Exploring New Markets and Innovations for Varieties

We polled a few breeding companies to learn about their 2024 successes and what drove their breeding efforts this past year. Despite some unpredictable weather, supply chain issues, and changing consumer demands across the U.S., several nursery operations’ native and new ornamental introductions continue to help consumers beautify their spaces. The results are a resounding year-end success.

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  Café Au Lait (Syngenta Cut Flowers) | Syngenta

  
  
  

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  Geraniums have always been a summer staple at retail, but with an increase in demand for geranium combinations, Syngenta Flowers created a new Geranium Custom Combo brochure to help growers create combinations that make a statement at retail and wow consumers all summer long. | Syngenta

  
  
  
  

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  Heuchera FOREVER ‘Purple’ | Terra Nova Nurseries

  
  
  

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  Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’ | Terra Nova Nurseries

  
  
  
  

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  Karma Caroline (Syngenta Cut Flowers) | Syngenta

  
  
  

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  ‘Soiree Double Orchid Improved’ (Suntory) | Suntory Flowers

  
  
  
  

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  ‘Soiree Flamenco Salsa Red’ (Suntory) | Suntory Flowers

  
  
  

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  ‘Soiree Kawaii White Peppermint’ (Suntory) | Suntory Flowers.

  
  
  
  

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  ‘Sunfinity Double Yellow’ | Syngenta

  
  
  

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  ‘Sunfinity Double Yellow’ | Syngenta

  
  
  
  

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  Suntory created a new category for ‘Sun Parasol FiredUp Orange’ to convey the freestanding, upright habit, as well as its bright color. The market is indeed fired up about ‘FiredUp Orange.’ | Suntory Flowers

  
  
  

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  Terra Nova’s biggest success stories for 2024 continue to be its best-selling products: No. 1 is heucheras, the original and best on the market; No. 2 is stunning echinacea for garden beds, containers, and cut flowers like you see here in Echinacea ‘Glowing Dream’. | Terra Nova Nurseries

  
  
  
  

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Constant Innovation is Key

“With more players involved, the market for mandevilla has become crowded in response to consumer demand. We are expanding our unrooted and rooted cuttings supply to fulfill demand and remain competitive.”

“Securing utility patents on breakthrough innovations protects our leadership in the category for a period of time. A recent example is for our mandevillas in shades of yellow and orange.”

“Suntory Flowers opened a new state-of-the-art research facility in Japan two years ago. The President of Suntory Flowers, Yasunori Yomo, advanced from the breeding side of the business. Having someone with that mindset at the top drives innovation and the commitment to reinvest.” – Delilah Onofrey, Marketing Director at Suntory Flowers

Creative Combos

“The new Helianthus ‘Sunfinity Double Yellow’ drew a lot of attention at California Spring Trials, but it really proved itself at summer trials. It performed exceptionally across the U.S. and won several awards, including Favorite Variety at Plantpeddler’s Variety Day, Industry and Public Open House awards at the University of Georgia, and a spot in the Top 20 at Welby Gardens’ variety trials.”

“There are lots of opportunities to service the specialty cut flower grower segment and think outside of the box with species not typical for mass import and export. The interest in cut flowers also extends to home gardeners, so we have also been exploring retail program concepts to show easy cut flower gardening to consumers as well.” – Caroline Phillips, Global Marketing Specialist for Syngenta Flowers

Exploring New Markets

“Since the pandemic has passed, it has been a delicate balance of having enough on hand and throwing away profits at the end of the season. Buyers are more cautious than previously and frequently wait until the last minute to order.”

“The emerging cut flower category of the farm-to-vase movement has sparked new excitement amongst cut flower growers as they discover Terra Nova varieties appropriate for cutting and selling in boutiques. Proponents of the farm-to-vase movement are more experimental than the commercial floral growers. We enjoy their creativeness.” – Chuck Pavlich, Director of New Product Development at Terra Nova Nurseries

Take a look at Part 1 and Part 2 of our look at 2024 trends in varieties from plant breeding companies if you missed it.