Winning an award. First of all, it is a recognition that you have bred or are producing a good product, but it can mean much more to the winner. It can increase the popularity of the product and in turn result in higher sales. A living proof is the variety Echinacea Cara Mia Yellow from Terra Nova Nursersies. This variety has won several awards, and as a result, orders are increasing. "We even expect to sell out by mid-spring shipping season", says Rebecca Orr of Terra Nova.
Echinacea CARA MIA™ (Photo Credit: Terra Nova Nurseries)
Echinacea Cara Mia Yellow
"Echinacea Cara Mia Yellow is a perennial that makes itself unique by its bright lemon-yellow double flowers, a uniform and dwarf habit with re-branching stems. Testing and trials by the breeding team indicate the variety produces more and larger flowers, a higher crown count, and better-quality foliage than other dwarf echinacea", explains Orr.
A much appreciated characteristic by growers and consumers is its nearly five-month long flowering period. "It sometimes blooms from June to October. Aside from that, it makes for a great cut flower, is deer resistant and is both a hummingbird and pollinator attractor."
Echinacea CARA MIA™ (Photo credit: Echinacea Cara Mia Yellow from Terra Nova Nursersies)
"Performance at trials made lasting impression"
It was introduced in April 2018, and the popularity started to increase after seeing the performances at Pennsylvania State University’s trial gardens in 2018. "It is our understanding the variety made a lasting impression. Judged on five different criteria, Cara Mia Yellow earned an average score of 4.5 out of 5 for its performance across five categories, which was quite impressive. Those who were responsible for rating this variety also noted its foliage, awarding it a perfect five out of five for that individual category."
Echinacea CARA MIA™ (Photo Credit: Terra Nova Nurseries)
Retailers’ Choice Award - "Indicator of popularity"
Cara Mia Yellow’s successful performance at Pennsylvania State University’s trial gardens was reaffirmed when the variety received a Retailers’ Choice Award at Farwest 2018, the largest trade-industry show in the western United States. "The Garden Center Group, an alliance of garden centers, consultants, service providers, and vendors, presented awards to a number of exhibiting companies they felt had the best new products.” explains Orr. One of those companies, of course, was Terra Nova Nurseries and the Cara Mia Yellow. "Receiving this award is a sizable indicator of its popularity."
Increasing demand
Since the introduction and particularly after receiving the awards, Terra Nova has seen the demand increase. "So far, we have seen an increase in orders from wholesale growers each time the Cara Mia Yellow wins another award, and we expected to sell out by mid-spring shipping season."
And they see more potential to grow. "There has been positive feedback from growers, sales reps and customers who love the Cara Mia Yellow in large plantings."
For more information
Terra Nova Nurseries
Email: sales@terranovanurseries.com
www.terranovanurseries.com