After having settled in the highlands of Kenya, Viking Roses has now also landed in the Bogota savannah with a new test facility, serving Colombia and Ecuador. "Latin America is the world's biggest rose production area and, especially for the Viking genetics, it is hard to predict how varieties react to this climate and altitude. Therefore local testing is essential," says John Pouw from Viking Roses. This rose breeding company was founded in 2012 to commercialize the cut roses of Roses Forever. In this article John and location manager Laura Medina tell more about the test facility.
Getting to know Laura Medina
In Colombia Laura operates from the trial house at the premises of Alexandra Farms. "Alexandra Farm has a reputation in selection, and they do not compete with our clients," she comments.
Laura with for 'Rosa Loves Me With Fatal Attraction'
For Laura, flowers are more than a product. "Flowers are my passion, my inspiration, and my second chance at life. I began working with flowers through my flower shop and floral brand, but my journey truly blossomed after facing personal challenges with my health. It was then that flowers became more than just a part of my work—they became my lifeline, a beautiful force that gave me new hope and purpose.
For years, I've had the joy of working in many areas of the floral industry. My background as a floral designer gave me the skills to understand the art and heart behind every bloom. In recent years, I've shifted my focus to the growing and breeding side, where I've had the honor of managing special projects where flowers are always the star. I am privileged to be part of this world and to now work alongside the wonderful team at Viking Roses, where every petal tells a story."
Unexpected results
At the new test location, the Viking Roses team tests selections of both mass-market and premium products for both Colombian and Ecuadorian growers. "All of these have the productivity of breeder Rosa Eskelund's pot rose genetics, and the colours and shapes of the garden rose genetics," says Laura.
Roses from the Colombian trials
So far, John is also positively surprised by the trial results." To be honest I had not expected any results yet because I learnt that the pot rose genetics give shorter stems at higher altitude and with the flowering cycles being longer. Earlier we saw that the garden genetics and the vigorousness of pot roses came out in highly productive standards in our trials in Kenya and the Netherlands. Now we see the same happening in Colombia for both premium and mass-market varieties."
According to John two varieties ('Rosa Loves Me® With Fatal Attraction', and Rosa's Next Level® Just a Little Bit More') have just been planted commercially in South America. "In the end we're all here to make money. In that respect, Viking cut-roses don't disappoint."
Fragrant roses
Laura highlights that the trials include fragrant varieties, saying: "Viking Roses is on a mission to satisfy the consumer. The first thing someone does after receiving flowers is to smell them. We are developing fragrant varieties that will open and last (minimum 10 days), and travel well without any damage (including a few days dry in a box at room temperature). Moreover, they should be produced without fertilizers and pesticides. We have been making 100% biological selections for years now.
A few weeks ago, John took a bunch of roses from the 2025 introduction home from Colombia, dry in a box for four days. They all opened and lasted."
The roses John took home from Colombia
From November 5-7, John and Laura will attend the IFTF in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands. Those who would come to see the roses from the Colombian trials still have to wait as these flowers are currently out of flush. At the trade show they will instead show flowers from their Kenyan trials, especially this year's introductions. You can find them at Booth B2.24.
For more information: 
Viking Roses
John Pouw
Mobile: +31 641686880
E-mail: [email protected]
Laura Medina
Mobile: +57 313 892 5495
E-mail: [email protected]
vwww.vikingroses.com