What is plant tissue culture?

Plant tissue culture is a comprehensive term for all procedures used to grow plant cells, tissues, and organs under aseptic and highly controlled conditions. It encompasses everything from clonal propagation to cryopreservation, pathogen remediation, and much more.

How will tissue culture help my business grow?

For decades, tissue culture has been used to remediate plant pathogens, propagate in an aseptic enviornment, and safely preserve germplasm. Working with a trusted lab offers savings and ease of mind as pathogen testing becomes more stringent, phytosanitary certification for international movement of plant material, and cleanly preserving genetics for breeding programs and nurseries.

What measures do you take to reduce the threat of pests and pathogens?

We're glad you asked! We are one of the only labs to initiate plant material to culture strictly from meristems. Through this process, we significantly increase the chance that systemic pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and viroids are removed. All plant material is pathogen screened prior to initiation, while in culture, and during acclimation both in-house and by third-party labs.

What media inputs are used in tissue culture?

Inputs include macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, gelling agent, and a dash of hormone to direct growth. We take pride in being one of the only labs to not utilize antibiotcs or plant preservative mixture (PPM) in our media so we can ensure your plants are clean as possible. Additionally, we are conservative with our use of hormones in order to limit genetic mutations and maintain the healthiest true-to-type plants possible.

The Trusted Clean Stalk™ Provider

Our Company

Polymorph is a tissue culture laboratory that specializes in the micropropagation and germplasm banking of many plant species. Our lab is operated by published scientists dedicated to preserving the culture by providing high-quality and disease-free plants to breeders, nurseries, and growers. Healthy, pathogen-tested, and data-backed varieties do not just make growing easier, they are the foundation of agriculture.

Customized Services

We’re here to support your needs for scheduled mother stock production, embryo rescue, and other exclusive services to help keep you growing.

Genetic Banking

Cleaning and safely storing prized genetics in an aseptic environment is the core of what we do to preserve the culture.

Catalogue Selection

We are working on a well-rounded menu of plants backed by agronomic data that covers a range of needs and production requirements. Coming soon in 2025!

Customized Services Process:

1. Connect with our team

Reach out and explain your operation's specific requirements, budget, and timeline so we can best accomodate your needs.
2. Reach agreement

Before receiving plants, we like to ensure there is a mutual understanding of project specifics such as timeline, costs, and risks.
3. Send plant material

Before taking cuts, ensure your plants are in the vegetative stage, well-nourished, and properly labeled. We require a minimum of 100 shoot tips personally delivered or shipped overnight in order to have a successful initiation process.
4. Initiation and multiplication

Once material is recievied, plants are pathogen tested and initiated into culture. This process involves a surface disinfection treatment to remove all biological contaminants, followed by careful meristem dissections to ensure our clients recieve the cleanest plants possible. This process generally takes 6-12 months.
5. Receive plants

When the plants are sufficiently multiplied in culture, it is time to root and acclimate. Once acclimated, plants are screened for pathogens one last time and carefully delivered to your location.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have another question? Reach out to our team!

What is plant tissue culture?

Plant tissue culture is a comprehensive term for all procedures used to grow plant cells, tissues, and organs under aseptic and highly controlled conditions. It encompasses everything from clonal propagation to cryopreservation, pathogen remediation, and much more.
How will tissue culture help my business grow?

For decades, tissue culture has been used to remediate plant pathogens, propagate in an aseptic enviornment, and safely preserve germplasm.

Working with a trusted lab offers savings and ease of mind as pathogen testing becomes more stringent, phytosanitary certification for international movement of plant material, and cleanly preserving genetics for breeding programs and nurseries.
What measures do you take to reduce the threat of pests and pathogens?

We're glad you asked! We are one of the only labs to initiate plant material to culture strictly from meristems. Through this process, we significantly increase the chance that systemic pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and viroids are removed. All plant material is pathogen screened prior to initiation, while in culture, and during acclimation both in-house and by third-party labs.
What media inputs are used in tissue culture?

Inputs include macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, gelling agent, and a dash of hormone to direct growth. We take pride in being one of the only labs to not utilize antibiotcs or plant preservative mixture (PPM) in our media so we can ensure your plants are clean as possible. Additionally, we are conservative with our use of hormones in order to limit genetic mutations and maintain the healthiest true-to-type plants possible.

Conor Stephen

Founder, Scientist, & Head of Business Development

Conor is California grown and has a robust knowledge of controlled environment agriculture and tissue culture. Interest in growing the plant led him to pursue a B.S. in Plant Science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he graduated top of class with the highest distinction. During college, he worked with one of the largest vertically integrated companies in California at the time and advocated heavily for hemp research at universities at the local and state levels. He went on to complete his M.S. at Cornell University while conducting research on all stages of hemp micropropagation. Conor was previously U.S. Operations Manager for Segra International, a tissue culture company where he built and operated labs in partnership with some of the largest grows in California. His goal is to bring a higher level of integrity, professionalism, and expertise to the tissue culture industry.

Rinnie Rodenius

Co-Owner, Scientist, & Head of Operations

Rinnie is a highly experienced plant biologist with an extensive background in advanced tissue culture techniques and laboratory management. While studying TC under Dr. Michael Kane at University of Florida, she assisted in successfully eradicating viruses from commercially relevant species through meristem dissections and was awarded for her extensive contributions to endangered species conservation, such as the rare Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), by the Society for In Vitro Biology (SIVB). After graduating with honors she went on to complete her Masters of Science in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Following her studies, Rinnie led Ball Horticulture's HQ tissue culture lab, servicing ornamental customers across 5 continents. She refined her skillsets here while building Ball's Clean Stock Department, spearheading contamination reduction R&D initiatives, and also served on the committee for the design and build of their new Tissue Culture Headquarters in Chicago. Rinnie has since continued her work in the cut flower industry, holding production and R&D department management roles for Conception Nurseries, one of the largest tissue culture providers in the United States. Here she pioneered their clean stock, initiation, and genetic storage protocols to support their continued expansion and success. Rinnie is an incredibly experienced and passionate tissue culturist focused on the highest quality work possible to support plant breeders, nurseries, growers, and existing tissue culture laboratories.

Check-out some of our recent industry publications and peer-reviewed research to learn more about tissue culture!

Our scientists are committed to raising the standard through communicating science and educating about the importance of tissue culture. Learn more about what we're doing to stay cultured here: