Plant matter

Plant matter refers to the parts of the cannabis plant that contain minimal concentrations of trichomes and cannabinoids, such as stalks, stems, branches, and fan leaves. Growers typically discard plant matter as waste material leftover from pruning living plants or processing after harvest.

Since plant matter has extremely low trichome densities compared to flower buds and sugar leaves, it offers little value for consumption. However, some extractors process freshly frozen whole cannabis plants into concentrates to save time hand-trimming flowers on each branch. But this results in lower terpene content and harsher, less refined extracts with more fat, wax, and chlorophyll.