As you enter Costco, Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot and Lowe's during the Thanksgiving to Christmas holidays the vibrant poinsettias in the entrance displays begin looking a little tired & tattered around mid-December. According to the poinsettia industry 80% of these holiday plants are purchased by women who like to use them for decorator accents around the home. Most are purchased in a 6 week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Don't be surprised if you begin seeing poinsettias introduced for other holidays and occasions as growers look to the future. From Ecke Farms where the poinsettia was made into a national, must-have holiday sensation by founder Paul Ecke's son, Paul Ecke Jr., marketers have their eye one special events and causes, hoping to introduce poinsettias as symbols.

Paul Ecke (senior) was a Hollywood area farmer who realized the winter-blooming poinsettia's potential as a holiday flower. Then he "rode the rails" with samples and started a distribution network. Dependent on land for his outdoor growing operation, he moved the company in 1923 to Encinitas, eventually buying hundreds of acres with rail access in Encinitas and Carlsbad.

It was his son, who built the poinsettia into a holiday tradition, giving samples to TV stations and promoting the plants on the Tonight Show and Bob Hope's Christmas specials. In the 1960s, the company developed a secret grafting technique that turned the spindly shrub into a lush potted plant. Amid growing demand, Ecke Jr. converted the growing operation to greenhouses, dramatically increasing labor and land productivity while eliminating weather risk

Rocket Farms is the third largest wholesale greenhouse grower in the country and second largest in California. We grow and supply unique, high quality indoor potted blooming and foliage plants and a full range of edible herbs, fruits and vegetables.

Christmas Glamour
This was the 21st year for the North American Poinsettia Trials, and results again illustrated the value of multiple trial sites.  There were more than 50 numbered or trialed varieties evaluated.

The North American Poinsettia Trials are conducted in cooperation with the poinsettia breeder/marketing companies. 

Reds
1. Advantage Red (Ecke). The general appearance of this cultivar is reminiscent of Prestige Red, but bracts are larger and showier than Prestige. Bract color in Advantage is a little brighter, and it has larger centers with more cyathia. 
2. Brilliant Red (Ecke). This cultivar was Oglevee Red Angel, but has been renamed and put back into trials because of grower demand. Brilliant Red' is low to medium vigor with dark green leaves. 
3. Christmas Wish (Ball/Selecta). These plants had the attractive bright red bracts and large cyathia with nice complementary bright red, yellow and green coloration that is a main feature of recent introductions from Ball/Selecta.   
4. Majestic Red (Ecke). This cultivar brings a different appearance to poinsettias. The bracts form a very flat top and uniformly round plant. The medium to small size bracts are a brighter, slightly orange red and radiate out from large centers. 
5. North Star (Ecke). This dark-red cultivar produces large plants with a domed head. Centers are large with six to nine tightly packed, large cyathia that hold well in the greenhouse.  
6. Prima Donna (Dümmen/Red Fox). These plants had bright red bracts and large centers with many small cyathia.  
7. Prima Vera (Dümmen/Red Fox).   Bracts are a dark red but are brighter than Premium Red.   

Whites
8. Premier White (Ecke). This is a new white in the Premier series. It is slightly less vigorous than Premier Red, and the bract size is smaller than either the red or pink cultivars.
9. Glace Early (Dümmen).  Glace Early is a light-leaf plant with medium to high vigor. It is upright with good stem strength and can be used in large pot sizes. The bract color in Glace Early is not as white as in Glace, but Glace Early is whiter than dark-leaf cultivars like Premium White. 
10. Christmas Beauty North Pole (Ball/Selecta). This is a potentially very useful white to go with the popular Christmas Beauty family. 

Novelties
11. Christmas Glamour (Ball/Selecta). Christmas Glamour is a dark-leaf plant that has a unique watermelon-pink bract color, which is the cultivar's main attribute. 
12. Christmas Ribbons (Ball/Selecta). This novelty has richly colored peppermint style bracts similar to Marco Polo.
13. Majestic Pink (Ecke). This distinctive pink was introduced with Majestic Red and is well matched to the red. The appearance is a very flat top with the long narrow bracts arranged in layers.
14. Saturnus Eclipse trialed under the name Alreddy Fancy. This novelty cultivar has variegated, yellow and green leaves and small- to medium-sized, bright-red bracts.

History

What we call the Poinsettia is native to Mexico and was called Cuetlaxochitl by the Aztecs. Its name signified "Flower that withers, mortal flower that perishes like all that is pure". The cuetlaxochitl was cultivated as a gift from the gods and Montezuma (1480 - 1520, last of the Aztec Kings) adorned his palaces with the plant. Cuetlaxochitl, with it's blood red color, served as a reminder of the sacrifice the gods had made to create the universe, and the debt which would be repaid with human sacrifice. The Aztecs also used the sap of Cuetlaxochitl to cure fever, and the bracts (leaves) to make a dye. Miracle of the First Poinsettia.

In the 17th century (post conquest) Franciscan missionaries settled in an area of Southern Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcon. The flaming wild flower became for the first time a part of Christian ceremony when it was used in the nativity procession, the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre. It is around this time that many legends originate, purporting to explain why the plant, beginning to be called "la flor de Nochebuena," or Holy Night (Christmas Eve) flower, acquired its brilliant color.

One popular folk story tells about Pepita, a poor young Mexican girl heartbroken at not having the money to buy baby Jesus a present. Seeing her in tears, an angel appears to her and tells her to gather a bundle of the weeds growing nearby. When her tears fall upon the weeds they miraculously turn into glorious red blooms.

Another legend tells of the Franciscan friars celebrating Christmas with a lovingly decorated nativity scene. During the mass, as the Star of Bethlehem passed overhead, the leaves turned from green to bright red. The poinsettia, formally a symbol of Aztec sacrifice, became a symbol of the blood of Christ and quickly associated itself with the Christmas season.

In Mexico, the Poinsettia, "la flor de Nochebuena", is displayed around Dia de la Virgen, December 12. In the U.S., Poinsettia day is also December 12. The date is in remembrance of Joel Poinsett who died on that date in 1851. Quite a coincidence!

In 1828, as first Ambassador to the new Republic of Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett (Bio) while visiting the Taxco region, discovered the ruby red-bloomed plant and was so fascinated with it that he sent clippings to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. Poinsett, a doctor and soldier by trade, was also an amateur botanist. Upon his return to Charleston, he forwarded clippings to friends.

Poinsettia Pulcherrima. Showy Poinsettia. This truly splendid plant was discovered by Mr. Poinsette, in Mexico, and sent by him to Charleston in 1828, and afterwards to Mr. Buist of Philadelphia; from Mr. Buist, it was brought by Mr. James McNab to the Botanical Garden Edinburgh, where it flowered twice last year, and again in February of the present year...
(From "Paxton's Magazine of Botany" Published 1837)

The first Paul Ecke, a Hollywood-area farmer, saw the winter-blooming poinsettia's potential as a holiday flower. Then he rode the rails with samples and started a distribution network.

Dependent on land for his outdoor growing operation, he moved the company in 1923 to Encinitas, eventually buying hundreds of acres with rail access in Encinitas and Carlsbad.

It was his son, Paul Ecke Jr., who built the poinsettia into a holiday tradition, giving samples to TV stations and promoting the plants on the Tonight Show and Bob Hope's Christmas specials. In the 1960s, the company developed a secret grafting technique that turned the spindly shrub into a lush potted plant. Amid growing demand, Ecke Jr. converted the growing operation to greenhouses, dramatically increasing labor and land productivity while eliminating weather risk.

In the 1980s, Ecke Jr. formed Carltas Co., wisely staffing the company with real estate experts, to develop large tracts of land left fallow by the move into greenhouses. My grandfather had a thing for real estate; he loved to buy real estate,” Ecke III said. We weren't making money” with it.







In Mexico, the Poinsettia, "la flor de Nochebuena", is displayed around Dia de la Virgen, December 12. In the U.S., Poinsettia day is also December 12. The date is in remembrance of Joel Poinsett who died on that date in 1851. Quite a coincidence!

In 1828, as first Ambassador to the new Republic of Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett (Bio) while visiting the Taxco region, discovered the ruby red-bloomed plant and was so fascinated with it that he sent clippings to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. Poinsett, a doctor and soldier by trade, was also an amateur botanist. Upon his return to Charleston, he forwarded clippings to friends.

















Behind the Business: Keeping the Ecke Heritage Alive
| Chris Beytes Download this article as a PDF Print this page
>> Published Date: 12/30/2013

This edition of Behind the Business is unique in that it looks not backwards but forwards, and not at a company but at a brand. Yet the entire story is based in history—that of the Paul Ecke Ranch, which, beginning in the early 1920s, created, shaped and dominated the poinsettia market.
Pictured: Eighteen-year Ecke veteran Ruth Kobayashi will continue the tradition of poinsettia excellence, with an emphasis on unique colors and new flower and plant forms.
Paul Ecke III sold the third-generation business in 2012 to the Dutch company Agribio. In 2013, Agribio merged with German breeding company Dümmen. The Ecke's Encinitas, California, land the ranch has occupied since 1923 was sold, with Dümmen now leasing greenhouses back from the new landowner. Ecke went from being an internationally renowned independent breeding company to a brand name with a few strokes of a pen.

Some might think the Ecke story ends there. Sam Kimling's job is to not let that happen.

Sam, an Ecke technical specialist at the time of the sale, has been named Brand Manager for Ecke by Dümmen. Sam is charged with keeping Ecke poinsettias top-of-mind with growers and consumers. He'll do that by tapping into the company's vast heritage, directing its breeding program, and developing and implementing sales and marketing plans. There's tremendous brand loyalty with Ecke,” says Sam. I think that's very important for Dümmen not to lose.”

That heritage begins with breeding. While some may have expected Dümmen to merge the Ecke and Red Fox (Dümmen's European poinsettia brand) breeding programs, they are instead keeping them separate, even encouraging competition between the two. (They will share resources, including cutting production in El Salvador; Ecke's own production in Guatemala has been closed.) The Ecke breeding program (and their valuable and historical collection of germplasm) remains in Encinitas, in the hands of veteran Ecke breeder Ruth Kobayashi.

Sam recalls an article he saw recently from Family Circle magazine, circa 1946, profiling Paul Ecke Sr. and the innovative breeding work Ecke was doing at the time in cut poinsettias. I see Ruth honoring that tradition,” he says. Not looking backwards or looking at what competitors are doing, but looking forward at what the market needs. If you look into the breeding lines that Ruth has done, it's hybrids, it's euphorbias, its things like Ice Punch. It's finding solutions for growers with varieties like Prestige, which defined what V-shaped architecture is, solving big problems for growers, like stem breakage.”

Sam says expect that to continue, with more novelties, hybrids, unique flower presentation and product forms. She's cracked the code on different ways to breed,” says Sam, to give us different results like Luv U Pink and sports of that. Varieties that have new possibilities that we never thought of, like cold tolerance. It's quite exciting.”

The second element of Ecke's heritage is poinsettias as a valued holiday gift.

Everybody gets hung up on price, but I think what was unique to Ecke was creating value with the genetics, trying to break the mold that poinsettias are just another commodity,” says Sam. When you've got something special and unique and customers are willing to pay more for it, and you can market it and brand it differently, why not?” Consider Ice Punch, which combined unique genetics with special packaging and a $1-per-cutting price tag. Or Winter Rose, which introduced an entirely new bract form to the world.

Colors, pots, the way we present them, the forms they're in … a lot of things Ecke had done in the past and that had gone away are coming back. Mini [poinsettia] production and creative packaging ideas around that … I see tremendous interest in that from retailers and consumers, so yes, you'll continue to see marketing programs and packing ideas coming from us. That's something the retailers expect from us. We're constantly trying to push the envelope of what's possible.”

That includes another piece of Ecke heritage: supplying poinsettias for the Tonight Show, which they've done for at least 30 years. On Monday, December 9, host Jay Leno publicly thanked Ecke for the beautiful poinsettias on the set. The Tonight Show is one avenue,” Sam says, but there are many more like that that I'm exploring.”

Finally, while Sam is shaping Ecke's future, he also wants to preserve the company's history and share it with a new generation of growers and consumers, many of whom don't know how the Ecke family built the poinsettia business. The old guard does, but the younger generation doesn't,” Sam says. I don't want the industry to lose that history.”








Scarlet-hued poinsettias still dominate the Christmas plant market, but there are other options and trends to watch. Growers, retailers and breeders all agree on one thing: red poinsettias occupy at least 80 percent of the market during the holidays, if not more. Red is still by far the No. 1 color, and it always will be. Sam Kimling, brand manager for ECKE and Oglevee at Dümmen Group, says Dümmen is "exploring opportunities" in the design aspect of poinsettias, and color comes into play. Dümmen Group, a business unit of DNA Green Group, is one of the world's leading young plants producers. Family run for two generations, it has a solid foundation as a grower-oriented company, with worldwide state-of-the-art facilities for mother plant production. Dümmen Group fields several well-regarded brands such as Bartels, Ecke, Fides and RED FOX.

We want people to think of it beyond just a pot crop and think of it as a decorating piece,” Kimling says, which is why they offer an array of red, pink, white and apricot hues. Advertisers are not using poinsettias as much in consumer decorating magazines. Our breeding work shows there is depth beyond your traditional red, so there are lots of opportunities we'd like to explore with design.”

Other than red, apricot and white are popular colors at Countryside, as are the blue painted poinsettias.

We offer blue and silver poinsettias for our Jewish clientele for Hanukah,” she says. But everybody fell in love with them, and sales keep increasing every year.”

Breaking the mold
Kimling says Dümmen offers poinsettias bred with euphorbias to vary the shape of the leaves and give the traditional poinsettia a different look.

We're trying to break the mold of that traditional red,” he says. But you have to get retailers and growers on board, because some growers are hesitant to add a large percentage of colors beyond red in a scan-based retail environment.”

By changing the shape and presentation, Kimling hopes they can extend the season for poinsettias. For example, Luv U Pink, a poinsettia and euphorbia hybrid, could be a plant to honor breast cancer awareness month in October.

We want to introduce different design concepts, not just foil,” he says. The future of the market is when we can collaborate with hard goods suppliers and do more with the containers and color trends.”


Educate and differentiate
One big hurdle both Harms and Kimling mentioned is getting consumers to realize that poinsettias are nontoxic, and retailers need to constantly reinforce this fact. While discussing this on the trade show floor of Cultivate'14 in Columbus, Ohio, Kimling rubbed some nectar from the cyathia on his fingers and tasted it to emphasize his point.


The 2013 Greenhouse Grower Top 100 Grower List

*=estimated
2013 Rank 2012 Rank Name of Operation State 2013 Total
Sq. Ft. 2012 Total
Sq. Ft.
1 1 Color Spot Nurseries CA 16,400,000 16,200,000
2 2 Kurt Weiss Greenhouses NY 9,774,020 * 12,146,020
3 3 Rocket Farms CA 8,305,120 8,305,180
4 5 Altman Plants CA 7,339,542 6,010,603
5 4 Costa Farms FL 6,207,300 6,417,102
6 11 Bell Nursery USA MD 6,100,000 * 4,212,480
7 6 Metrolina Greenhouses NC 5,900,000 5,850,000
8 7 Ecke Ranch CA * 5,600,000 * 5,600,000
9 8 Color Star Growers CO 5,000,000 5,000,000
10 10 Green Circle Growers OH 4,573,800 4,704,480
11 11 Aris Horticulture OH 4,352,080 4,352,080
12 13 The Sun Valley Group CA * 4,000,000 4,000,000
13 14 Delray Plants Co. FL 3,868,116 3,868,116
14 16 Milgro Nursery



Rocket Farms is the third largest wholesale greenhouse grower in the country and second largest in California. We grow and supply unique, high quality indoor potted blooming and foliage plants and a full range of edible herbs, fruits and vegetables.









Critique of the 2014 Poinsettia Introductions

February 12, 2014 - 11:54
Of more than 50 trialed varieties, 14 new poinsettias are being introduced and offered to growers this year.

BY: JIM BARRETT, WAYNE BROWN AND JOHN DOLE
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Christmas Glamour'
This was the 21st year for the North American Poinsettia Trials, and results again illustrated the value of multiple trial sites. The trials are conducted at Homewood Nursery and Garden Center in Raleigh, North Carolina State University (NCSU), University of Florida and the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre Vineland Station, Ontario. There were more than 50 numbered or trialed varieties evaluated in 2013. Of these, 14 new varieties are being introduced and offered to growers for 2014. The performance of the new varieties and opinions are described below.

In Ontario, the varieties were finished at both 62 and 66° F. The low light levels in Ontario provided a great test of a variety's ability to produce strong stems and the ability to produce and hold centers. This year in Florida and North Carolina conditions supported Botrytis and bract edge burn problems, so the varieties that were more resistant to these problems shined.

The North American Poinsettia Trials are conducted in cooperation with the poinsettia breeder/marketing companies. The trials and this information would not be possible without their support. We appreciate the companies' willingness to provide their new selections for independent evaluation.

Reds

1. Advantage Red' (Ecke). The general appearance of this new cultivar will remind you of Prestige Red', but bracts are larger and showier than Prestige. Bract color in Advantage is a little brighter, and it has larger centers with more cyathia. Advantage was slightly more vigorous at all three locations. At NCSU, Advantage finished Nov. 18 compared to Prestige on Nov. 22. In Ontario, Advantage finished Nov. 23 and Nov. 30 at 62 and 66° F, respectively. In Florida heat delay trials, Advantage did delay, but not as much as did Prestige Red'. Advantage Red' may be a good option for growers who can use Prestige but want a better plant in larger formats and for differentiated markets.

2. Brilliant Red' (Ecke). This cultivar was Oglevee Red Angel', but has been renamed and put back into trials because of grower demand. Brilliant Red' is low to medium vigor with dark green leaves. In Ontario, the small bracts were displayed flat, well above the foliage, but produced essentially no cyathia. In Florida and NCSU trials, the plants had medium-sized, bright red bracts with distinct centers and a large number of cyathia. However, bracts did not lay flat; rather they turned in different directions and appeared crowded together. As the plants matured, they were subject to some cyathia drop and bract edge burn and Botrytis. In Ontario, Brilliant Red' finished Nov. 28 and Dec. 1 at 62 and 66° F, respectively. At NCSU, it finished Nov. 22.

3. Christmas Wish' (Ball/Selecta). These plants had the attractive bright red bracts and large cyathia with nice complementary bright red, yellow and green coloration that is a main feature of recent introductions from Ball/Selecta. The interesting feature of Christmas Wish' is that the individual blooms stand out with bright red against the dark green leaves. In Europe, this is referred to as a star form, which is not commonly done for North American markets. However, surveys have indicated there are many U.S. consumers who like the attractive mix of red and green. Plants are medium (Ontario) to high (Florida) vigor with very good branching. The plants have the strong stems and moderately wide habit of Christmas Beauty'. In Ontario, Christmas Wish' finished Nov. 24 and Nov. 30 at 62 and 66° F, respectively. Also in Ontario, Christmas Wish' was similar in appearance to Christmas Day' but slightly bigger and finished about one week earlier. No bract edge burn or cyathia drop occurred on plants held in the greenhouse in Florida. For growers who like the habit of Christmas Day' or Christmas Beauty', Christmas Wish' appears to have considerable potential for use in larger formats.

4. Majestic Red' (Ecke). This cultivar brings a different appearance to poinsettias. The bracts form a very flat top and uniformly round plant. The medium to small size bracts are a brighter, slightly orange red and radiate out from large centers. In Ontario, bracts did not lay as flat and centers had four to six cyathia. Branching was very good with a wide, but not weak, habit. Vigor was low to medium in Florida and Ontario, but it loved North Carolina and was vigorous. Finish time was Nov. 20 in Florida and Nov. 25 at NCSU. In Ontario, Majestic Red' finished Dec. 1 and Dec. 4 at 62 and 66° F, respectively. Tests in Florida indicate Majestic Red' heat delays similar to Prestige Red'. Bract edge burn and cyathia drop were not a problem as plants were held in the greenhouse. Majestic Red' will be most useful in 61/2-inch and larger sizes to show off the unique habit.

5. North Star' (Ecke). This dark-red cultivar produces large plants with a domed head. Centers are large with six to nine tightly packed, large cyathia that hold well in the greenhouse. North Star' is a great example of why multi-location trials are important. Plant vigor was medium in Florida and high in Ontario and North Carolina. Regional differences also occurred in branching and shoot growth. In Ontario and North Carolina, plants branched well and produced uniform shoots. Interestingly, some of the lower axillary shoots did not develop well, but there were still four to five large flat bract clusters on top of plants consisting of medium to large-sized bracts with numerous secondary and tertiary bracts. In Florida, branching and plant shape were somewhat uneven among the plants. Most plants produced a few strong upright shoots, but often there were smaller thin laterals that grew out to the side. In Florida and North Carolina, the bracts rolled under as they aged and produced a novel but slightly unkempt appearance. North Star' showed color quickly and finished early mid-season. In Ontario, North Star' finished Nov. 22 and Nov. 26 at 62 and 66° F, respectively.

6. Prima Donna' (Dümmen/Red Fox). These plants had bright red bracts and large centers with many small cyathia. The cyathia had nice, distinctive coloration and were held by the plant as it matured in the greenhouse. Dümmen is using the name Prima” to refer to cultivars that have smaller leaves and bracts, which should allow for less physical damage during shipping and retail handling. The Prima cultivars are not in a family” and do not necessarily have similar growth habits and appearances. An outstanding feature of Prima Donna' is excellent branching with strong stems and upright habit as observed at all three trial locations. Unfortunately, this was one of the first groups of plants to develop bract edge burn spots (calcium deficiency) in the Florida trial. In Florida and North Carolina, there was a small amount of stretch at the end of the crop that caused the plants to have an open appearance as the bracts expanded. In Ontario, the bracts tended to have a wavy margin and were slightly crinkled, creating a very untidy bract formation. Plants finished early season and were medium vigor.

7. Prima Vera' (Dümmen/Red Fox). In Florida, the most notable feature of this cultivar was that the plants may have had the strongest stems and best upright growth in the trials. Stem strength was quite good at the other locations, but not exceptional. Bracts are a dark red but are brighter than Premium Red'. Size was medium to large in Florida and NCSU trials but small to medium in Ontario. Bracts are slightly wavy rather than flat like Premium. There was some variation in the appearance of the plants. Some had lighter bract color, some had more non-uniform shoot elongation and some had bracts with longer petioles, which created a more open look in the centers. Also, some of the plants had small stray tertiary bracts that pointed upright in the middle of the cyathia, producing an unkempt appearance. Plants flowered Nov. 17 at NCSU and Nov. 22 and Nov. 26 at 62 and 66° F, respectively, in Ontario. Plants held cyathia well and did not develop bract edge burn when held in the greenhouse past flowering. Prima Vera' showed the best potential for growers in the Ontario trials.

Whites

8. Premier White' (Ecke). This is a new white in the Premier series. It is slightly less vigorous than Premier Red, and the bract size is smaller than either the red or pink cultivars. Premier finishes very early, and in warm climates it is difficult to hold the plants in the greenhouse. Premier White developed bract edge burn and cyathia drop as it matured. Like most dark-leaf cultivars, the color is not a pure white. Premier White' had a golden cast and looked nice with gold decorations. The cultivar did not grow well under Ontario conditions. Premier White' is best suited as a companion cultivar for growers who are using Premier Red'.

9. Glace Early' (Dümmen). In the 2012 trials, the new cultivar, Glace', gained considerable attention due to the pure white bract color; however, Glace' finishes too late for most markets and has small bracts. Glace Early' is an earlier version of Glace' that finishes the last week of November. Glace Early' is a light-leaf plant with medium to high vigor. It is upright with good stem strength and can be used in large pot sizes. The bract color in Glace Early' is not as white as in Glace', but Glace Early' is whiter than dark-leaf cultivars like Premium White'. Glace Early' needs to be fully developed before it can be shipped, since the first bracts are small and the later bracts fill in the canopy. This cultivar was not included in the Ontario trial. Cyathia retention was very good and no bract edge burn developed as the plants matured in Florida. In North Carolina, some Botrytis occurred and upper leaves developed small light spots. This cultivar is definitely one to watch, but needs more trialing.

10. Christmas Beauty North Pole' (Ball/Selecta). This is a potentially very useful white to go with the popular Christmas Beauty family. It is well matched in flowering time and vigor to Christmas Beauty Red', except in Ontario where it was more compact. North Pole has the strong stems and the uniform rounded appearance notable in Christmas Beauty Red'. The Christmas Beauty family has low vigor but has the stem strength to make very attractive plants up to an 8-inch pot size in warm climates. The bract color is a slightly lime white that is usually referred to as polar” in other families, thus North Pole is a good name. The plants held up well as they matured in the greenhouse. In Ontario, North Pole finished Nov. 30 and Dec. 5 at 62 and 66° F, respectively.

Novelties

11. Christmas Glamour' (Ball/Selecta). Christmas Glamour' is a dark-leaf plant that has a unique watermelon-pink bract color, which is the cultivar's main attribute. The general appearance of the plant form and the bract size and appearance are reminiscent of a Freedom. The plants are high vigor and finish mid-season. Plants have a wide vase-shaped habit with medium stem strength. Centers were small with only a few cyathia. Bract edge burn/Botrytis occurred at all three trial sites. While distinctive, it is important for retailers to know how the cultivar will be positioned in the market; it can appear to be either a light red or a dark pink. Christmas Glamour' will likely be best suited for use as a novelty in warm climates.

12. Christmas Ribbons' (Ball/Selecta). This novelty has richly colored peppermint style bracts similar to Marco Polo'. Christmas Ribbons' exhibited average vigor with medium-sized dark green leaves with wavy margins. Plants are free branching with strong, broadly spreading laterals, which creates a very rounded habit. Flowering earlier than Marco Polo', by approximately one week, the medium-sized bracts are a lighter pink than Marco Polo' with the sunny yellow undertones clearly visible in the veins. Under Ontario conditions, the cyathia development was weak to non-existent. Under the higher light conditions of North Carolina, cyathia were few, but they did develop completely to anthesis. In Ontario, Christmas Ribbons' finished Nov. 26 and Nov. 28 at 62 and 66° F, respectively. It finished Nov. 20 in North Carolina.

13. Majestic Pink' (Ecke). This distinctive pink was introduced with Majestic Red' and is well matched to the red. The appearance is a very flat top with the long narrow bracts arranged in layers. The first transition bracts are lighter with green veins and the color becomes a rich salmon pink as newer bracts develop — thus the majestic” connotation. The cultivar was low to medium vigor in Florida and Ontario, but should be used in 61/2- to 8-inch containers to take advantage of the distinctive appearance. Interestingly, it loved North Carolina's climate where it was high vigor. In Ontario, Majestic Pink' finished Dec. 1 and Dec. 6 at 62 and 66° F, respectively. It finished Nov. 24 in North Carolina. Because of the wide growth habit, it is less likely to be useful in mass-market situations. However, Majestic Pink' should be considered by growers who are producing a differentiated product.

14. Saturnus Eclipse' (Beekenkamp; trialed under the name Alreddy Fancy'). This novelty cultivar has variegated, yellow and green leaves and small- to medium-sized, bright-red bracts. The appearance is generally similar to Tapestry'. Like other variegated-leaf poinsettias, plant vigor for Saturnus Eclipse' is very low and stems are thin. The plants are best used in various smaller formats. Compared to Tapestry', Saturnus Eclipse' has smaller leaves and less of a problem with necrotic edges. Tapestry' has a wider yellow margin in the leaves. The transition bracts in Saturnus Eclipse' have better contrasting colors. Plants flowered early to mid-season and held up well in the greenhouse. The cultivar performed well at all three trial locations.






History

What we call the Poinsettia is native to Mexico and was called Cuetlaxochitl by the Aztecs. Its name signified "Flower that withers, mortal flower that perishes like all that is pure". The cuetlaxochitl was cultivated as a gift from the gods and Montezuma (1480 - 1520, last of the Aztec Kings) adorned his palaces with the plant. Cuetlaxochitl, with it's blood red color, served as a reminder of the sacrifice the gods had made to create the universe, and the debt which would be repaid with human sacrifice. The Aztecs also used the sap of Cuetlaxochitl to cure fever, and the bracts (leaves) to make a dye. Miracle of the First Poinsettia

In the 17th century (post conquest) Franciscan missionaries settled in an area of Southern Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcon. The flaming wild flower became for the first time a part of Christian ceremony when it was used in the nativity procession, the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre. It is around this time that many legends originate, purporting to explain why the plant, beginning to be called "la flor de Nochebuena," or Holy Night (Christmas Eve) flower, acquired its brilliant color.

One popular folk story tells about Pepita, a poor young Mexican girl heartbroken at not having the money to buy baby Jesus a present. Seeing her in tears, an angel appears to her and tells her to gather a bundle of the weeds growing nearby. When her tears fall upon the weeds they miraculously turn into glorious red blooms.

Another legend tells of the Franciscan friars celebrating Christmas with a lovingly decorated nativity scene. During the mass, as the Star of Bethlehem passed overhead, the leaves turned from green to bright red. The poinsettia, formally a symbol of Aztec sacrifice, became a symbol of the blood of Christ and quickly associated itself with the Christmas season.

In Mexico, the Poinsettia, "la flor de Nochebuena", is displayed around Dia de la Virgen, December 12. In the U.S., Poinsettia day is also December 12. The date is in remembrance of Joel Poinsett who died on that date in 1851. Quite a coincidence!

In 1828, as first Ambassador to the new Republic of Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett (Bio) while visiting the Taxco region, discovered the ruby red-bloomed plant and was so fascinated with it that he sent clippings to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. Poinsett, a doctor and soldier by trade, was also an amateur botanist. Upon his return to Charleston, he forwarded clippings to friends.

Poinsettia Pulcherrima. Showy Poinsettia. This truly splendid plant was discovered by Mr. Poinsette, in Mexico, and sent by him to Charleston in 1828, and afterwards to Mr. Buist of Philadelphia; from Mr. Buist, it was brought by Mr. James McNab to the Botanical Garden Edinburgh, where it flowered twice last year, and again in February of the present year...
(From "Paxton's Magazine of Botany" Published 1837)

The first Paul Ecke, a Hollywood-area farmer, saw the winter-blooming poinsettia's potential as a holiday flower. Then he rode the rails with samples and started a distribution network.

Dependent on land for his outdoor growing operation, he moved the company in 1923 to Encinitas, eventually buying hundreds of acres with rail access in Encinitas and Carlsbad.

It was his son, Paul Ecke Jr., who built the poinsettia into a holiday tradition, giving samples to TV stations and promoting the plants on the Tonight Show and Bob Hope's Christmas specials. In the 1960s, the company developed a secret grafting technique that turned the spindly shrub into a lush potted plant. Amid growing demand, Ecke Jr. converted the growing operation to greenhouses, dramatically increasing labor and land productivity while eliminating weather risk.

In the 1980s, Ecke Jr. formed Carltas Co., wisely staffing the company with real estate experts, to develop large tracts of land left fallow by the move into greenhouses. My grandfather had a thing for real estate; he loved to buy real estate,” Ecke III said. We weren't making money” with it.







In Mexico, the Poinsettia, "la flor de Nochebuena", is displayed around Dia de la Virgen, December 12. In the U.S., Poinsettia day is also December 12. The date is in remembrance of Joel Poinsett who died on that date in 1851. Quite a coincidence!

In 1828, as first Ambassador to the new Republic of Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett (Bio) while visiting the Taxco region, discovered the ruby red-bloomed plant and was so fascinated with it that he sent clippings to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. Poinsett, a doctor and soldier by trade, was also an amateur botanist. Upon his return to Charleston, he forwarded clippings to friends.

















Behind the Business: Keeping the Ecke Heritage Alive
| Chris Beytes Download this article as a PDF Print this page
>> Published Date: 12/30/2013

This edition of Behind the Business is unique in that it looks not backwards but forwards, and not at a company but at a brand. Yet the entire story is based in history—that of the Paul Ecke Ranch, which, beginning in the early 1920s, created, shaped and dominated the poinsettia market.
Pictured: Eighteen-year Ecke veteran Ruth Kobayashi will continue the tradition of poinsettia excellence, with an emphasis on unique colors and new flower and plant forms.
Paul Ecke III sold the third-generation business in 2012 to the Dutch company Agribio. In 2013, Agribio merged with German breeding company Dümmen. The Ecke's Encinitas, California, land the ranch has occupied since 1923 was sold, with Dümmen now leasing greenhouses back from the new landowner. Ecke went from being an internationally renowned independent breeding company to a brand name with a few strokes of a pen.

Some might think the Ecke story ends there. Sam Kimling's job is to not let that happen.

Sam, an Ecke technical specialist at the time of the sale, has been named Brand Manager for Ecke by Dümmen. Sam is charged with keeping Ecke poinsettias top-of-mind with growers and consumers. He'll do that by tapping into the company's vast heritage, directing its breeding program, and developing and implementing sales and marketing plans. There's tremendous brand loyalty with Ecke,” says Sam. I think that's very important for Dümmen not to lose.”

That heritage begins with breeding. While some may have expected Dümmen to merge the Ecke and Red Fox (Dümmen's European poinsettia brand) breeding programs, they are instead keeping them separate, even encouraging competition between the two. (They will share resources, including cutting production in El Salvador; Ecke's own production in Guatemala has been closed.) The Ecke breeding program (and their valuable and historical collection of germplasm) remains in Encinitas, in the hands of veteran Ecke breeder Ruth Kobayashi.

Sam recalls an article he saw recently from Family Circle magazine, circa 1946, profiling Paul Ecke Sr. and the innovative breeding work Ecke was doing at the time in cut poinsettias. I see Ruth honoring that tradition,” he says. Not looking backwards or looking at what competitors are doing, but looking forward at what the market needs. If you look into the breeding lines that Ruth has done, it's hybrids, it's euphorbias, its things like Ice Punch. It's finding solutions for growers with varieties like Prestige, which defined what V-shaped architecture is, solving big problems for growers, like stem breakage.”

Sam says expect that to continue, with more novelties, hybrids, unique flower presentation and product forms. She's cracked the code on different ways to breed,” says Sam, to give us different results like Luv U Pink and sports of that. Varieties that have new possibilities that we never thought of, like cold tolerance. It's quite exciting.”

The second element of Ecke's heritage is poinsettias as a valued holiday gift.

Everybody gets hung up on price, but I think what was unique to Ecke was creating value with the genetics, trying to break the mold that poinsettias are just another commodity,” says Sam. When you've got something special and unique and customers are willing to pay more for it, and you can market it and brand it differently, why not?” Consider Ice Punch, which combined unique genetics with special packaging and a $1-per-cutting price tag. Or Winter Rose, which introduced an entirely new bract form to the world.

Colors, pots, the way we present them, the forms they're in … a lot of things Ecke had done in the past and that had gone away are coming back. Mini [poinsettia] production and creative packaging ideas around that … I see tremendous interest in that from retailers and consumers, so yes, you'll continue to see marketing programs and packing ideas coming from us. That's something the retailers expect from us. We're constantly trying to push the envelope of what's possible.”

That includes another piece of Ecke heritage: supplying poinsettias for the Tonight Show, which they've done for at least 30 years. On Monday, December 9, host Jay Leno publicly thanked Ecke for the beautiful poinsettias on the set. The Tonight Show is one avenue,” Sam says, but there are many more like that that I'm exploring.”

Finally, while Sam is shaping Ecke's future, he also wants to preserve the company's history and share it with a new generation of growers and consumers, many of whom don't know how the Ecke family built the poinsettia business. The old guard does, but the younger generation doesn't,” Sam says. I don't want the industry to lose that history.”








Scarlet-hued poinsettias still dominate the Christmas plant market, but there are other options and trends to watch. Growers, retailers and breeders all agree on one thing: red poinsettias occupy at least 80 percent of the market during the holidays, if not more. Red is still by far the No. 1 color, and it always will be. Sam Kimling, brand manager for ECKE and Oglevee at Dümmen Group, says Dümmen is "exploring opportunities" in the design aspect of poinsettias, and color comes into play. Dümmen Group, a business unit of DNA Green Group, is one of the world's leading young plants producers. Family run for two generations, it has a solid foundation as a grower-oriented company, with worldwide state-of-the-art facilities for mother plant production. Dümmen Group fields several well-regarded brands such as Bartels, Ecke, Fides and RED FOX.

We want people to think of it beyond just a pot crop and think of it as a decorating piece,” Kimling says, which is why they offer an array of red, pink, white and apricot hues. Advertisers are not using poinsettias as much in consumer decorating magazines. Our breeding work shows there is depth beyond your traditional red, so there are lots of opportunities we'd like to explore with design.”

Other than red, apricot and white are popular colors at Countryside, as are the blue painted poinsettias.

We offer blue and silver poinsettias for our Jewish clientele for Hanukah,” she says. But everybody fell in love with them, and sales keep increasing every year.”

Breaking the mold
Kimling says Dümmen offers poinsettias bred with euphorbias to vary the shape of the leaves and give the traditional poinsettia a different look.

We're trying to break the mold of that traditional red,” he says. But you have to get retailers and growers on board, because some growers are hesitant to add a large percentage of colors beyond red in a scan-based retail environment.”

By changing the shape and presentation, Kimling hopes they can extend the season for poinsettias. For example, Luv U Pink, a poinsettia and euphorbia hybrid, could be a plant to honor breast cancer awareness month in October.

We want to introduce different design concepts, not just foil,” he says. The future of the market is when we can collaborate with hard goods suppliers and do more with the containers and color trends.”


Educate and differentiate
One big hurdle both Harms and Kimling mentioned is getting consumers to realize that poinsettias are nontoxic, and retailers need to constantly reinforce this fact. While discussing this on the trade show floor of Cultivate'14 in Columbus, Ohio, Kimling rubbed some nectar from the cyathia on his fingers and tasted it to emphasize his point.


The 2013 Greenhouse Grower Top 100 Grower List

*=estimated
2013 Rank 2012 Rank Name of Operation State 2013 Total
Sq. Ft. 2012 Total
Sq. Ft.
1 1 Color Spot Nurseries CA 16,400,000 16,200,000
2 2 Kurt Weiss Greenhouses NY 9,774,020 * 12,146,020
3 3 Rocket Farms CA 8,305,120 8,305,180
4 5 Altman Plants CA 7,339,542 6,010,603
5 4 Costa Farms FL 6,207,300 6,417,102
6 11 Bell Nursery USA MD 6,100,000 * 4,212,480
7 6 Metrolina Greenhouses NC 5,900,000 5,850,000
8 7 Ecke Ranch CA * 5,600,000 * 5,600,000
9 8 Color Star Growers CO 5,000,000 5,000,000
10 10 Green Circle Growers OH 4,573,800 4,704,480
11 11 Aris Horticulture OH 4,352,080 4,352,080
12 13 The Sun Valley Group CA * 4,000,000 4,000,000
13 14 Delray Plants Co. FL 3,868,116 3,868,116
14 16 Milgro Nursery