Triple Lindy, Barcelona, Spain, Michigan, Maine, Washington, Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Ontario, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Kaleidoscope Collective, Billings, Montana, Magic Marker, Cherry Marker, Permanent Cherries, Red Eye, Permanent Shotz, Gello Shotz, Scented Marker, Pineapple Fruz, Pineapple Marker, Pink Pineapple, myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene