Marcus Jansen

PanAmerican Seed

Product manager

What 3 to 4 professional and/or personal accomplishments are you most proud of?

• Serving as the product manager for the Solarscape impatiens program and having our ‘Solarscape XL Pink Jewel’ variety recognized as an All-America Selections winner.
• Founding the Planting Pride Employee Resource Group at Ball Horticultural Co.
• Singing as a member of the St. Charles Singers and performing on tour in Spain and Portugal.
• Completing my master’s thesis and helping teach woody plant identification at Iowa State University during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What led you to work in the horticulture industry?

• I was raised in an agricultural family but found my love of horticulture at an early age through projects, classes and contests with the 4-H and FFA organizations.
• My journey to the horticulture industry was nurtured through the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University and internships with Creative Garden Services (Quincy, Illinois), Bachman’s (Minneapolis, Minnesota), The Arnold Arboretum (Boston, Massachusetts), and Ball FloraPlant (West Chicago, Illinois).
• I have found that the horticulture industry aligns beautifully with my personal mantra: Go places, meet people, love plants.

What’s the best thing about your job? (Please select one)

• Co-workers

Describe to a 6-year-old what you do in life?

• I help invent new plants.

What are your favorite hobbies?

• Skiing 
• Volleyball
• Singing
• Gardening
• Line dancing

When you’re not working, what are 2 to 3 things we could find you doing?

• Getting lost in a botanical garden, arboretum, park or forest preserve 
• Spending time with my family, including the recent additions of a nephew and niece 
• Exploring a new town, city, festival, fair or destination and finding the best food, beer, live music and views

Do you have any unusual talents, or can you tell us something interesting about yourself that other people may be surprised to find out?

• I am technically ordained and qualified as a wedding officiant.

One thing you can’t live without?

• I don’t go anywhere without my water bottle.

What are you (un)secretly good at?

• Singing. I sing professionally as a tenor in a choral group called The St. Charles Singers. I’m also notorious for singing in the greenhouse and the field trials.

What are your top three bucket list items?

• Build my own botanical garden
• Visit every U.S. and Canadian national park 
• Attend the Summer and Winter Olympics

What’s your favorite plant variety and why?

• While the answer to this question is ever-changing, the species Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud) continues to carry a special place in my heart. Beyond its cheerful, leguminous spring flower clusters, charming heart-shaped leaves and North American provenance, this tree takes me back to spring seasons on the Iowa State University campus and a particularly unique specimen in my childhood that was dear to my late Aunt Debbie.

You’re buying a vacation package to anywhere in the world without a budget, where are you going?

• Take me down under to explore Australia and New Zealand.