Hosted by AmericanHort, the national association for the green industry in the United States, Cultivate ’24 celebrated the best of this years’ greenhouse operations, plants, plant breeders, technology companies, and other related organisations.
In his pursuit of better breeding for both growers and customers, the founder of GardenGenetics, Rick Grazzini, won two awards at the show. Grazzini won the Industry Achievement Award and the Editor’s Choice Award for Coleus (Plectranthus) ‘Skeletal’ with Andreas Kientzler.
GardenGenetics is an independent commercial plant breeding company that specialises in the development of new varieties of ornamental, edible, and medicinal plants. They are the breeders behind many popular cultivars of Argyranthemum, Brassica, Lagerstroemia, Lantana, Lavandula, Rudbeckia and Salvia.
Grazzini says: “It is an honour to receive the Greenhouse Grower Industry Achievement award, and to be recognised by our industry. I deeply appreciate the nomination by Dr. Allan Armitage, and the decision of the selection committee to include me among such an esteemed group of industry leaders. I have been able to succeed as a plant breeder only because of the examples set by those who have gone before me: Charlie Weddle, Glenn Goldsmith, Claude Hope, Shun Suda, David Tristam, David Lemon, and many, many more.”
Coleus Skeletal features quirky fishbone-shaped leaves, with a purple mid-rib that bleeds into magenta, finished with a vibrant lime green margin. This variety makes a hearty pot-full, with excellent basal branching and a lush habit. Skeletal, propagated by Kientzler for the EU market has already made a big impression. Launched this year, this is Skeletal’s third award of the season, having already scooped The Platinum Peter Seabrook award, and 2nd in the overall People’s Vote out of over 100 new to 2024 plants at BBC Gardener’s World Live.
“Coleus Skeletal was developed in response to broad request in 2018 from Bruce Harnett, Andreas Kientzler, and Thomas Psenner for coleus with a unique “look” and smaller plant habits. From the time it emerged on our seedling bench, Skeletal was obviously quite different. Yes, the appearance is quite unique, but the soft, loose plant habit allows it to ship more easily from the grower to the retail shop, and to easily be incorporated into combination planters and containers,” explained Grazzini.
Representing several GardenGenetics varieties, Plants for Europe’s Graham Spencer says: “Horticulture is 50% plants and 50% people, and Rick brings us the best of both. He is extremely knowledgeable and very generous with his time and experience. It’s a pleasure to work with him and his excellent plants.”
EU supplies of Coleus are managed the Kientzler team, and UK supplies by Kernock Park Plants.