FleuroStar contest produces strawberry sensation

Fleuroselect, the International Ornamentals Organisation is proud to announce that its FleuroStar for 2011/12goes to the garden strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) 'Toscana'bred by ABZ Seeds.          

The winner was announced at the Annual Fleuroselect Gala dinner in Schloss Nordkirchen, Germany on Friday 22nd July with ‘Toscana’ breeder, ABZ Seeds' owner Gé Bentvelsen picking up the trophy from Fleuroselect President Nils Klemm of Selecta Klemm and Jan Sijm of Hem Genetics, Chairman of the evaluation committee.     

The FleuroStar Contest is held annually during the FlowerTrials® week in June in the Netherlands and Germany. Thirty judges from a cross-section of the industry including journalists, breeders, growers and retailers are challenged to choose the bedding plant with the most ‘wow’ appeal at the all-important point of sale. This year Fragaria ‘Toscana’with decorative, dark pink blossoms and striking cone-shaped fruit stood out as the favourite from the 6 top entries, which were exhibited in highly distinctive displays at 8 Fleuroselect member locations. (Benary,Combinations, Dümmen, Fides, Florensis, PanAmericanSeed/Kieft-Pro-Seeds, Sakata, Syngenta Flowers).   Judges noted that edible ornamentals are trendy and this stunning example has huge commercial potential making it an absolute winner.                 

‘Toscana’ is a real eye-catcher in patio planters, window boxes and beds. The variety forms attractive fruiting and flowering runners and can yield up to 1 kg of fruit for the Hobby Gardener. The seedlings are very economical and environmentally friendly to produce with excellent, uniform germination. Fragaria ‘Toscana’ is distributed in Europe by Volmary, Bruno Nebelung, Florensis, Graines Voltz, Ball Colegrave and Combinations.