HEREFORD, UK – MELBOURNE, Australia: The recent Horticulture Week Business Award for Best New Ornamental Plant Variety went to Daphne ‘Perfume Princess’. Grown by Wyevale Nurseries, this popular plant is the work of renowned New Zealand-based plant breeder Mark Jury.
A Most Flexible Daphne
‘Perfume Princess’ has become one of the most flexible of all daphnes, with more blooms, longer flowering up to 8 weeks earlier than traditional d.Odora and continuing longer that all other daphnes. Coupled with a stunning citrus type perfume, this ‘quick to grow’ Daphne and the options of growing it as a Stem plant expands its uses still further.
Licensed by Anthony Tesselaar
Wyevale Nurseries are licensed to produce the Daphne by Plant Project Specialists Anthony Tesselaar Plants. We asked Wyevale Nurseries Sales & Marketing Director Adam Dunnett for his feed-back on the recent Award and how the plant became such a strong player in the Wyevale portfolio.
Daphne are traditionally finicky to grow so what makes this one so different?
We have spent a number of years perfecting the growing of Daphne, altering compost mixes, knowing when to trim and what conditions to grow them in. We are now a pretty competent Daphne grower! Daphne Perfumed Princess is one of the strongest varieties we grow, it has multiple breaks so forms a full looking shrub and flowers reliably in its second year – at the point we sell it.
What are the plants key characteristics that attracted Wyevale Nurseries to start producing this variety in the first instance?
From a growing perspective it seems robust, breaks well and flowers reliably. From a sales perspective, the flowers are massive in comparison to other Daphne’s and the fragrance knocks you out. It’s a real show stopper.
What importance does the introduction of new/improved genetics play in Wyevale Nurseries’ future production planning?
It’s a significant part of our business strategy. We have put a lot of time and resource into finding and selecting the best new plants and bringing them to market. New improved varieties (if selected correctly) can benefit everyone in the plant supply chain. We the grower have a stronger growing variety, which should result in fewer losses and command a higher price. The retailer has a plant which gives a USP and looks more saleable and the end consumer buys a plant which is more likely to succeed in their garden and give years of pleasure. We also target new/improved varieties for the landscape/amenity market with the aim of promoting varieties which will perform better in the landscape and add value to our green spaces.
Does Wyevale Nurseries produce any other plants from Tesselaar that are equally as interesting or distinct e.g. Fairy Magnolias, Festival Cordylines, other?
We are trialling a number of different varieties from Tesselaar and a number look to have potential, but we have more trialling to do before we could say they are in the same category as Perfumed Princess!
Wyevale Nurseries mention demand is strong and should customers think about forward ordering to secure their supply of this new exciting introduction?
Demand is out stripping supply and Daphne is not a plant you can switch the tap on overnight. Between ourselves and our propagation partners we have increased numbers significantly, but the really big numbers won’t become saleable until 2020! We have good numbers for 2019 and will be making sure that our key and loyal customers get the first dibs on this multi award winning plant.
www.Tesselaar.com
www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk
