The creation of a novel spray rose cultivar involves intricate genetic exploration, clearly defined breeding objectives, and extensive collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Paul de Bruin, breeding director at breeder United Selections, provides comprehensive insights into the strategic breeding methodologies driving their renowned Blossoms series, highlighting the multifaceted approach necessary for the success of these innovative varieties. Fortunately for all of us, Paul is used to explaining this in a non-technical manner, so this will be an easy read about how those wonderful spray roses from United Selections are created.
The Blossoms Spray Rose Series by United Selections
From a practical perspective, Blossoms roses distinguish themselves through superior vase-opening characteristics and minimal thorn presence, attributes that significantly enhance handling efficiency and consumer satisfaction. Paul de Bruin highlights how these functional traits directly translate into market preferences and florist practices.
Although not every spray rose at United Selections is a Blossoms variety, this series is the flagship of the sprays. Currently, notable varieties include Wedding Blossoms, recognized for its sophisticated ivory-white petals and abundant blooms per stem, positioning it favorably for wedding and luxury market segments. Similarly, Velvet Blossoms has gained prominence through its deep-red coloration, appealing significantly to upscale floral designs. Furthermore, Golden Blossoms and bicolor variants such as Speaking Blossoms and Candy Blossoms exhibit robust market acceptance, contributing to the Blossoms series' comprehensive market success.
A Sophisticated Breeding Strategy
The Blossoms emerge from a sophisticated breeding strategy referred to by United Selections as the "customer leader approach." According to de Bruin, this approach encompasses extensive market research, precise stakeholder consultations, and detailed evaluations involving growers, logistics providers, importers, florists, and ultimately, the end consumers. Such thorough assessments are essential in determining critical objectives for cultivar development.
“Our breeding priorities are multi-dimensional, encompassing the optimization of productivity, enhancement of transport robustness, improvement of vase longevity, and significant elevation in resistance to prevalent pathogens,” states de Bruin. Varieties that fail to achieve excellence in these critical parameters undergo rigorous evaluation processes and, when necessary, are systematically excluded from further consideration within the breeding and selection pipeline.
Collaborative Evolutionary Genetic Advancements
Each of United Selections' spray rose cultivars presents distinct phenotypic characteristics designed to fulfill diverse applications and preferences within various market segments, thus demonstrating versatility and adaptive success. The Blossoms series as well as varieties outside this line, such as Keijsers Coral, Misty Charm, and Amazing Magic, exemplify progressive genetic improvement through iterative cycles of breeding. Initial-generation cultivars primarily targeted substantial increases in bud size but faced practical limitations related to overly large blooms, which posed logistical challenges. Subsequent generations have strategically refined these traits, achieving optimal balance by maintaining desirable large blossom sizes while simultaneously enhancing other essential attributes such as overall plant vigor, production efficiency, and market adaptability.
The commitment to continuous improvement at United Selections extends significantly beyond aesthetic attributes, digging deeply into disease resistance and genetic robustness. The company actively engages in collaborative research initiatives, notably in partnerships with esteemed institutions such as the renowned Wageningen University. These collaborations involve fundamental genetic research to identify and utilize markers linked to critical disease resistance traits, notably against detrimental pathogens like downy mildew and botrytis.
"This collaborative paradigm promotes broader advancements across the rose-breeding industry. By enhancing general genetic knowledge, these efforts indirectly benefit individual breeding initiatives and promote overall industry health," emphasizes de Bruin. Such collaborative projects exemplify pre-competitive cooperation, fostering industry-wide genetic resilience and innovation.
Sustainability Integration in Breeding Practices
Sustainability forms an integral pillar of the breeding philosophy at United Selections, deeply embedded in both operational procedures and cultivar development strategies. The strategic emphasis on enhancing productivity per unit of cultivated land, combined with optimized packaging efficiency, significantly reduces environmental impacts throughout the supply chain.
“These incremental enhancements are pivotal in ensuring competitive viability amidst increasingly stringent sustainability requirements,” notes de Bruin. "Our ongoing commitment to sustainability ensures that every variety not only excels in market appeal but also contributes positively to ecological resilience and resource efficiency."
Looking forward, United Selections has ambitious plans to expand the Blossoms series significantly, targeting an increase to 50-60 commercially viable varieties by the year 2030. This strategic objective underscores the company's aspiration to secure a prominent and influential position within the global spray rose breeding industry.
“The introduction of our 100th spray rose cultivar would represent the culmination of years of dedicated research and breeding efforts, marking a milestone achievement in our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in rose breeding,” concludes de Bruin.
In essence, each Blossoms variety embodies extensive genetic research, rigorous selection processes, strategic breeding decisions, and dedicated scientific collaboration, reinforcing their indispensable role in contemporary floriculture and contributing profoundly to the ongoing evolution of the industry.
Finally, Why Would You Buy Blossoms Spray Roses?
It's a difficult and mean question to ask the breeding director himself. But why would he buy Blossoms?
Paul says:
"Blossoms spray roses always open beautifully, so something really happens in the vase on that kitchen table. That in itself is worth admiring and taking a moment to reflect on. Blossoms are very colorfast, they keep their color well during vase life. Furthermore, the fact that they hardly have the characteristic rose thorns is very pleasant for putting in a vase and watch each and every bloom slowly yet surely open up."
If that is not the reply you would expect from a rose lover, then what is?
Ps. Got fifty-five seconds left? Then watch this short YouTube video that presents several stunning Blossoms spray roses:
