Graffiti 20/20 Apple blossom Pentas

This new seed variety pentas from Benary has a one week shorter crop time than Graffiti OG (Original Genetics), making it excellent for the early spring shipping window in Northern geographies that traditionally would struggle with forcing blooms that early. For this new variety, the breeders at Benary focused on increasing germination rate and pack performance. Growers will appreciate better plug vigor and uniformity in flowering throughout the whole series, with only a 5 day window between all 9 colors, according to Benary. 

The new Season Me! Herb Collection from Benary+ offers gardeners beautiful and tasty options. The company will also soon be offering combinations of herbs in the Season Me! Fusions collection based on popular demand for different culinary styles like rosemary, oregano and thyme (seen below). There are also medicinal herb combinations on the way.

The collections are designed for easier retail sales, complete with a new brand logo and artwork for retailers to use in displays.

Benary's BIG Begonis are getting a refreshed look with new POP signage, displays, adhesive labels, benchcards and tags. There's even a spot for growers or retailers to put their own logos and plant size. The above display is from John Henry but Benary says they will work with any supplier.

Benary debuted a new seed technology that improves germination, but it was created with the environment in mind. BeGreen Seed Technology provides priming, coating and pelleting treatments without the use of chemicals or microplastics. Because the BeGreen treatments are biodegradable, there's "no trace" left in the environment, according to Michael Schorsch, seed technology manager at Benary. The green color allows the production team to see the seed for easier sowability, while the technology also provides faster germination, higher uniformity and higher yields. There are currently more than 20 plants and series available with this new technology, with more being added over time. 

For the cut-flower grower, Benary launched a new Ptilotus named Matilda. Known as Ptilotus Joey's "beautiful and sassy sister," Matilda features bottlebrush flower spikes that pair well with nearly every color of cut flower in an arrangement. A native of central Australia, Matilda has a vase life of nearly 20 days as long as the foliage is removed. Stem length is 24-23 inches. Growing cycle ranges from 18-28 weeks, depending on the average day/night temperatures, and a second harvest is possible around 16-18 weeks after the initial flower cutting.

Danziger's 2022 CAST stop in the Garlic Capital of the World offered insights into the latest breeding from the floriculture company. We saw five new colors in the Splash Dance Petunias line (Moon Walk, Calypso Cherry, Violet Vogue, Rumba Rose and Fuchsia Flamenco), bringing the total number in the series to nine. Read on for more news:

Part of the Red Carpet Collection of standalone varieties, RIMarkable Petunia has a large, distinct white rim on each bloom for unique retail appeal. It's more upright than Cascadias but with the same great genetics and performs well in hanging baskets and combinations. It blooms early enough for any market.

Danziger's new Salvia Sally Fun Blue Lagoon is hitting the market in 2023. Told by Danziger reps that this version is "like Deep Ocean Improved" Blue Lagoon hits the mark on the exploding Salvia trend with deep blue blooms and the genus' trademark upright growth habit. It checks another box of recent plant intro trends as well with its remarkably shiny, deep green foliage that sets off the columnar bee-attracting blooms that shoot up throughout the season. 

DuraBella combinations from Danziger are available in two-plant and three-plant combo recipes. Danziger tests the compatibility and garden performance in each combination for consumer success. Growers only need 1 liner per pot for the DuraBella combinations, which makes it a low-input program, yet finishes at the same time as traditional plantings with multiple liners. Pictured is Queens Crown, new for 2023, a combination of Stardom Goldstar jamesbrittenia and Amore Queen of Hearts petunia. 

Hishtil is expanding its offerings of ornamental herbs with Thymus serpyllum ‘GrowFlow Pink Magic.’ New and exclusive to Hishtil, the cascading thyme is covered with pink flowers when mature. It can grow to a half-meter. It’s native to Europe and North Africa and hardy to Zone 5. Hishtil's herb line is not just for cooking. The breeder selects items not only for scent and taste, but also for flower and form in the garden. No PGRs required. 

 

Prudac Breeding Specialties introduced the Pillar mild pepper F1 'Galaxy Red'. These CEA-specific bred peppers are compact and mounded, and they come in three colors (yellow, orange, and red). Due to a pre-existing relationship with NASA, they’re about to be put through perhaps the greatest CEA trial in horticulture history: a shipment of these and other Prudac vegetable varieties are being shipped up to the ISS for astronauts to incorporate into the menu for more taste in space.

Peppers from Heaven F1 ‘Orange’ (Editor's note: CAST took place in March, before these peppers have had a chance to ripen into full color) 

Another CEA-specific bred variety from Prudac, Peppers from Heaven are a perfect candidate for the trending edible hanging basket market. The variety will not shoot up vertically but rather will trail to the sides and eventually overhang the sides of a hanging basket in dramatic fashion. Glossy, tasty orange fruits are the growers final reward.  

Jaldety Plant Propagation Nurseries based in Israel is expanding its sedum offering, a crop that is still a hot seller worldwide. Magic Kiss (top photo) combines a mounded and trailing habit that's hardy in Zones 5-9.

Royal Pine (pictured below) offers interesting texture with a dense, low-growing habit. It's hardy in Zones 5-9 and it's heat- and drought-tolerant.

American Takii created beautiful displays of cut ornamental kale to showcase its versatility as a decorative plant at this year's California Spring Trials stop in Salinas. See what else the international seed company had in store:

Although not yet released, Zinnia Belize is an interesting new development in breeding. The series will have both single and double varieties. No PGRs are required due to their compact nature, which will also give retailers a neat bench presentation. Its planting density can also be increased for higher production capacity. American Takii is hoping to release the series next year.

The Crane Ruffle series is a new cut-flower type of flowering kale (brassica). Crane Ruffle is the first uniform ruffle-leaf flowering kale, according to the breeder. Its texture brings a contemporary flair to arrangements and bouquets. Stem length is 20-36” and if sown between July and August it will flower by the end of October in most zones. Colors include Bicolor, Red, Rose and White.

New for Sahin this year are the Baby Orange and Baby Rose Tropaeolum. Featuring dark green leaves, the flowers sit nicely on top of the foliage instead of amongst the leaves. The compact nasturtium has a uniform, mounded shape that's great for pots or window boxes.

HilverdaFlorist had some exciting news to share as well. Beginning Nov. 1, American Takii's Royal Gerbera series will be available under HilverdaFlorist, which will expand its Giant and Maxi Gerberas.

OHP shared some helpful hints with visitors, including how its insecticide Pradia can be applied to open blooms. And technical manager Carlos Bogran explained that OHP is in the process of expanding its Astun label to include leaf spot, rhizoctonia and fusarium. Bogran also reminded visitors that its Fireworxx herbicide is OMRI certified, labeled for use inside the greenhouse and a helpful alternative to glyphosate.