How Plant Breeders, Growers, And Retailers Can Promote Pantone’s 2016 Colors Of The Year

Angelonia Archangel Light Pink (BallFloraPlant)

Angelonia Archangel Light Pink (BallFloraPlant)

This past week, Pantone announced its 2016 Color of the Year. Or, should we say, Colors …

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For the first time, Pantone blended two shades — Rose Quartz and Serenity — in coming up with its Color of the Year.

“As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern-day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent,” Pantone announced on its website.

“Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.”

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The Pantone website also lists suggested color pairings for Rose Quartz and Serenity in combination with others.

“Appealing in all finishes, matte, metallic, and glossy, the engaging combo joins easily with other mid-tones including greens and purples, rich browns, and all shades of yellow and pink. Add in silver or hot brights for more splash and sparkle,” the site indicates.

So what does this mean for the floriculture industry? Greenhouse Grower checked in with several plant breeders to find out about the varieties they offer that fit well with Rose Quartz and Serenity, what they are doing to promote the benefits these colorful plants offer, and what growers and plant retailers can do to profit from these colors.

• Ball FloraPlant and Selecta are encouraging their grower and retailer customers to stay on trend and add these colors to their spring assortment.

“Forming a retail display around the Pantone Colors Of The Year builds excitement and educates the gardener on the latest trends in fashion, flowers, and home decor,” says Katie Rotella, Public Relations Manager at Ball Horticultural Company.

Both Ball FloraPlant and Selecta offer product recommendations based on Pantone’s colors, including Angelonia ‘Archangel Light Pink’ and Lobelia ‘Hot Springs Sky Blue’ from Ball FloraPlant and Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Double Compact Pink’ and Lobelia ‘Magadi Electric Blue’ from Selecta.

• At Bailey Nurseries, the news is a perfect homage to ‘Endless Summer’ Hydrangeas, says communications specialist Ryan McEnaney.

“The Pantone selections so wonderfully reflect the color variety on ‘Endless Summer The Original,’ depending on soil pH,” says McEnaney.

Impatiens SunPatiens Spreading Pink Kiss (Sakata Seed America)

Impatiens SunPatiens Spreading Pink Kiss (Sakata Seed America)

“We’ve shared this information on Facebook and plan to include it in our social campaign for the year. It’s an added feather in the cap when talking about these wonderful hydrangea shrubs. Pantone’s selection will help invigorate the colors in the landscape palette.”

McEnaney highlights the Magnolia ‘Centennial Blush Star’ from First Editions Plants as a wonderful reflection of Rose Quartz.

“The delicate blush pink color is a welcome addition to the spring landscape, and will be promoted through social media as we come out of winter and bring in 2016,” he says.

• Sakata Seed America has several varieties that fit Pantone’s color choices, says marketing specialist Alicia Bush. These include the new Impatiens ‘Sunpatiens Spreading Pink Kiss, Delphinium ‘Plant Light Pink,’ and many others.

“We plan to use the Pantone colors of the year in promotions throughout the year including California Spring Trial displays, social media posts, and digital and print advertising,” Bush says.

• “We’re always excited to see the new Pantone colors of the year and especially this year, when the colors chosen and the reasoning behind their selection so perfectly dovetail with our message about how gardening contributes to connection and wellness,” says Kate Haram of Monrovia.

“These kinds of moments provide us with an opportunity to be part of a larger conversation, especially with regard to social media platforms. We have already heavily shared on all social platforms a group of plants that perfectly reflect the 2016 chosen hues, including Hydrangea ‘Blue Enchantress,’ which is a near-perfect match to Serenity, and Hibiscus ‘Amour’ that reflects Pink Quartz.”

• At Plants Nouveau, co-owner Angela Treadwell-Palmer says the color choices from Pantone remind her of hydrangea blooms, and the company’s Everlasting Hydrangea series falls under the colors perfectly, especially as the flowers age and move into their antique phase.

“I plan to make a Pinterest board with every plant we have that fits into the scheme, and write some blog posts about plants that work well in these colors,” she says.

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