Photo courtesy of Plantpeddler
As breeders and attendees descended upon Cresco, Iowa, for Poinsettia Variety Day, they were greeted with a nearly perfect sunny end of November day. Over 175 commercial and pre-release Poinsettia varieties were featured for evaluation and review. Hosted on Thursday, November 30, representatives from all commercial poinsettia breeders, brokers and growers were in attendance from over 18 states. The trial was produced under natural season, commercially sustainable production protocol using limited PGRs. In addition, Mike Poretsky of A-ROO presented value-added upgrade treatments and packaging.
Genetics were submitted by Beekenkamp, Dümmen Orange, Express Seed, Lazzeri, Rinehart Poinsettias, Selecta One, and Suntory Flowers. Plantpeddler is licensed by all breeders represented and prides itself on being a one-stop shop for premium Poinsettia liners. “With our leadership position in Poinsettias, this investment is for our retailers, growers, brokers, and breeding partners.” says Mike Gooder, president of Plantpeddler, as to why Plantpeddler conducts their Poinsettia trial. Another commitment of Plantpeddler is to facilitate best practices in the horticulture industry.
As a true production trial, the tested varieties were grown within a block of benchmark commercial varieties with the same treatments and environmental conditions. This year, throughout production higher-than-average temperatures and daylight were experienced. Mike added, “The Poinsettia Trial and Variety Day event emphasizes our commitment to the industry by showcasing genetics under northern USA growing conditions. It is important to do a Poinsettia production trial as a way for the industry and our growers to see how varieties perform in North American, northern climate greenhouse conditions.”
Trial attendees voted using a three-flag system for “Best Red Variety” and “Best Non-Red Variety” with a 3, 2, 1 point scoring. The results are as follows:
Red Variety Top 10
Non-Red Variety Top 10
Plantpeddler extends a sincere thank-you to all the breeders and sponsors for helping make this trial possible, as well as a thank-you to the team at Plantpeddler for producing an outstanding trial and event.
Mark your calendars now for next year’s Plantpeddler Poinsettia Variety Day trial event on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Plantpeddler’s Variety Day trial event showcasing Annuals is August 2, 2024. Please make plans to attend both events.
A few days later on December 12, Plantpeddler observed National Poinsettia Day by presenting Poinsettias to notable figures in Iowa. The recipients included Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Iowa State University’s Dean of the College of Agriculture, Dr. Daniel Robison.
National Poinsettia Day provided a fitting backdrop for Plantpeddler to express appreciation for the enduring popularity of this festive plant. The gesture aimed to not only spread holiday cheer, but also to highlight the beauty of their horticultural offerings.
By participating in events like these, Plantpeddler continues to play a role in fostering awareness about the agricultural landscape. The initiative aligns with their ongoing commitment to contribute positively to the industry and promote the understanding of horticulture's varied facets.
For more information, contact Plantpeddler at (800) 827-1654 or info@plantpeddler.com, or visit plantpeddler.com.
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