How Plants Are Bred to Become "Proven Winners" Plants: Video

[Shirley Bovshow]

  

I was invited to tour one of the growing facilities for Proven Winners plants, in Bonsall, California at EuroAmerican Propagators to learn how their plants are developed.

It all begins with testing...lots of testing.

Every plant that is introduced by this company undergoes a STRENUOUS trial period where the plants are planted in the ground, in containers, in hanging baskets, you name it.

Although these plants are well cared for, they aren't "babied" during testing in order to assess their "survivor" potential under average garden care.

A trial plant undergoes  many years of testing and once selected for development, thousands of dollars are invested to produce and market the plant to both the trade industry and the home gardener.

Proven Winners selects a handful of plants every year from a pool of thousands of hopefuls!

Plant trials are a combination beauty pageant/Olympic games where only the most beautiful and most vigorous plants make the cut for development.

Common plants such as alyssum, cleome, lantana, petunias as well lesser known but notable plants are scrutinized for improved performance and beauty.

The results are "designer" versions of popular plants that come with a stamp of approval by the plant breeder.

Some of the improved traits include, longer bloom times, improved disease resistance, lower watering needs, less maintenance and of course, designer colors and patterns!

Once selected as a "Proven Winner" plant, the plants are given memorable names such as "Snow Princess," (alyssum), "Señorita Rosalita," (a thornless cleome) and "Supertunia Vista Bubblegum," among the select.

Watch the video to see what   Proven Winners  does to improve  common plants such as alyssum and witness the step by step process from "research and development" to when plants are shipped in preparation for garden centers.

I hope you find it to be informative and entertaining.


Next time you're at the garden center and see a plant  in  a branded container, you'll understand what makes it different from the other plants with "no name" distinction!

Yes, they cost a few more dollars than non-branded plants but they also promise a lot more.

Shirley Bovshow
Garden World Report Show

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