Plantpeddler releases Poinsettia Variety Day 2024 results

At Plantpeddler's annual Poinsettia Variety Day for 2024, more than 200 commercial varieties were on display for the 150-plus attendees.

Representatives from all commercial poinsettia breeders, brokers and growers from 18 states and two European countries attended the Dec. 5 event in Cresco, Iowa. In addition, Mike Poretsky of A-Roo presented value-added upgrade treatments and packaging.

Genetics were submitted by Beekenkamp, Dümmen Orange, Lazzeri, Rinehart Poinsettias, Selecta One, Suntory Flowers, InBlume Indoor Floral (Express Seed Company) and Graff Breeding.

Plantpeddler is licensed by all breeders represented and is a one-stop shop for premium poinsettia liners. The company also educates growers on best practices in the horticulture industry.

“As a leader in poinsettia young plants, this investment is for our retailers, growers, brokers and breeding partners. 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 commercial production trial for poinsettias as a way for the industry and growers to evaluate variety performance and improve their selections.”

New this year at Poinsettia Variety Day was the 2024 Best of Class Red — 5 Year Challenge. This was a blind vote contest, pitting the six varieties that have placed first and/or second place over the past five years.

The dominating varieties were Draco, Kayla, Mirage, Noel, Robyn and Ruby. In a close competition, Selecta One's Noel, which finished second in 2020 and 2022, garnered the winning vote count.

See the full results in the charts below:

To view photos of all the winning varieties, click here.

Plantpeddler thanked all the breeders and Vivero for helping make the trial possible and A-Roo, BioTherm and Oasis for sponsoring lunch.

Next year’s Plantpeddler Poinsettia Variety Day is Dec. 4, 2025. Plantpeddler’s Variety Day showcasing annuals, as well as its 45th anniversary celebration is Aug. 1, 2025.

Plantpeddler also observed National Poinsettia Day on Dec. 12 by presenting poinsettias to notable figures in Iowa, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa State University's President Wendy Wintersteen and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Daniel Robison.

"This was a great chance to showcase the horticulture industry, our products and shed light on the diversity within our agricultural sector," Gooder said.