Pop Star was first introduced back in 2018 as a new compact Platycodon series from seed by Benary and with the latest improvements of the white and pink varieties on top of the classic blue, they can now also be sold as trios which, according to Gundula Wagner, Marketing Communications Manager at Benary, growers truly love.
"The end consumer loves a 'ready to go product'. Instead of planting three different colors together, they only need to put it into a nice container on the patio," she says.
Its uniform flowering window makes Pop Star the perfect Platycodon for trio production, Wagner explains. "The three distinct colors: blue, pink, and white, are excellent to grow together as a trio in a 15 cm pot. The crop's good branching, compact plant habit, and narrow flowering window also enable the individual colors to be sold in the shortest possible time, making Pop Star quick and easy to cultivate."
The crop loves sunny to semi-shaded locations and blooms from June to August. "As a hardy perennial, it shows great performance in both natural gardens and modern settings. In addition, Pop Star also brings a fresh touch to the home as a an indoor pot plant."
Display at the FlowerTrials.
PGR trials held in weeks 22 and 26
Benary recently attended the FlowerTrials 2022 in July, in which they were finally able to meet with visitors and growers face-to-face again under the motto "Benary's SummerFest" after two years of COVID-19 downtime.
Prior to the FlowerTrials, a PGR trial (plant growth regulator trials) was conducted by Benary, of which Wagner had the following to say.
"Most important for growers to know is that Pop Star requires very low PGR applications, whereas competitors apply PGRs many times on their Platycodon to get a compact habit. Benary breeding has been working hard on this in the past years. Low PGRs means less chemicals, saving cost, and better sustainability."
Benary also introduced POP material at the Flower rials for Pop Star, including pot covers, labels, and an easy-to-create retail displays with pallet skirts and CC banners that retailers absolutely loved.
For more information:
Ernst Benary Samenzucht GmbH
Friedrich-Benary-Weg 1
34346 Hann. Muenden
Germany
T: +49 5541 700 9 0
F: +49 5541 700 9 20
[email protected]
www.benary.com