The Genetics are there!

New Verbena varieties

Story # 37,


 The genetics are there!


      The largest horticultural trade show for the greenhouse industry is in Columbus, Ohio every July and has all the newest plants.  The new varieties are anticipated and part of the excitement of this international trade show.  I’ve gone many times over the years and am looking forward to going next week.


      Every trade booth is there to impress you with their plant or product display.  The sales pitch must be concise and immediate as growers move around the trade floor.  A phrase that I’ve heard is: ‘The genetics are there’.  I never quite got what that means.


      So my evolved definition is that: ‘This variety will perform.  It has the potential to do what it’s supposed to do if grown properly’.  New varieties are generally improvements of some deficiency like flower color or size.


      Flower show competitions are a test of the genetics.  When an award of Best in Class is given, the plant has been judged to be the best showing of its potential. The winning specimens are selected because the judge’s comment will be: ‘This is the best showing of this plant's potential that I’ve ever seen’.


      Sinningias and Streptocarpus are genetically capable of being showy plants.  The game of hybridization is to make sure that --------- The genetics are there!