Will we be seeing this soon in an Australian garden centre? Spotted at Cultivate ‘23 at Columbus, Ohio in the US in mid -July, were printed plants. According to a report on the event in the regular ‘Acres Online’ e-newsletter they’re a thing.
“Here’s an impulse purchase for your cash wrap: message-printed Hoya carii (heart leaf hoya). You can get stock messages or have them customised. Wholesale cost is just $US2.90, including the pot,” says Chris Beytes. “Likewise, Pilea peperomioides Smiley Face Plants, which are just US$2.55 each.”
The message-printed plant and pot is from derooseplants.com/en/home.
Chris also viewed some interesting new plants, which too are probably heading our way at some stage. He noted new varieties of hydrangea including a reblooming hydrangea, Eclipse bigleaf hydrangeas, from the First Editions collection, which he notes is the first H. macrophylla with dark purple foliage that holds its dark colour all season long, even in warm climates or when cut back (baileynurseries.com).
He also reported on breeding work being done to create sterile forms of two popular ornamental grasses: Pennisetum and Miscanthus. In many eastern US states ornamental grasses are getting a bad rap as they become weedy and find their way on to the invasive species list.
“And it’s a benefit overall: they’re vigorous; have an earlier, longer bloom period; and nicer flower plumes,” says Chris. The grasses are bred in Florida in conjunction with the University of Georgia (sterile pennisetum) and North Carolina State University (sterile miscanthus). See more about these grasses from Emerald Coast Growers at ecgrowers.com.
