Crops To Pay Attention To Express Seed Co. Sales Meeting July 8 & 9, 2011 Oberlin, Ohio - Gerbera

Gerbera The State of the Union Product Overview- There have been several new additions and improvements made to what is available to our customers in Gerberas from plugs. Gerbera continues to be a consumer favorite and breeders and marketers are finding new ways to sell and use them in the home, garden, landscape, and on patios. Although there are more sizes and variety choices on the market than ever, seed Gerberas have the vast majority of market share over the small specialized tissue culture segment. The highest demand pot sizes are those series that fit into a 4 inch, or quart size pot, followed by 6 inch or gallon, varieties. A growing trend is using Gerberas in hanging baskets (8-10 inch most popular) and in large containers (8-12 inch) as a patio plant or mixed container component.

Gerbera Gerberas as a bedding plant or in the landscape is gaining some traction (mostly in warmer southern or western states) The reasonably priced seed varieties still have garden flaws as they continue to be susceptible, actually magnets, to thrips, white fly, aphids, etc. and to botrytis, crown rot, and leaf spot. They don’t usually look very good very long unprotected in the garden. There are 2 new series from tissue culture (from Florist) that are better suited for garden use on patio containers. Landscape Series Garvinea

Gerbera Landscape Series- Supplied by Plug Connection From tissue culture. Total of 13 colors, including a few bi-color types. Florist developed this line from their extensive professional cut flower genetics so these are large plants with long leaf petioles and flower stems. They do have strong thick foliage and large durable flowers (all cut flower attributes) so they do hold up better in the patio or garden. However, they are expensive and have a long crop time. Garvinea- Supplied by Plug Connection Perennial outdoor Gerberas, also from tissue culture, and also expensive. Garvinea, sometimes referred to as Drakensberg Daisies, are an interspecific cross between a natural variety found in the mountains near Drakensberg, South Africa, and a cut flower variety. This cross maintained the perennial characteristics of the wild Drakensberg types and therefore shows a garden toughness not seen in any other commercial Gerbera to date. Garvineas are hardy to a USDA zone 7 (in a well drained soil) and also have thick leathery leaves, which do make them fairly insect and disease tolerant. They flower most all spring/summer, but have small flowers and long stems compared to other hybrids. 18 total colors.

Seed Varieties 4 inch or quarts with large flowers Revolution series Jaguar series Flori Line Midi series Fortune L varieties

Revolution Series Bred by JHL, Kieft; Single flowers 14 colors and shades – 2 mixes Shortest overall crop time from transplant… color to color Winter and early spring – 9-10 weeks Late spring and summer – 7-8 weeks Genetically compact habit, minimal spacing required PGRs not usually necessary, but depends on time of the year and grower location Bred to have a minimum 3-5 flowers per flush, on average Bi-color mix to be introduced commercially in 2012 New generation revolution series to be introduced in 2013 and 2014 --- no more shades, more uniform, larger flowers

Midi Bi-colors- 2011/2012

Jaguar Series Bred by Syngenta (improved 2009) 12 straight colors – 1 formula mix and 2 fire mixes Also a short efficient crop time, color to color, very close to Revolution timing Winter to early spring – 9-11 weeks Late spring and summer – 7-8 weeks Genetically compact, minimal spacing and PGRs required Bred for 3-5 flowers per flush All colors and flowers are single petaled with no bi-colors New for 2012 --- Autumn colors mix See 6 inch pot section

Flori Line Midi Series Bred by Florist…sold by Northern Innovators 18 total colors, 4 of which are bi-color types and a mix Midi bi-color (white, rose colored accents) Midi eye catch red (red petals, white ring around eye) Midi fireball (orange flower, gold eye ring) Midi eye catcher purple (purple flower, white eye ring) Large flowers – all single petal types Clean bright colors Variable plant habit and crop timing color to color Winter to early spring – 9-13 weeks Late spring to summer – 8-11 weeks More vigorous plant habit than Revolution or Jaguar – PGRs likely Special order plugs from GCG and Plug Connection

Seed Varieties Varieties for 6 inch, 8 inch, and baskets Mega Revolution Royal Series Royal Semi Double Series Festivals Festival Semi-Doubles Festival Spiders Flori Line Maxi Series Flori Line Maxi Semi Double mix Fortune XL Varieties Autumn Colors Semi Double Mix

Mega Revolution JHL/Kieft 9 straight colors and a mix Shortest overall crop time, uniform color to color, for 6 inch production Winter and early spring – 9-11 weeks Late spring and summer – 8-9 weeks 10-15% more vigorous than Revolution bred for 6 or 7 inch pots PGRs may be necessary spring/summer Good in baskets and for patio containers Clean straight colors.. No shades, bred for 3+ flowers minimum per flush

Royal Series Takii (formerly Global Seed) Single Varieties 22 colors and 6 mixes Large flowers, clean straight colors Crop time varies from color to color Winter and early spring – 10-13 weeks Late spring and summer – 8-10 weeks PGRs usually required except in winter Can be used in baskets and large containers Royal Semi Double Series 5 straight colors and a mix Timing 5-7 days longer than most single Royals PGRs likely required – similar habit to regular Royals

Festivals Sakata Seed Co. Single types 19 colors and shades, and 7 mixes Crop time variable from color to color and mix to mix Winter and early spring – 10-13 weeks Late spring and summer – 8-11 weeks Most varieties require PGRs except in winter OK in baskets and patio containers Festival Rose is very good. Fast and compact Festival Semi-Doubles 3 colors and mix of 5 colors Similar to singles in habit Same uses as festivals Festival Spiders – Novelty 2 colors and a mix of 5 colors Similar to other Festivals in crop time and habit

Flori Line Maxi Series Florist… a Northern Innovators product Single types 14 straight colors and a mix Crop time varies color to color Winter to early spring – 10-13 weeks Late spring and summer – 8-11 weeks Large flowers – clean colors Vigorous habit, large foliage – PGRs likely OK for baskets and large containers Plugs via GCG and Plug Connection Flori Line Maxi Semi Double Mix Mix only approximately 10+ colors Long crop time Big showy flowers

Autumn Colors Semi-Double Mix – Syngenta _ new for 2011\2012 Mix of bright fall colors Large full double to semi double flowers – very unique 5 inch winter or 6 inch later in season PGRs probable

Mini types Although these small flowered types are greatly improved through recent breeding, they still only account for a very small market segment of 3-5% overall Mini Revolutions- 5 straight colors and a mix – single flowers 3-4 inch pots Large flowers for a mini type Quick and uniform in production Mini Royals- 9 straight colors and a mix Large flowers for mini type Best in 4 inch pots 1-2 weeks, slower than Mini Revolutions

Mini Festivals Durora Mini- Sakata 5 shades and a mix Some semi-doubles in the mix and shades 1-2 weeks slower than Mini Revolutions 4 inch in spring/summer Durora Mini- Sakata A mix of double flowered types Large flower color range Flowers last longer than single types Selected and bred for botrytis and mildew tolerance Crop time 2 weeks longer to flower than Mini Revolutions More expensive than other mini types 3 inch in winter, 4 inch in summer

Micro Types 2 ½ - 3 ½ inch pots Micro Revolution Irish Eyes Mix All colors fully double with a green eye All colors very genetically dwarf 4-5 weeks transplant to sales

Plug Suppliers Green Circle- 128 tray Plug Connection- 128 tray Still the most dependable Gerbera plug supplier in the industry. Plugs are very uniform in production and graded to insure quality GCG provide all major series, including the Flori Line types if requested Very cost effective Plug Connection- 128 tray Plug uniformity is very high – plugs are graded and acclimated Very good winter quality, not too soft Larger diverse variety availability list and will do custom sows for non-listed varieties Supply the Garvinea and Landscape types, from tissue culture. 72 tray. Flori Line varieties also available from Plug Connection in a 128 tray Knox Nursery- 105 tray Large variety listing Very good winter choice (good old Florida sun) Dependable graded plugs