Mayo Clinic Will Promote Coreopsis ‘Electric Avenue’ As Its Flower Of Hope
May 13, 2014 
Coreopsis ‘Electric Avenue’ will be promoted as the ‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope.’
ItSaul Plants’ Coreopsis ‘Electric Avenue’ will soon be promoted under a new name. Mayo Clinic, one of the premier hospital systems in the U.S., has chosen the variety as its ‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope.’
This year marks Mayo Clinic’s 150th anniversary and to celebrate, the clinic will launch the new tradition of its ‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope,’ honoring its service to humanity and expressing the spirit of hope and healing through the beauty of nature.
“To recognize the Mayo Clinic Sesquicentennial in 2014, we looked for a flower that would grow at each Mayo site – Minnesota, Arizona and Florida, as well as the Mayo Clinic Health System campuses in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Georgia. Result: the Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope,” says a release on the company’s website. “This brilliant yellow flower, a newly developed hybrid coreopsis, expresses the spirit of hope and healing which, in turn, supports our primary value, ‘The needs of the patient come first.'”
Mayo Clinic has long promoted the benefits of horticulture therapy, including holding a mum festival every year for more than a century. Its hospital campuses are well-known for their beautiful landscapes that aid in healing patients’ ailments.
“At Mayo Clinic, we understand that enjoyment of nature can play a key role in the healing process,” the Mayo Clinic website says. “The Mayo brothers, Dr. Will and Dr. Charlie, grew up in the agricultural community of Rochester, Minn., and planned extensive gardens and greenhouses when they designed their homes in the early 1900s. Today, landscaping is a prominent feature at each Mayo Clinic location.”
Bobby Saul of ItSaul Plants says in addition to its bright and sunny color and flower form, coreopsis’ ability to withstand severe weather extremes is the key reason Mayo Clinic chose the genus. The hospital system’s three main campuses are located in areas with severe weather extremes, from frigid cold in Minnesota to humid heat in Florida to dry heat in Arizona. Mayo Clinic approached ItSaul Plants when it specifically chose coreopsis ‘Electric Avenue’ as its Flower of Hope to present to patients as gifts and feature in its gardens.
‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope’ will be promoted in the national consumer press, including syndicated newspapers and mainstream consumer gardening magazines. Mayo Clinic will also promote the plant in affiliate hospital settings with posters of the ‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope.’ The clinic makes a point to state it is an honorific title and will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the plant.
About The Plant
‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope’ has bright, citron yellow-petaled flowers in between ‘Moonbeam’ and ‘Zagreb.’ A perennial in warmer climates and an annual in cooler areas, the ‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope’ will bloom from late spring through fall, reaching 18 to 24 inches tall and a spread of 18 inches. Plant in well-drained soil with full sunlight; the plant has moderate to low water requirements. To refresh blooming, remove spent flowers or shear to half height. Hardy to Zones 5 to 9.
For more information on ‘Mayo Clinic Flower of Hope’ and a list of licensed plug growers, contact ItSaul Plants.
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