Inside-out

PRIMULA BLUE ZEBRA
Primula Blue Zebra offers a fresh, invigorating twist to the Primula acaulis market. During its January-April bloom time, this primula makes a great option for a tabletop centerpiece and will surely be a guaranteed conversation starter. A 2011 Fleuroselect Medal winner, this F1 primula offers something new and unique to the early spring sales window. Pure white-striped flowers provide the perfect backdrop for deep blue leaf veins and a bright yellow eye. Primula Blue Zebra needs bright indirect light, even moistness and as cool an environment as possible. If coolness is not possible, this plant should be kept in a high-humidity setting.

For more: www.hortcouture.com

FESTIVAL GERBERA
Festival Gerbera produces many large, spectacular flowers on every plant. Plants are extremely uniform with a tight flowering window and can be produced in eight to 12 weeks from potting to sales, depending on the time of the year. Festival comes in a complete color range and promises high bud count at time of sales, which increases sell-through at retail.

For more: www.sakata.com

MULTIBELLS GLOXINIA
The MultiBells Gloxinia line is known for its exceptional uniformity and extraordinary flower count. MultiBells is 10 to 14 days earlier than other gloxinia and can be grown at a higher density for increased profits. MultiBells are center flowering, with out-facing blooms for better presentation at retail and with shorter foliage that helps the plants survive transport better. Three colors round out this pot crop series: blue, cherry and white, all of which will be new to retailers for 2014 from Sakata Ornamentals.

For more: www.sakataornamentals.com

CANDY LOVE
From the breeding brilliance of Belgian hellebore expert Thierry van Paemel comes a new selection named Candy Love. Candy Love is a floriferous plant that makes a long-lived pot plant perfect for winter and early spring gift giving. Once it’s warm enough outside, Candy Love makes a permanent, deer-proof and even drought-tolerant addition to any shady garden spot. This new selection is sturdy and vigorous, with leathery evergreen leaves covered in a veil of powder-grey veins. Big, outfacing blooms are held well above the foliage, developing a greenish tinge as they mature. Blooming will begin in the winter months in mild regions and last well into the warmer days of spring. Tests have proven Candy Love to live indoors with simple watering for two to three months showing no signs of distress and blooming the entire time. Liners are available from North Creek Nurseries.

For more: www.plantsnouveau.com

CAPE COOL
Once a favorite house and pot plant, production difficulties have gradually led to a decline in popularity for Streptocarpus. Floranova hopes to buck that trend with the seed-raised variety Cape Cool, which is available now as pelleted seed with 90 percent germination. The modern Cape Cool genetics have a neater plant habit and produce more flowers than old heritage varieties. Being raised from seed, they are also less prone to disease than varieties raised from leaf cuttings. Available in four colors and a formula mix, Cape Cool thrives in a warm, shaded environment and can be used both inside and outside.

For more: www.floranova.com

DIANTHUS OSCAR
The Oscar series of dianthus (pot carnation) has “hyper-uniformity” — a first in a carnation series in habit, timing and bloom size. More compact than SuperTrouper, this new series is the most uniform and best-branched on the market. It is perfect for low-energy growing and is available in four colors: Pink, Pink+Purple, Cherry+Velvet, and Dark Red.

For more: www.selectanorthamerica.com

APPEAL CAMPANULA
Appeal Campanula is a high-value crop that is ideal for end-cap promotions and holiday sales. It can be grown under low temperatures and has a genetically compact habit. Flowers are produced early to mid-spring, but forcing for an earlier date for a specific market is also possible. New in 2013 from Sakata, Appeal is an economical crop and a good addition to the spring assortment as a high-value pot plant.

For more: www.sakata.com

DIANTHUS GREEN BALL
Dianthus Green Ball produces perfectly round green flower heads over very dark and glossy long leaves on strong stems. It works well in 4- and 6-inch (10- and 15-cm) pot plant programs for summer annual sales and makes a great filler for planters and home cut-flower gardens. This Dianthus barbatus is available as rooted liners through Ball Tagawa Growers in California. Green Ball is a Ball Ingenuity product, available exclusively through Ball Seed.

For more: www.ballseed.com

HILO TANGERINE
Brilliant color with a glowing halo make Hilo Tangerine a showstopper. Daisy flowers — the most popular flower form among consumers — in never-before-seen colors fit well in combinations. The Hilo family is a breeding breakthrough, developed to draw a new generation of consumers and stand out on the shelf. A Yoder Select variety, Hilo has an eight-and-a-half-week response, medium vigor and very good keeping quality. The Hilo family is recommended for center-bud-removal and zero-bud-removal and is ideal for 6-inch pots. Hilo Fuchsia is also new for 2013.

For more: www.syngenta.com

FLEUR EN VOGUE PINK
Chic and sophisticated, Fleur en Vogue Pink cyclamen offers one-of-a-kind, soft pink flowers with contrasting white sepals. Blooms face downward like mini umbrellas. Fancy, free-flowering plants hold well at retail and have outstanding consumer appeal to command a premium price. Strong, sturdy plants are as easy to grow as other standard cyclamen in 6-inch or larger pots. Fleur en Vogue Pink is ideal for larger premium combinations, especially for the florist cyclamen market.

For more: www.syngenta.com

APPLE VALLEY CHERRY
Cherry and yellow bicolor make Apple Valley Cherry pot mums ideal for spring or fall promotions. This Yoder Select variety displays vibrant daisy flowers on semi-upright, sturdy stems. It is well-suited for 4- to 6-inch containers and color bowls. Apple Valley offers a consistent look with uniform flower size, timing and habit. It has medium vigor and is well-suited for all disbud treatments. Enjoy flowers up to 5 inches across when grown as a pinched disbud.

For more: www.syngenta.com

DANOVA PRIMULA
Danova Primula from Sakata Ornamentals is the market leader for mid-early season sales. This series sets the standard for uniform plant habit, flower size and quality. Danova provides a popular assortment of solid and bicolor bloom colors to choose from. Flowers are 2 to 2 ½ inches in diameter in a rich assortment of 28 colors and two mixes. It has a short flowering window and superior seed quality for high germination.

For more: www.sakataornamentals.com

GERBERA REVOLUTION
New for 2014, two new colors tighten the flowering window and habit across the popular Gerbera Revolution series. Revolution delivers a quick crop time and is ideal for fully programmable, high-density production. New colors are New Golden Yellow/Dark Center and Scarlet Red/Dark Center.

For more: www.kieftseed.com

CARTWHEEL STRAWBERRY TWIST
Large, semi-double flowers and incredible color differentiate Cartwheel Strawberry Twist from other gerbera on the market and make for striking retail displays. Strawberry Twist features buttery yellows with a hint of pink to deep strawberry. Until now, these fantastic bicolor patterns have only been seen in cut flowers. Strong-growing yet compact plants are perfect for premium retail sales of decorative 5-inch pots or larger. Cartwheel Strawberry Twist provides a higher bloom count at first flush compared to vegetative varieties, which makes it a cost-effective and faster finishing choice for growers.

For more: www.syngenta.com

BEGONIA COCOA
The Begonia Cocoa series has two varieties that can work very well as both indoor potted plants and outdoor plants. Enchanted Evening is an upright, large-flowered shrub-type begonia with very large single flowers that greatly resemble a tropical Hibiscus. Velvety brown leaves compliment unique coral-pink flowers. Puff Pink combines the easy cultivation from tuberous begonias with the elegance of a Reiger. Deep chocolate-brown leaves enhance pink double flowers. As a house plant, Puff Pink never stops flowering.

For more: www.terranovanurseries.com

LITTLE CUTIES
Terra Nova presents its line of heuchera, the Little Cuties series. Compact, dense plants that feature evergreen foliage are the perfect size for point-of-purchase displays. The Little Cuties series includes seven different varieties that are perfect for the popular new trend of indoor fairy gardens.

For more: www.terranovanurseries.com

All photos courtesy of respective companies