Dahlia Dalina Maxi Starburst scoops up Fleurostar Award

Left to right: Michael Perry, Hagen Kalläne, Marjolein Kuyucu-Lodder, Ann Jennen, and Marc Driessen.

Dahlia Dalina Maxi Starburst, submitted by Florensis, scooped up the 15th Fleurostar Award. Fleurostar is an annual contest in conjunction with FlowerTrials that recognises the bedding plant best able to create the wow effect at the point of sale.

The Fleurostar Awards ceremony took place on June 13 at the Selecta One FlowerTrials location in De Lier, the Netherlands. Plant influencer Michael Perry, aka Mr Plant Geek, moderated the well-attended event.

Approximately 140 guests representing a cross-section of ornamental horticulture witnessed how Florensis’ Dahlia Dalina Maxi Starburst battled it out against strong competition, including Calibrachoa MiniFamous Uno Bakari from Selecta One, Dahlia Hypnotica Candy Corn from Dümmen Orange, Petunia Painted Love Purple from Syngenta Flowers and Osteospermum Sunny Klaudia from Beekenkamp Plants.

Dahlia coccinea Dalina Maxi Stardust Pink

Though Syngenta’s Petunia and Selecta One’s Calibrachoa, in particular, also left a lasting impression in an increasingly crowded bedding plant marketplace, Dahlia Dalina Maxi Starburst rightly deserved to win as its two-toned petals and anemone-like radiant flowers will easily amaze and delight end consumers. The award-winning cultivar Dahlia can be easily combined with other colours from the series for additional sales appeal.

Fleuroselect’s president and secretary general, Marc Driessen and Ann Jennen, respectively presented the Fleurostar 2024-2025 award to Florensis’ Marjolein Kuyucu-Lodder, international trade marketeer and Hagen Kalläne, European sales manager.

Over 25 professionals in production, trade, retail, and trade press (including FCI magazine) evaluated each entry on the point of sale attractiveness and commercial potential. Each jury member saw the plants in close proximity at one of the eight locations that exhibit FleuroStar entries during FlowerTrials® in The Netherlands.

Jury members include representatives of Blume 2000 (Germany), Intratuin (NL), the Newey Group (UK), Waterdrinker (NL), Royal Lemkes (NL), Gärtner Poetschke (Germany), Royal FloraHolland (NL), Viridea Garden Centre Group (Italy), Groupe Végétal (France), Nowacka (Poland) and IPL Asda (UK).

The FleuroStar award supports winners in becoming genuine eye-catchers in garden centres and reaching millions of consumer gardens.

Dianthus Diabunda Purple Picotee won the first-ever FleuroStar Contest in 2009. Previous editions’ winners include many successful introductions, such as Fragaria Toscana, Verbena Twister Red, Canna Cannova, Osteospermum Purple Sun, Petunia NightSky, and Dahlia Sincerity from Syngenta Flowers. Last year, the FleuroStar Award went to Mandevilla Sundaville Double Blush Pink from MNP/Suntory.

The new FleuroStar winner will receive considerable marketing support to make its market introduction a success. In addition to conducting an international press campaign, Fleuroselect will promote the new winner at trade fairs and industry events.

Waterdrinker, a major Dutch wholesaler selling to international garden centers and florists, will offer premium product placement for 3-4 weeks at its Green Trade Center next season. DeschPlantpak will dedicate a full spread in its next lifestyle brochure, ‘Colour Your Story,’ to the new winner.