February 2020 Variety Info

2020 Poinsettia Introductions By Jasmina Dolce

The poinsettia breeding companies have been quite busy bringing new genetics to the market, and they’ve been kind enough to share all the details on their newest varieties. You will see two significant changes in the available varieties below. Italian breeder Lazzeri is now offering its genetics through Selecta One and Syngenta Flowers, and Rinehart poinsettias are now sold through Danziger.

So as you plan for next season, be sure to consider these new poinsettia varieties — from red to white and novelties in between, early to late season, miniature to tabletop applications. There’s a new poinsettia for all!

RED

‘Allegra Red’ • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
Ideal for mid to late-season sales, ‘Allegra Early Red’ has a finish date of Nov. 21-28. It is a medium to vigorous variety with good branching and an excellent shelf life. It is ideal for all pot sizes up to 6 inches.

‘Blissful Red’ • Beekenkamp
Crowned as the big winner in 2019 by the Dutch LTO independent breeders shelf life tests, ‘Blissful Red’ is ideal for miniature to 6-inch pots. It has a finish date of November 18-25. Blissful does not require much plant growth regulation. Growing it in standard production temperatures will achieve the best number per square foot.

‘Christmas Angel’ • Selecta One
With a response time of six-and-a-half to seven weeks, ‘Christmas Angel’ is the earliest poinsettia in the Selecta One lineup. It features non-fading, deep red bracts and large, dark green pointed leaves. Its medium-high vigor makes it perfect for early medium and large pots. Plus, the excellent cyathia retention provides superior holding, so you can depend on this variety for long-lasting appeal.

‘Christmas Bells’ • Selecta One
An exceptional mid-to-late poinsettia variety for all regions, ‘Christmas Bells’ provides vibrantly rich, deep red-colored bracts and dark green foliage. The very strong, upright, V-shaped habit works well with no rings in larger containers. With a response time of eight-and-a-half weeks, this variety is an ideal late-season choice for Northern growers and features outstanding post-harvest performance. It is a great option for late November to early December sales.

‘Christmas Mouse’ • Selecta One
Innovative ‘Christmas Mouse’ stands out from standard poinsettias with unique, large, oval “mouse ear” bracts that are completely new to the market. This upright, medium-vigor poinsettia is an easy-to-grow, red-bracted novelty with great post-harvest performance. Plus, ‘Christmas Mouse’ has a supporting marketing and POP program.

‘Desiderio Red’ • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
An excellent performer for early-season sales, ‘Desiderio Red’ features medium vigor with a mounded habit. Its large, dark red bracts make for a standout display. It is ideal for 6-inch containers, but can be used in 4- to 10-inch sizes as well.

‘Draco Red’ • Syngenta Flowers
A medium-vigor variety, ‘Draco Red’ has huge, vibrant, true dark red bracts and dark green foliage on an upright, V-shaped plant. It works well in pot sizes from 6- to 10-inch containers. It has a nine-week response time and in most climates will be ready for sale for the mid-late selling season between Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.

‘Futura Brilliant Red’ • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
This variety’s vibrant red bracts and dark foliage provide excellent contrast. Its controlled vigor and early-season timing are perfect for small to mid-sized containers. Strong stems and a V-shaped habit hold up to the rigors of production.

‘Futura Red’ • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
This compact, medium-vigor variety has a finish date of Nov. 15-22. It features strong stems and a controlled V-shaped habit. Its midseason timing is ideal for small to medium-sized pot sizes.

‘Gemma Red’ • Syngenta Flowers
‘Gemma Red’ is a medium-vigor poinsettia with upright, deep red bracts and dark green foliage on a strongly V-shaped growth habit. It works well in 4- to 10-inch containers. The upright habit and strong stems paired with the medium-sized bracts make Gemma perfect for high volume mid to late season production. It has a nine-week response time. As the cyathias keep very well, it can be sold until the middle of December, especially if night temperatures are lowered to 62° F.

‘Holly Berry’ • Selecta One
‘Holly Berry’ is a strong, oak-bracted, rounded, red novelty poinsettia. Its low vigor and superior branching make it ideal for small pots and dish gardens. This mid-season, compact variety has a response time of eight to eight-and-a-half weeks and impressive post-harvest performance. ‘Holly Berry’ is suitable for high-density production in smaller pots.

‘Imperial’ • Dümmen Orange
The bright color of this mid-season red paired with full florist bracts against dark green foliage has made ‘Imperial’ a trial standout for the past two years. The eight-week response time with medium-high vigor make this ideal for late November to early December sales. The strong V shape makes it suitable for high-density planting. Ideal for cold finishing, it is perfect for Northern production.

‘Legacy’ • Rinehart (Danziger)
‘Legacy’ is a vigorous plant with strong, upright stems and fancy grade bracts. This traditional red poinsettia features an eye-catching bright red hue. Timing is week 47/48.

‘Opera Red’ • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
A midseason variety ideal for large containers, ‘Opera Red’ has a finish date of Nov. 18-25. Medium to large bracts paired with strong stems make this variety a workhorse. Excellent shelf life ensures it will hold up throughout the holiday season.

‘Pepita’ • Rinehart (Danziger)
‘Pepita’ is a beautiful, deep red poinsettia named after the Mexican Christmas story of the small child Pepita and the Poinsettia. It is a compact plant with medium bracts and tight internodes. Its high-density production makes ‘Pepita’ perfect for promotional items and mini pots. Timing is week 46/47.

‘Serena Red • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
‘Serena Red’ is a robust variety with strong stems and vibrant, bright red bracts. Its vigorous habit and midseason timing make it ideal for large premium containers that target the core of selling season.

‘Southern Charm’ • Rinehart (Danziger)
Clear-red bracts and an upright habit will have consumers charmed by ‘Southern Charm’. This poinsettia is a strong option for the South but also performs well for Northern growers. It’s a vigorous plant that allows for later starts to reach finished target height. Timing is week 49.

‘Superba Red’ • Lazzeri (Syngenta Flowers)
Easy to produce, ‘Superba Red’ features robust growth with medium to large bracts. It has a finish date of Nov. 15-22 and is ideal for all pots 4 to 10 inches in size. ‘Superba Red’ is a Dutch LTO award winner for excellent shelf life.

‘Viking Pro’ • Dümmen Orange
A mid-season red variety, ‘Viking Pro’ has an eight-week response time with medium vigor. It is versatile to fit containers ranging from 4 to 8 inches and even minis. The classic medium-sized bracts provide a full display on top of the plant. These attractive bracts stand out against the contrast of the yellow cyathia and dark leaves. The strong root system and great branching work well for multiple climates.

WHITE

‘Alaska’ • Lazzeri (Selecta One/Syngenta Flowers)
Bred to be the brightest, whitest poinsettia on the market, this high-vigor poinsettia features attractively large, oak-shaped leaves and bracts that are striking against the bright white color. Plus, it has a response time of eight to eight-and-a-half weeks and is ideal for mid-season finishing. ‘Alaska’ is easy to plan and works well in normal and cool-finish regimes.

‘Alpina’ • Lazzeri (Selecta One/Syngenta Flowers)
This outstanding variety is one of the whitest poinsettias on the market, with large, pointed bracts that are sure to impress. It features early-season color ideal for week 47, with a response time of seven-and-a-half weeks. Its medium vigor works well across many pot sizes.

‘Frozen’ • Dümmen Orange
‘Frozen’ is one of the cleanest whites to join the Dümmen Orange assortment. It is a mid-season variety with an eight-week response time that can easily time well for peak early December sales. The V-shaped architecture branches very readily with crisp white bracts. Its medium vigorous habit makes it ideal for medium and large containers.

‘Jack Frost’ • Rinehart (Danziger)
‘Jack Frost’ is a creamy white poinsettia with lively, upright bracts. This variety is more compact than ‘Pure White’, with a medium growth habit. Timing is week 48.

‘Pure White’ • Rinehart (Danziger)
This poinsettia’s name says it all. Pure white, upright bracts sit atop very upright stems. It has a strong V shape with a vigorous habit. ‘Pure White’ tolerates low light conditions in the North. Timing is week 46/47/48.

OTHER COLORS AND NOVELTY

‘Candy Bubblegum’ • Syngenta Flowers
‘Candy Bubblegum’ is a medium to vigorous poinsettia with large, hot pink br acts and dark green foliage on an upright, V-shaped plant. It stands out with its unique color and works well in 6- t o 10-inch pot sizes. With an eight-week response time, it will be ready for sale in most climates during the core selling season between Nov. 15-22. It color s up relatively early and is salable before full cyathia development.

‘Candy Cane’ • Dümmen Orange
This bicolored red and white jingle variety offers a stunning display for retail promotions with big cyathia and large, star-shaped bracts. Its strong stems and medium vigor make it suitable for mini up to 10-inch production. As a complement to ‘Red Glitter’, it is a half week earlier and slightly less vigorous for early premium promotions. The earlier response time will help in production while the amazing color will help it sell through at retail.

‘Carina Hot Pink’ • Syngenta Flowers
This compact poinsettia features vibrant, hot pink bracts and dark green foliage on an upright, V-shaped habit and strong stems. It works very well in minis, 4-inch and 6-inch containers. ‘Carina Hot Pink’ has a seven-and-a-half week response time, and in most climates will be ready for sale Nov. 10-17. Because of its compact, upright habit, it is ideal for high-density production.

‘Early Polly’s Pink’ • Dümmen Orange
As an alternative to the current hot pink variety, ‘Polly’s Pink’, this variety is one week earlier and retains the same hot pink hue with similar high vigor. ‘Early Polly’s Pink’ is vigorous but is responsive to PGR treatments for height control. The large cyathia with bright, hot pink bracts against dark green foliage make this a fantastic pink choice.

J’Adore Series • Dümmen Orange
These euphorbia hybrids are created from the popular ‘J’Adore Pink’, and now include additional colors: a nice white named ‘J’Adore White Pearl’ and two shades of pink with ‘J’Adore Soft Pink’ and ‘J’Adore Dark Pink’. The unique bract shape provides full coverage of the canopy with distinct color. Their medium vigor allows for versatility for all container sizes, from minis to tabletop planters. They are suitable for mixing with unique colors, such as ‘Green Envy’, for combination mixes.

‘Superba New Glitter’ • Lazzeri (Selecta One/Syngenta Flowers)
This novelty variety is a medium-vigor poinsettia with large, showy bracts. It features a striking, red-to-white glitter pattern with medium green foliage. It works well in all regions in containers ranging from 4 to 8 inches. The mid-season, eight-week response time makes Superba a superior choice among glitter varieties on the market.