January 2022 - 22

MARKETING
done " crop. They would come into full
flower and look great for a short period
of time; then they would decline quickly,
go out of bloom and get mildew. Many
'Cadet Upright Red'
Ball FloraPlant
growers were stepping away from
growing verbena due to these factors.
New breeding has brought this crop
back to life. Growers are trialing new
genetics, such as our Vanessa and
Vanessa Compact series, and falling
in love with verbena all over again as a
container plant, hanging basket and for
garden beds ... and don't forget the classic
PCV [petunia-calibrachoa-verbena] combo.
The bicolor options that are available are
particularly appealing in combo recipes.
GPN: What has been your primary role in the
development of verbena?
Becky: One of my favorite
ways to use verbena is in
combinations. To a
" combination queen "
like myself, items that
add textural appeal
are as important
as color.
One of the most
tried-and-true
trio combination
formulas use
'Vanessa Bicolor Pink'
Danziger
petunia, calibrachoa
and verbena in a single
mix: The petunia adds
the main color with
BOOTH #0106
large blooms, the calibrachoa offers a smaller
flowered speckled look, and the verbena adds a
circular pop of contrasting color.
A great example of this is Ball FloraPlant's
new MixMasters Great Escape. The verbena in
this mix is Ball FloraPlant's Firehouse Burgundy,
which has some of the largest verbena flowers I
have ever seen! Two of my other favorite series
for creating your own combination baskets are
the Lascar and Blues series from Selecta One.
Steve: Verbena has always been a part of our
product mix. We use some of the best genetics
on the market, which offer us some of the most
programmable production and finish. It also
offers the end consumer better habits and color
choices to use in their successful plantings.
Lisa: I am on the marketing and sales side of
things. Our job is to know the market and give
the breeders feedback and a breeding " wish list "
based on what we know our customers want.
After a great deal of hard work by the breeders
in Israel and our trial sites around the globe, I
am part of the team that makes final selections
and decides how to position each plant based on
our current lineup and market conditions.
GPN: What makes verbenas special? Do you
have any favorite verbena varieties?
Lisa: Verbena are special because they have
such great color payoff and I love how they
make a solid carpet of bright blooms in a garden
bed. My favorite series is Vanessa Compact
because it does it all. It is controlled growth so
growers can finish a nice small pot with minimal
PGR use then it continues to gain size and will
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January 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2022
