"To have true early or true late bloomers is not an easy breeding feat"

Primulas are the specialty of Raes Genetics, a Belgian producer of young plants. Each year, these weeks are the moment to present and compare the latest genetics with the existing range, and this year is no exception. We took a look and walked through the trials with the company's representative, Wouter de Meester.

Wouter de Meester with the Colibri series, "the first winter geranium”

The primula season for growers runs from about December through March. This means that the first plants are planted by the end of July, during the peak of summer, and the first plants hit the market starting in mid-October. The season is not so straightforward, making it necessary to distinguish between early and late bloomers.

Raes naturally aims to meet the complete demand, but Wouter says he has several striking novelties on the shelf, especially in the garden range. “To have true early or true late bloomers is not easy in breeding because nature falls in between. Yet, we have managed to introduce some consistent and strong varieties over the past years.”

The focus is on producing F1 seeds, especially because of their consistency in terms of quality and quantity, which allows growers to know what, how much, and when they'll get it. "A certain level of production guarantee is highly desired.”

Special
Raes largely focuses on large flowers and bright colors. Some of the new names are Red Flame, Purple Flame, Autumn Glory, and Autumn Fire. Additionally, the grower is experimenting with shapes: the so-called Zebra is the variety that Raes put on the map so many years ago, but there's also the so-called primula Rosebud, whose flowers resemble little roses. Another example is the Multiflora Everlast, a primula with an extremely long flowering period and winter hardiness, particularly popular in England.