Juergen Steininger

Potted sun stars (Ornithogalum dubium) are nearly unknown in the U.S., but in Europe, they are prized and sought-after pot plants, consistently fetching top price at the flower auction. O. dubium is a geophyte, or bulbous perennial plant. Depending on the cultivar, the bulbs produce five to eight deep green, glossy leaves that are arranged in rosettes. Cultivars suitable for pot culture produce short, linear foliage ranging in length from 3 to 4 inches with a width of less than 1 inch. Strong pot cultivars produce more than one flower shoot per bulb. Each sturdy shoot grows 5 to 7 inches tall, bearing a compact cluster of brilliant flowers. Some clusters may produce up to 20 flowers. Sun stars come in orange, yellow and white. Potted ornithogalum can be used indoors to brighten up the house. These plants are also ideal for window boxes, patio containers and planters early in […]

Potted sun stars (Ornithogalum dubium) are nearly unknown in the U.S., but in Europe, they are prized and sought-after pot plants, consistently fetching top price at the flower auction. O. dubium is a geophyte, or bulbous perennial plant. Depending on the cultivar, the bulbs produce five to eight deep green, glossy leaves that are arranged in rosettes. Cultivars suitable for pot culture produce short, linear foliage ranging in length from 3 to 4 inches with a width of less than 1 inch. Strong pot cultivars produce more than one flower shoot per bulb. Each sturdy shoot grows 5 to 7 inches tall, bearing a compact cluster of brilliant flowers. Some clusters may produce up to 20 flowers. Sun stars come in orange, yellow and white. Potted ornithogalum can be used indoors to brighten up the house. These plants are also ideal for window boxes, patio containers and planters early in […]

Even while the market continues to look for a wider selection of high-quality crops, hydrangea remains underused, both as a cut flower and a pot plant. Until recently it was next to impossible to get properly prepared rooted cuttings for a blue hydrangea program in the U.S., so that is likely a factor. Why should you go through the trouble of changing your assortment and production schedule? It is potentially a high-margin crop, so in my opinion, it is worth consideration. The international market designation for Hydrangea macrophylla is hortensia. This is important, since unlike the other species of hydrangeas, hortensia is designed for intensive forcing programs that include both pot and cut flower production. Many years ago, it was part of the core assortment of floriculture crops. Production of hortensia requires thorough knowledge of production methods. A high-quality hortensia plant has clear coloration of the flower; a muddy, blotchy […]

Callas fit many market segments. Most growers know callas can be grown as a pot plant or cut flower. Few, however, know some cultivars fit nicely into any program for bedding plants, upscale patio containers or specialty cut flowers.

It’s March at Longwood Gardens and the Himalayan blue poppy is once again on display in our indoor gardens, turning the conservatory into a dazzling show of sky-blue blooms. Unfortunately, the show ‘Lingholm’ meconopsis puts on lasts for only a short time. Each flower spike carries three to five buds opening in close succession over six to 12 days, with each individual flower lasting three to five days. Because the blue poppy’s show is such a short one, droves of people are drawn to the display. Considering how excited people get when they see this flower, I often wonder what kind of market potential such a plant might have. In this article, you’ll find information, cultivation requirements and some of the challenges I experienced working with this plant. Who knows: Perhaps you, too, will be inspired to make it work in your market segment. Background & Natural Habitat Meconopsis is […]

I am always surprised to hear growers say they think freesias are not an interesting product. Many say freesias are not in vogue, that they’re old-fashioned or a crop without profit. I say today’s freesia cultivars make excellent cut flowers, and with the right treatment they can be excellent potted plants, too. Longwood Gardens visitors adore freesias. Over the years, they came to expect the eloquent presence and the pleasing fragrance of freesias in the winter and spring display. Not at all shy, visitors will tell me if the flowers are not displayed on time–or not scented enough. In my mind, it is easy to see why people enjoy freesias. They are a timeless floriculture standard: the raceme-like flower spike consists of a number of flowers that bloom in sequence for an extended period of time. The blooms may be single or double, and they come in colors ranging from […]

Who would connect tulips with stories from the Orient? The prevalent perception is that tulips are native to Holland. Yet, before they were introduced to Holland, they had been cultivated in the Orient for ages. At the court of the Turkish sultan, tulips were grown in the palace gardens. Early tulips were cultivated from wild flowers native to the steppes of Central Asia. During the 1500s, tulips found their way to Holland. Initially, tulips were a status symbol of immense prestige. Then they became the center of financial ruin–tulipomania–in the economic collapse of 1637. Today, they are a national icon and the foremost-recognized product of The Netherlands. Hybridizing efforts over the centuries created an extensive assortment of high-performing cultivars. They are a living legacy, a tradition ancient and new, a product of ingenuity and commerce. At Longwood Gardens, the tulip displays are a tradition since 1921. Hundreds of thousands of […]

Daffodil Basics Daffodil bulbs can be obtained in different grades, as well as standard dry bulbs or pre-cooled bulbs. The standard grades of daffodils are: Double-Nose I (DN I), Double-Nose II (DN II) and round bulbs. DN I bulbs promise the most flowers, but flowers vary greatly among the different cultivars. For forcing, I rely on DN I bulbs while smaller grades are an economic alternative for dry bulb sales. We are fortunate to have plenty of cooler space, so we can work with standard dry bulbs, which are more economical than pre-cooled bulbs.  Juergen’s Top 4 Daffodils For Pot Production ‘Arctic Gold’ is a true image of a daffodil that does well in a pot. It is a yellow trumpet narcissus that is the quintessential icon of spring. In German, this type of daffodil is called “Osterglocke,” which translates into “Easter bells.” ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ is a cultivar of […]

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Over the last few years, the Longwood Gardens lily program expanded to include an assortment of lily cultivars: Easter lilies, Asiatic, Oriental and hybrid lilies. Next year, Longwood will be growing lilies almost 10 months of the year, and its visitors are always delighted to see such amazing lily displays. This year’s OFA Short Course was a busy event filled with meetings so Longwood could plan its major event next year: Lilytopia. As part of Lilytopia’s planning, I was tasked with growing lilies to be displayed at a New York City promotional event in September. The event commemorated the founding of New Amsterdam 400 years ago.   I had worked with a large number of forcing bulbs over the years, but I had never been tasked with summer lily production. And for the New York event, I had a time frame of just 50 days to finish a crop. The deadline […]