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The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) named Schizachyrium scoparium — and its cultivars — the 2022 Perennial Plant of the Year.
Perennials selected for the honour are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest and are relatively disease-free.
The Perennial Plant of the Year designation began in 1990 to showcase a perennial that stands-out among its competitors.
The wider selection of Schizachyrium scoparium cultivars are selected by perennial experts in several regions of North America.
For the Canadian region, Tony Post of Brookdale Treeland Nurseries - Valleybrook Farm, selected the ‘Standing Ovation’ cultivar.
“This selection adds excellent texture to the summer garden,” Post said. “Burgundy highlights add late season interest. Seed heads are attractive, particularly when backlit.”
Patty Steinhauser of Stonehouse Nursery picked the ‘Carousel’ cultivar for the Great Lakes region.
“This uniquely mounded selection forms a wide clump of bluegreen foliage that emerges nearly horizontal and matures into strong, upright stems that remain standing through inclement weather and winter,” Steinhauser said. “It takes on pink, copper and orange-red tones in fall topped with tiny seed tufts.”
Richard Hawke from the Chicago Botanic Garden selected
Left to right: Marcel van der Voort (owner of Van Schie), Noëlia Mansilla (president EMEA of Dümmen Orange), Mike van Os (global product manager, pot plants for Dümmen Orange) and Hans van Leeuwen (owner of Lionplant). Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Jazz’ for the Central region. Hawke noted the cultivar reaches about 90-cm tall and 75-cm wide.
“The striking silvery blue leaves of Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Jazz’ are most comparable to ‘The Blues,’” Hawke said.
For the Western region, Nanci Hollerith Allen of MarkWatch Plants notes Schizachyrium scoparium is a tricky plant without reasonably dry, well-drained soil. However, Hollerith Allen recommended ‘The Blues’ and ‘Standing Ovation’ for the pacific northwest and Rocky Mountain regions.
DÜMMEN ORANGE AND CHRYSANNE JOIN FORCES TO FURTHER DEVELOP SUPERNOVA
Dümmen Orange is partnering with Chrysanne to collaborate on the further development of the Supernova series, a disbudded pot chrysanthemum.
Growers Lionplant and Van Schie will market the Supernova series under the name Chrysanne.
“The Supernova is already a very nice series, but we are far from finished,” said Mike van Os, Dümmen Orange’s global product manager of pot plants. “Together with Chrysanne we will continue to develop this beautiful plant over the full width.”
The Supernova is distinguished by a reduced need for inhibitors (PGR), which means that production is less harmful to the environment.
The Supernova is a firm, disbudded pot chrysanthemum with larger, double flowers and a shelf life of at least five weeks.
GISC PIVOTS TO A VIRTUAL EVENT FORMAT
The 2021 Green Industry Show & Conference (GISC) will proceed as a virtual event.
Recent changes to Alberta’s COVID-19 protocols created an unlikely pathway for a live GISC. Landscape Alberta, the show’s host, considered several options to host an in-person show. However, the consensus was to pivot to a virtual format to provide value by offering targeted seminars to the Prairie horticultural industry.
“It became clear that holding a live event this fall would not offer an optimal experience for our exhibitors and attendees. We pride ourselves on decades of success with this annual event and that continues as we plan for a live event next year,” said Joel Beatson, CEO of Landscape Alberta.
The virtual conference will take place Nov. 18-19, and feature 14 hours of online sessions.
The online event will not include a trade show, and exhibitor booth fees will be refunded. Sponsors and advertisers will be offered new opportunities or refunds.
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BRANDT ACQUIRES CERVUS EQUIPMENT
Brandt announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire all shares of Cervus Equipment Corporation.
The acquisition, which values Cervus Equipment at $302 million, will create one of the largest privately-held dealership groups in the world.
“The Brandt team is excited about this deal as it will allow us to better serve our customer base across Canada. The addition of Cervus’ offerings will form three brand new segments at Brandt, dedicated to serving the agriculture, transportation and material handling industries,” said Brandt CEO Shaun Semple. “These segments, in addition to our existing specializations in construction, roadbuilding, forestry and more, will further establish Brandt as a total solutions provider across our diverse customer groups.”
Cervus Equipment operates 64 dealerships — representing numerous manufacturers — across Canada, Australia and New Zealand.“ As a private company with a committed, well-capitalized and longterm owner, Cervus will be better positioned for the next stage of evolutionary growth for our dealerships. The size and scale of the entity created by the combination of our two companies will allow for increased investment into Cervus for the benefit of our employees and customers,” said Angela Lekatsas, president and CEO of Cervus.
Aspire Software has partnered with SiteOne Landscape Supply to focus on improving the estimating process in the Aspire Landscape platform.
Following the partnership, Aspire Landscape will include up-to-date catalogues for all SiteOne locations to help estimators obtain the latest pricing on materials and supplies. With an integrated SiteOne catalogue, Aspire Landscape users are able to eliminate the guesswork in assembling accurate estimates.
As well, the Aspire Landscape and SiteOne integration will provide up-to-date pricing for SiteOne locations, eliminating the guesswork in assembling accurate estimates. As material costs vary from one location to the next, users will be able to access prices for their preferred SiteOne locations for accurate quotes.
The integration will help users create more accurate estimates in less time, since they’ll have current pricing readily available, with no need to contact SiteOne locations directly to inquire about specific products.
LMN ACQUIRES GREENIUS, OPENS PEI LOCATION
Landscape Management Network (LMN) has acquired Greenius, an online training software company specializing in landscaping.
Together, the London, Ontario-based Greenius and LMN will create the green industry’s first fully-integrated system offering end-to-end training, combined with comprehensive business management software. Greenius will also continue to provide a stand-alone offering to customers. Financial details on the acquisition are not being disclosed.
The Greenius team joins LMN immediately, filling an increasing customer need. A recent survey found that 70 per cent of LMN customers identified training as a top priority for their employees in the coming years.
“The addition of Greenius to the LMN family is huge for our customers and the industry,” said Mark Bradley, CEO of LMN. “We know just how important training is to landscaping leaders and their teams, and with Greenius, we can provide the best available training to help customers meet and exceed their needs.”
LMN has also opened its second office in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
The new site, in downtown Charlottetown, will house more than 50 employees, including customer service, business development and technology positions. LMN’s chief technology officer, Mike Lysecki, will be based at the location.
“Prince Edward Island and Charlottetown are growing areas for top talent across Canada,” said Lysecki, who recently relocated to P.E.I. from Ontario. “The province’s proximity to universities and its passionate workforce makes it the perfect place for our expansion.”
Jan 11-13, 2022 Jan 18-20, 2022
PLANT HEALTH SURVEY IDENTIFIES PROMISING GLOBAL INDUSTRY INVESTMENT
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The International Association of Horticultural Producers’ (AIPH) International Plant Health Survey 2021 reveals a promising bio-secure future for the ornamental horticulture industry.
The survey was conducted in early 2021 as part of the International Year of Plant Health 2020, and in response to growing concerns about biosecurity and the ornamental horticulture industry’s duty to sustainability.
The survey aimed to explore how industry organizations work to enhance plant biosecurity in their regions and share information to improve biosecurity within businesses and supply chains.
“The AIPH Plant Health survey is an important commitment of the global ornamental horticultural industry, which relies on international trade to contribute to the sustainability of its future in supporting plant health,” said Ralf Lopian, chair of the international steering committee, International Year of Plant Health 2020. “It is particularly essential to consider that prevention is a key aspect and more costeffective than dealing with full-blown plant health emergencies. Plant pests and diseases do not respect national borders and do not show passports.”
Through the report, AIPH concluded that voluntary standards are increasingly relied upon by industry and regulators to reduce the risk posed by plant pests for national or international trade. Worldwide, 11 voluntary standards for plant health management were identified. The highest perceived level of threat from plant pests and diseases was the trade of live plants and cut flowers, with the second-highest level being identified as growing systems.
As well, AIPH found there is a basis for creating an international equivalence framework between standards.
AIPH aims to set up a Global Plant Health Forum to facilitate information sharing and the development of consistency across supply chains. LT
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