Illicit Gardens
Illicit Gardens is a leading marijuana cultivation facility located in Kansas City, Missouri, with a strategic position between Liberty and Sugar Creek. Established to meet the growing demand following the legalization of recreational marijuana in Missouri in February 2023, the company operates a sprawling 100,000 square-foot warehouse dedicated to cannabis production, with 68,000 square feet allocated specifically for plant growth. Since Missouri’s initial legalization of medical marijuana in 2020, Illicit Gardens has become a significant player in the state’s industry, employing around 200 workers and adhering to strict safety, regulatory, and environmental standards. The facility utilizes advanced hydroponic cultivation methods, climate-controlled environments, RFID tracking, and comprehensive monitoring systems to ensure quality, compliance, and transparency. Its operations contribute to Missouri’s thriving $4 billion industry, creating thousands of jobs and supporting the state’s economic growth in the legal cannabis sector.
News Summary
Kansas City is witnessing significant growth in its marijuana cultivation sector, with Illicit Gardens emerging as a leading licensed cultivator. The facility covers 100,000 square feet and employs around 200 workers. Since marijuana was legalized in Missouri, the industry has generated nearly $4 billion in sales, leading to job creation and economic development. The facility adheres to strict safety regulations and innovative growing techniques, significantly impacting the state’s economy.
Kansas City is witnessing a rapid expansion in its marijuana cultivation industry, with Illicit Gardens ranking among the top licensed cultivators. This facility spans an impressive 100,000 square feet and is strategically located between Liberty and Sugar Creek, just five miles from Worlds of Fun. Within this warehouse, 68,000 square feet is dedicated exclusively to the growth of marijuana plants, employing around 200 workers.
Since the legalization of marijuana in Missouri in 2020, the industry has seen remarkable growth, generating nearly $4 billion in sales. Each marijuana plant cultivated at Illicit Gardens has the potential to yield up to $1,000 in product within a span of three-and-a-half months. This growth has contributed to the creation of approximately 21,000 jobs in Missouri’s marijuana sector since 2019.
To ensure compliance with safety and health regulations, workers at Illicit Gardens must wear shoe covers, scrubs, hair covers, and face masks while working. The facility uses specially designed green lights to allow visibility for human workers without disrupting the growth of the plants. Additionally, under Missouri law, all marijuana must be cultivated indoors, and all products consumed must be grown within state borders.
The facility operates under strict monitoring conditions, featuring numerous cameras that oversee the areas where marijuana is grown, processed, and stored. Each plant is tagged with RFID labels to track its journey from seed to sale in the state’s regulatory database, ensuring compliance and transparency.
Packaging regulations in Missouri are stringent, prohibiting any imagery that could appeal to children, including illustrations of humans, animals, and fruits. Any changes to package labeling require state approval and can take between 45-60 days to process. As of March 2025, there are reported to be 63 licensed growers across Missouri.
Medical marijuana sales were introduced in Missouri in 2020, followed by the inception of recreational sales in February 2023. In 2024, the total sales of cannabis products within the state amounted to $1.46 billion. This rapid growth illustrates a significant shift in the state’s economy and job marketplace, which is increasingly leaning towards legal cannabis cultivation and sales.
At Illicit Gardens, marijuana plants are grown hydroponically in a carefully controlled climate, mimicking conditions suited for plant growth. The veg room lights simulate a midsummer environment for 18 hours a day, facilitating robust growth. After two weeks in the veg room, the plants are transitioned to the flower room, where they experience a 12-hour light cycle to imitate autumn conditions. The aroma of the flower room is distinct, carrying a fresh scent that differs from smoked marijuana.
The plants are supported by rope netting to sustain the weight of their budding flowers. After spending 60 days in the flower room, they are harvested and subsequently dried for 10 days before entering a meticulous 2-3 week curing process that demands careful monitoring to prevent mold, necessitating strict humidity control.
Inside the trim room, workers trim the buds while music plays, ensuring that the jars they fill with the product contain mainly flower rather than stems and leaves. The packaging machinery is designed with sensitivity, accurately weighing the product to the 100th of a gram. Every delivery is documented in precise detail to align with regulatory demands, including the specifics of vehicle use and the contents delivered. Visitors to the facility do not leave with cannabis samples but may carry the lingering scent of marijuana on their clothing after a tour of the extensive and well-structured operations.
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Additional Resources
- KCTV5: Kansas City Area County Hopes to Cash in on Marijuana Sales
- Wikipedia: Marijuana in the United States
- KSDK: St. Louis Cannabis Dispensary to Add Five Missouri Outlets
- Google Search: Cannabis Industry Missouri
- Kansas City Star: Local Cannabis News
- Google Scholar: Cannabis Legalization Missouri
- Mo Greenway: Celebrate with Jim Belushi at New Cannabis Dispensary
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cannabis Regulation
- Kansas City Star: Cannabis Cultivation Insights
- Google News: Marijuana Industry Growth
