Cloning involves taking a cutting from a parent plant and encouraging it to root, creating a genetically identical copy. Autoflowering cannabis varieties differ from traditional photoperiod strains because they flower automatically based on a fixed biological clock rather than a change in the light schedule. While it is technically possible to root a cutting from an autoflower, the practice is overwhelmingly impractical and counterproductive for cultivation purposes. The unique genetic mechanism of these plants dictates that a cloned cutting will not behave in the same manner as a clone taken from a photoperiod strain.
How Autoflowering Genetics Differ
The fundamental difference between photoperiod and autoflowering plants lies in their flowering trigger mechanism. Photoperiod plants rely on an environmental cue, specifically a reduction in the duration of light exposure, to initiate flowering. Cultivators typically force this transition by moving the plant from a long light cycle to a short light cycle of 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.
Autoflowers possess genetics derived from Cannabis ruderalis, which bypasses this dependence on light cycles altogether. They operate on an internal, predetermined timeline, often referred to as a fixed biological clock. This clock dictates that the plant will begin to flower after a specific period of time, usually between two and four weeks after germination, regardless of the light schedule it is receiving.
This fixed timeline means the plant has a strictly limited vegetative stage, the period during which it builds size and structure. Once the internal clock signals the transition, the plant commits all its resources to flower production, allowing no extension of the growth phase. Understanding this age-dependent flowering mechanism is paramount to understanding why cloning does not work for these strains.
The Result of Cloning Autoflowers
The primary issue with cloning an autoflower is that a cutting retains the exact biological age of the parent plant from which it was taken. For example, if a cultivator takes a cutting from a plant that is three weeks into its life cycle, the clone is also biologically three weeks old, even though it has no roots.
When this clone is placed in a rooting medium, its internal genetic timer continues counting down toward the flowering stage. Since the autoflower’s vegetative period is inherently short, the clone will likely initiate flowering before it has time to develop a substantial root system or establish any significant biomass.
The cutting needs several days, sometimes weeks, to establish roots and begin nutrient uptake. This delay coincides directly with the plant’s genetically programmed shift into flower production. The resulting plant suffers from severe stunting because it is attempting to flower while simultaneously trying to root and grow vegetatively.
Instead of producing a full-sized plant, the clone typically results in a tiny, premature specimen that yields only a few grams of flower. The fundamental purpose of cloning—to preserve a plant in a perpetual vegetative state—is genetically impossible with an autoflower due to its fixed, non-reversible life cycle.
Best Propagation Practices
Given the limitations imposed by the autoflower’s fixed timeline, the accepted best practice for propagation is to start every plant directly from a new seed. This method ensures that the plant begins its life cycle with the maximum amount of time available for vegetative growth.
Cultivators should sow the seed directly into its final growing container to avoid any stress associated with transplant shock. Even a minor setback, such as temporary stress from moving a young seedling, can significantly reduce the potential size and yield due to the brief vegetative window.
This approach maximizes the plant’s ability to develop a robust root structure and canopy before its internal clock forces the transition to flowering. Cloning remains the preferred method exclusively for propagating photoperiod strains, where the vegetative state can be maintained indefinitely.