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Dumb Questions
| Chris Beytes
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>> Published Date: 4/25/2012
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 “Anymore colors in the pipeline?”
On the surface, that sounds like one of the most common and expected questions asked at Spring Trials, right behind “What’s new?” and “Is there seed in the bag?” I’ve asked it hundreds of times in my three decades of coverage of the California and European trials. Always seemed like a good question. I mean, if this color is nice, more colors would be even nicer, right?
But this year, this veteran learn that sometimes, “Are there more colors?” is a dumb question. And from whom did I get my schooling? None other than Gerry Raker of C. Raker & Sons, the same deep thinker who inspired my April column on technology.
Gerry called me out on my “cliché” question (as he politely put it) as we stood in front of a pretty new variety at the Hort Couture trial during the California Spring Trials (he’s part owner of the brand). It was a sunny morning, the new greenhouse at GroLink was packed with interesting stuff, and I was in full-on horticultural journalist mode, with three days of trials behind me, studying the genetics, recalling what varieties came before, knowing the unspoken issues with this crop and that … on top of my game, in other words.
Then Hort Couture’s Jim Monroe showed us one of their stunners for 2013: a variegated petunia called Glamouflage Grape. Now, first, the name is superb. Fits the Hort Couture theme perfectly, is memorable, unique, aptly describes the variegated foliage, and even ties in indirectly to Gerry’s love of hunting. Grape, too, is a good color and color name; a vibrant purple that contrasts with the green and cream leaves. Jim said the key feature of the variegation is that it remains stable.
About then is when I asked my ill-fated question, and Gerry gave me his unexpected—and yet so right on—lecture.
“Chris, that’s a cliché question,” he said (I’m paraphrasing now). “With a variety this spectacular, you don’t need any more colors. More colors would only confuse the consumer and dilute its uniqueness. And you probably wouldn’t sell any more product. This one variety is exciting enough to stand on its own.”
As Gerry spoke, I realized the truth in his words. Yes, a standard petunia or impatiens or pansy series demands multiple colors and designer mixes. But occasionally, a variety comes along that’s special enough to stand by itself. More colors not only wouldn’t help, they might even hurt.
One example that comes to mind is Ultima Morpho pansy from Sakata. Introduced back in 2002, it was an All-America Selections winner that year for its unique blue and yellow coloration (named for a species of butterfly). While it was part of the Ultima series of unusual-colored pansies, Morpho stood out. I recommended to many growers that they grow bowls of Morpho for endcap sales because it’s so strikingly beautiful on its own. Nobody needed other colors of Morpho.
Another example might be plectranthus Mona Lavender from Ball FloraPlant. Sells like crazy … and I’ve never asked Ball for more colors. What’s the point? And how about that famous fall pot mum, Pelee? I never asked Ed Higgins if Pelee would be available in a yellow or lavender or white version.
Now, what do you do with a one-off variety like Glamouflage or Morpho or Mona Lavender?
1| Do NOT bury it in the back of the greenhouse amongst the regular stuff.
2| Put it front and center, surrounded by velvet ropes, with spotlights and a big “NEW and RARE!” sign.
3| Number them. If you’ve got 100, mark the tags 1/100, 2/100, 3/100 and so on, and don’t order any more (not this month, anyway).
4| Price them higher than the regular stuff—at least 25% higher. (Hey, it’s a limited numbered edition!)
Thank you, Gerry, for reminding me of something that I already knew. Proves that you CAN teach an old dog a new trick … or at least remind him of one he’d forgotten.
(Want to see Glamouflage? Go to www.youtube.com/growertalks and look for the Hort Couture video Ellen and I shot.)
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