Digitalis ‘Hanabee F1 White’ Wins the 2025-26 FleuroStar Award
Digitalis purpurea ‘Hanabee F1 White’. | FleuroSelect
Fleuroselect has announced that the FleuroStar Award 2025-26 has been awarded to Digitalis purpurea ‘Hanabee F1 White’ bred by Takii and commercialized in partnership with Florensis. Breeder Johan van Velzen, Head of Product Strategy Harm Custers, and Friederike van der Boon, Head of Marketing from Takii, accepted the prize from Fleuroselect President Marc Driessen and Secretary General Ann Jennen during Flower Trials 2025.
Digitalis ‘Hanabee F1 White’ from Takii / Florensis was competing against:
- Ageratum ‘Monarch Magic’ from Florensis
- Dahlia ‘LaBella Maggiore Fun Elmo Ruffle’ from Beekenkamp Plants
- Dianthus Hybrid ‘It-Girl’ from Selecta One
- Helianthus ‘Sunfinity Double Yellow’ from Syngenta Flowers
- Pelargonium ‘Grand Idols Glory Days Red Orange Bicolor’ from Dümmen Orange
- Scaevola ‘Surdiva ‘Super Purple’ from Suntory Flowers Europe
The jury stated, “Thanks to its pure white color and outstanding branching, this compact Digitalis is a true innovation for the pot & bedding plant market, opening up additional sales possibilities.”
Hanabee F1 White (Digitalis purpurea)
The name Hanabee – a contraction of the Japanese word for fireworks ‘hanabi’ and ‘bee’ – pictures the essence of this innovation. Branching from the bottom, this Digitalis from seed offers multiple stems with white blooms, creating a bouquet effect, reminiscent of the luminous glow of fireworks. Its white tubular flowers are a true magnet for bees and bumblebees, turning Hanabee into a contributor to biodiversity.
Celebrating the Digitalis ‘Hanabee F1 White’ winning the 2025-2026 FleuroStar Award. | FleuroSelect
Hanabee will sparkle at the point of sale thanks to its visual appeal and compact format, which is easily transportable. Together with pink and deep rose, ‘Hanabee F1 White’ forms a series that will light up the benches.
International Trade Jury
Ann Jennen, Secretary General of Fleuroselect, says, “We are very proud of the fact that high-level players in the market such as Blume 2000, Intratuin, B&Q, the Newey Group, Waterdrinker, Royal Lemkes, IPL Asda, OBI and Emsflower are willing to assess our candidates. FleuroStar’s success and credibility are due to the diversity and expertise of our jury. ”
In total, more than 25 professionals from production, distribution, retail, trade marketing, or professional press evaluate each entry on point of sale attractiveness and commercial potential. Each jury member has seen the plants in close proximity at one of the nine locations that exhibit FleuroStar entries during FlowerTrials in The Netherlands.
FleuroStar Award Evening at Benary, Volmary, and Elsner PAC
The FleuroStar Award Evening took place on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the Benary, Volmary, Elsner PAC FlowerTrials location in Rijsenhout (NL). Approximately 140 guests from a cross-section of the international ornamental plants industry enjoyed a networking dinner, learned more about the entered varieties, and attended the award ceremony and announcement of the new winner.
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