Breeders Open Availability for Unrooted Cuttings; Here’s How Growers Will Benefit

Terra Nova Heuchera

Cuttings for Terra Nova Nurseries varieties will now come from Dümmen Orange.

Over the past year, breeders have been shifting young plant production in an effort to open up availability to the market, and improve the chances of their genetics making it to the retail bench and ultimately, to consumers’ gardens. Here’s a rundown of where you can find the genetics you’re looking for, and updates on production programs.

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Annuals

Suntory Flowers

At California Spring Trials (CAST), Suntory Flowers announced it has opened availability for growers to purchase unrooted cuttings (URCs) in some of its brands, to provide growers with more flexibility. Growers now have a choice between liners or URCs in the interspecific hybrid argyranthemum Grandessa series (URCs available through Dümmen Orange and InnovaPlant), Senetti pericallis, including Baby Senetti and Senetti Sparkle (URCs available through Dümmen Orange and InnovaPlant, and a limited assortment through Cohen Nurseries and HMA/Floraplant); Soiree catharanthus, including Soiree Ka-wa-i-i, Soiree Double, and Soiree Crown (URCs available through Dümmen Orange and InnovaPlant), and Sun Parasol mandevilla, including Garden Crimson and the original group of genetics (URCs available through Aris Horticulture and Vivero Internacional). Contact your favorite broker to line up orders.

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The Plug Connection picked up the full line of Suntory to produce rooted liners, including all of the genetics that had previously been at EuroAmerican Propagators, and the young plant operation also represents many breeders throughout the industry.

Benary+

After Benary’s announcement this spring at CAST that it would partner with Volmary to create Benary+, a joint venture to distribute Volmary’s vegetative varieties in North America, the new entity is now up and running, with a full cast of characters on board to help you with your young plant needs. The team includes President Frank Hüdepohl, Vice President Matthias Mart, Operations Manager Leandro Mano, and three Area Sales Managers, including Dwight Deppen in the Midwest, Randy Uhl in the Southeast, and Melissa Main in the West and Southwest.

Benary+ is the exclusive distributor of Volmary unrooted cuttings shipped directly from its mother stock facility in Kenya. In addition, Benary+ will be a distributor of Benary seed products, which will continue to be shipped from Benary’s facilities in DeKalb, IL; however, you can also order Benary seed products from your preferred broker.

Learn more about Benary+ and Volmary’s wide selection of varieties at BenaryPlus.com.

Suntory Grandessa argyranthemum - feature

Growers can now purchase unrooted cuttings for a number of Suntory Flowers brands.

Plant Source International

Plant Source International (PSI) has licensed Westflowers’ new cuphea Floriglory series, portulaca ColorBlast series, and Constellation petunias. PSI is a supplier of unrooted cuttings to the North American market, with production in Mexico and in the U.S. It’s licensed to produce cuttings for a number of breeders, including Danziger, Florensis, GGG, Marcum, PAC-Elsner, and Westflowers. It also has a large open-market program.

Perennials

Terra Nova Nurseries

Terra Nova Nurseries has contracted with Dümmen Orange to produce unrooted cuttings at its facilities in Central America, to fulfill orders in both North America and Europe. Production will begin officially in week 40 (October 3, 2017), and continue thereafter. The former supplier of Terra Nova Nurseries’ URCs, Savannah International, Ltd, in Kenya, will continue to sell Terra Nova varieties outside North America; however, the change for this market was made due to logistical challenges at the airport in Kenya, which have delayed cuttings in the past. This led Terra Nova Nurseries to seek new and diverse supply systems to ensure delivery of high-quality, on-time cuttings to its global license and customer base.

According to Terra Nova, Dümmen Orange has been a long-time licensee and has gained much experience growing the stock and selling the cuttings into the global market, making the new contract production agreement a palpable and advantageous choice for both companies. URCs are available through Terra Nova Nurseries, the North American broker networks, and Dümmen Orange’s global sales network.

Pacific Plug & Liner

Pacific Plug & Liner (PP&L) has doubled down on its emphasis toward perennial and woody ornamentals production. The major offerings from PP&L include three exclusive products, all bred by Bart Noorrdhuis: helleborus (Frost Kiss series and others), eckibeckia, and Carex ‘Feather Falls’ and the new ‘Ribbon Falls.’The operation has had great success with eckibeckia since its launch of the original three varieties. Three more came on the market this year and one of them — ‘Butterscotch Biscuit’ — has flowers that measure 6 inches across. That variety is almost sold out this year.

PP&L is hoping its focus on helleborus and carex will lead more growers to see these plants as solutions. Helleborus can be grown for both early spring and fall, and carex is a good solution for landscape customers, but also at retail. PP&L also offers dianthus, hydrangea, lavender, cordyline, and its signature Bubble Berry and Hula Berry strawberries. Check out its Linerbility program for availability of young plants.

Southern Living and Sunset Collections

A new alliance with Skagit Horticulture will allow the Southern Living and Sunset collections to improve its availability and distribution of young plants. The program promotes plants in the collections with 10 full ad pages in the brand magazines, social media and online content, and digital advertising on the HGTV and DIY, and Sunset and Southern Living networks.

KiwiFlora

KiwiFlora’s Scent from Heaven dianthus now has availability of cuttings through Green Leaf Plants. The free-flowering dianthus is heat tolerant and fragrant.

Blooming Potted Plants and Succulents

HMA

HMA has been producing unrooted cuttings for a number of breeders at Floraplant. Based in Ohio, it has more than 100 varieties of succulents, and is expecting an additional 60 more in the next few months. It offers a full line of material, representing both large and smaller independent breeders, which allows growers to customize their selection. HMA is also rapidly expanding its availability of perennials.

The Plug Connection

With the Altman family purchasing the Plug Connection last October, and then purchasing the property and assets of EuroAmerican Propagators, including the stock, and adding them to the Plug Connection, the operation is now wide open to offer a much broader selection of succulents, according to the young plant producer.

Ball Ingenuity

Ball Ingenuity has some new programs this year, including its Bud to Blossom orchid program. This offers the opportunity for growers who want to carry a smaller selection of orchids. Ball is also now distributing the Skyfall series of trailing mums from Royal Van Zanten. These programs and more are available exclusively through Ball Seed.

Gediflora

The Belgian mum breeder Gediflora has recently moved all of its production to Aris Horticulture in South Florida because it experienced a much higher quality of cuttings there during a trial last year, based on feedback from its rooting stations.

Woody Ornamentals

Bailey Nurseries

Bailey Nurseries’ JumpStarts liner program offers the opportunity to round out your plant mix with woody ornamental production for higher inventory turns. For their own production needs, growers at Bailey Nurseries wanted a product that would transplant without shock. After years of research and development, the team designed a hexagonal cell that inhibits root circling, which reduces transplant shock and stress that typically slows down production. With this discovery, Bailey was able to offer liners for sale to growers in need of a fast-finish liner for field and container programs.

JumpStarts liners are available from Bailey’s Minnesota greenhouse and Oregon facility, including varieties from the Endless Summer, First Editions, and Easy Elegance Collections. JumpStarts trays include 15 cells per tray, with a 3.9-inch width and 4.2-inch depth, and are available throughout the growing season. Growers can plant in fall for spring sales or in fall for spring sales. Visit BaileyNurseries.com for more information.

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