Celosia ‘Shimmer’ from Johnny’s Selected Seeds Named 2026 Fresh Cut Flower of the Year
June 9, 2026 
Hillary Alger, Senior Product Manager at Johnny’s, holds a bouquet of Shimmer celosia (L), and flower breeder Emily Starck in the field with Shimmer celosia at the Johnny’ s Research Farm (R). | Johnny’s Selected Seeds/Johnnyseeds.com
Johnny’s Selected Seeds’ celosia variety ‘Shimmer’, from its flower breeding program, has been named the 2026 “Fresh Cut Flower of the Year” by the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG).
Selected and voted on by ASCFG membership, the award recognizes ease of culture, productivity, and marketability in the cut flower market, making it one of the industry’s most respected honors.
“It’s the highest honor to receive recognition from the members of The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, a longstanding, bedrock organization for local cut-flower production in North America and beyond,” says Hillary Alger, Senior Product Manager at Johnny’s. “What makes this recognition truly special is that the members who grow and design with the varieties nominate and vote for their favorites. It is incredibly rewarding to know that our work is adding value to their flower farms and businesses.”
Celosia ‘Shimmer’ distinguished itself among ASCFG’s seed trial results for its ease of cultivation, yield, stem length, and market appreciation rating, making it a favorite for both field production and floral design. It also earned a strong “Grow again” score, indicating that the trialers would invest the time, money, and space to grow the cultivar again.
Featuring full, well-formed plumes in a soft blend of colors, ‘Shimmer’ showcases a range of pink, peach, gold, and lime pastel hues with a luminous sheen that catches the sunlight. The early-flowering, vigorous, branching plants reach 36 to 48 inches tall, yielding multiple 4- to 8-inch plumes with an open, airy flower form. Available as certified organic seed, Johnny’s Breeding Team began developing ‘Shimmer’ in 2016.
“Our flower breeding team is proud of the years of work we put into developing Shimmer,” says Emily Starck, a flower breeder at Johnny’s. “And there’s no greater thrill than seeing that effort culminate in a variety that shines for growers in their fields and gardens.”
For additional information on Celosia ‘Shimmer, click here to visit the variety page on Johnny’s Selected Seeds’ website.
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