"We saw opportunities to improve Gaultheria"

Gaultheria procumbens Ciao Bella is the latest innovation from Schoneveld Breeding. Years of intensive breeding and trialing have now resulted in a new benchmark in Gaultheria cultivation. "We saw opportunities to improve Gaultheria," says breeder Sadrach Talahatu. Along with growing support specialist Herbert van Gijtenbeek and Area manager North America Kathy McKay, he shares the story of the development and launch of Ciao Bella.

"The move into Gaultheria was a logical step," explains Sadrach. While Schoneveld Breeding is best known for Cyclamen breeding, there was room in the program for a new, cold-loving crop with potential for improvement. Gaultheria ticked all the boxes: a crop that is naturally sustainable, requires little energy, yet has been produced in much the same way for decades.

© Schoneveld Breeding

Controlled Gaultheria breeding
Sadrach faced an intriguing challenge. "We wanted to create controlled F1 hybrids." This approach gave him control over plant structure, resilience, and uniformity. However, because Gaultheria only produces berries after its flowering period, he had to look at breeding differently from what he was used to. "I had to make crosses without having all the performance data from the parent lines. That sometimes led to surprising results," he says.

The development of the white Gaultheria procumbens proved the most challenging, as there were very few existing varieties on the market. "We really had to start from scratch." In the end, they succeeded in breeding a pure white Gaultheria that is every bit as uniform as the red Gaultheria developed later. "Truly unique," Sadrach says with pride. "It simply didn't exist before."

Ciao Bella gives Gaultheria growers greater assurance
"Ciao Bella is an attractive product for both growers and retailers," says growing support specialist Herbert van Gijtenbeek. The plant has strong growth, retains its colour, and is highly uniform. In addition, it has a lower susceptibility to Colletotrichum – a common fungal disease in Gaultheria procumbens.

Schoneveld Breeding sets itself apart through strong chain management. Herbert explains: "Our entire approach is focused on ensuring a healthy and reliable start. We produce our seeds under strict conditions in a clean environment. Every batch is tested for Colletotrichum by an independent laboratory, and we only sell seed that is completely free from it."

Hygiene remains a priority throughout the process. "We also advise young plant producers to test and only deliver healthy plants. Our exclusive European young plant partner for Ciao Bella applies this approach consistently. Growers can start with Ciao Bella with complete peace of mind."

Succes with a new standard in Gaultheria
Kathy McKay sees the success of this approach in her day-to-day work in North America. "Customers are very positive about the uniformity of Gaultheria Ciao Bella. You only need four seeds per plug, and germination is excellent. After initial trials, growers are coming back with larger orders – the best proof of success," she says.

With Ciao Bella, Schoneveld Breeding has set a new standard for Gaultheria: strong, uniform plants with an abundance of berries in vibrant red and pure white. "The berries stay beautiful for a very long time. You can buy a Gaultheria Ciao Bella in October and enjoy it right through to February," says Herbert. "It's an autumn plant, but consumers also get a lot of enjoyment from it in winter." Kathy adds: "It works well indoors too and can be moved outside in spring – where it also performs beautifully. With Gaultheria procumbens Ciao Bella, you can enjoy it year after year."