FleuroStar Contest Produces Strawberry Sensation
Fleuroselect, the International Ornamentals Organisation is proud to announce that its FleuroStar for 2011/12 goes to the garden strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) ''Toscana'' bred by ABZ Seeds.
The winner was announced at the Annual Fleuroselect Gala dinner in Schloss Nordkirchen, Germany on Friday 22nd July with ‘Toscana’ breeder, ABZ Seeds'' owner Gé Bentvelsen picking up the trophy from Fleuroselect President Nils Klemm of Selecta Klemm and Jan Sijm of Hem Genetics, Chairman of the evaluation committee.The FleuroStar Contest is held annually during the FlowerTrials® week in June in the Netherlands and Germany. Thirty judges from a cross-section of the industry including journalists, breeders, growers and retailers are challenged to choose the bedding plant with the most ‘wow’ appeal at the all-important point of sale. This year Fragaria ‘Toscana’ with decorative, dark pink blossoms and striking cone-shaped fruit stood out as the favourite from the 6 top entries, which were exhibited in highly distinctive displays at 8 Fleuroselect member locations. (Benary, Combinations, Dümmen, Fides, Florensis, PanAmericanSeed/Kieft-Pro-Seeds, Sakata, Syngenta Flowers). Judges noted that edible ornamentals are trendy and this stunning example has huge commercial potential making it an absolute winner.
''Toscana'' is a real eye-catcher in patio planters, window boxes and beds. The variety forms attractive fruiting and flowering runners and can yield up to 1 kg of fruit for the Hobby Gardener. The seedlings are very economical and environmentally friendly to produce with excellent, uniform germination.
The FleuroStar Award 2010/11 goes to ‘Phantom’
a Petunia from Ball FloraPlant
It''s official: The winner of the 2010/11 FleuroStar Award is Petunia x hybrida ‘Phantom’ from Ball FloraPlant, West Chicago. The unique flower colour combination of this novel Petunia captivated the 28 international judges.
The announcement of the winner of this year''s FleuroStar Award was made at the organisation’s annual gala dinner in Bydgoszcz, Poland on 3rd July by Nils Klemm, President of Fleuroselect, and Jan Sijm, Chairman of the Award Committee, who handed over the 2010/11 FleuroStar Award to Jean-François Ignasse of Ball FloraPlant, U.S.A.
A team of judges selected the winner of the FleuroStar Award for 2010 from among seven entries. It was the unique colour of this Petunia that won over the experts. Ball FloraPlant has grown a real eye-catcher in ‘Phantom’, was the judges’ conclusion. It is a plant with a genuine ''WOW!'' effect and no comparison. The ‘Phantom''s petals are velvety, almost black, with a striking, yellow star centre. The variety bred by Ball FloraPlant''s Jian Ping Ren is distributed in Europe by Florensis, Graines Voltz and Ball Colegrave.
The entries for the 2010/11 FleuroStar Award were presented at five FlowerTrials® locations, all Fleuroselect members, in the Netherlands during week 24: Florensis in Hendrik Ido Ambacht, Fides and Syngenta FloriPro Services in De Lier, Sakata Ornamentals in Honselersdijk and Benary in Maasdijk.
The independent team of judges is comprised of experts from the cultivation, production and retail sectors, specialist journalists and marketing professionals, who award points for commercial performance and innovation.
2009/10 winner - Dianthus x barbatus ’Diabunda™ Purple Picotee’
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Press Release UK 06.2009
Dianthus x barbatus ‘Diabunda™ Purple Picotee’ the abundantly flowering Dianthus for multi-season cultivation
The honour of winning the 1st Fleuroselect Industry Award 2009 goes to Dianthus x barbatus ‘Diabunda™ Purple Picotee’. Judged at the European FlowerTrials® by over 25 international, industry specialists from press to auctions to growers this abundantly flowering Dianthus (hence Diabunda) was the clear favourite for its superb point of sale performance and market potential. The judges raved about the uniformity, floriferousness and excellent quality of the plants and were wildly enthusiastic about the striking, trendy purple & white colour combination. The variety has been introduced to the market and will be widely available in the upcoming season.