Marginpar's new clematis a hit on social media

A new cut clematis is on the market for less than a week and it is already a hit among many European, Eastern European and British florists and designers on social media. Words like ‘stunning', ‘amazing’ ‘beautiful’, ‘gorgeous colour’, and ‘magnifique’ are used to describe the variety and some even call it their 'new favorite' or 'one of the best varieties with a single-head'. The name of this new cut clematis is Havana and it is added to the Clematis Amazing® series of grower Marginpar. But what is so special about the cut clematis, this series and this new variety? We will explain it below. 

Clematis Amazing® Havana 

The (hi)story of the cut clematis
The cut clematis is both a fairly new as well as an old variety. A century back, the clematis was used as a cut flower, but when WW II broke out, the cut flower disappeared. A search for this ‘cut’ Clematis started again in the 90’s, ending in Japan. Opportunities rose to refine the Clematis from garden plant to cut flower. Together with Dutch clematis grower Jan van Zoest, owner of Clematis nursery J. van Zoest B.V., Marginpar started up breeding the cut clematis. With a clear goal: a specific characteristic, better, stronger, and above all something that is not yet available in the market. They selected the "parents" and after fertilising the waiting started and after two years the first selection started in the Netherlands. 

Then, a part went to the trail site at the Marginpar farm in Tanzania to test if they also grow well there and whether they are resistant to fungi, how easily they multiply, the vase life, and so on. Jan's son, Jos van Zoest, traveled and still travels there regularly to investigate and guide the new species; and pull out the plug where necessary. Even if there is already a field full of them, because yes: “We only go for the best. It just has to be really good.” If a winner has emerged, multiplication starts, so that with the introduction of the Clematis there is sufficient supply to meet the demand all year round. And in 2006, after 10 years of breeding, it happened. The Clematis Amazing® Blue Pirouette was the first Clematis cut flower to be introduced. It then took five years for a successor to come, but after that it went fast. The Amazing® series came to life and new cultivars are added to the assortment almost every year. 

Latest introduction: Havana
With the newest addition, Havana, the Amazing® series currently consists of 13 varieties. This variety is blue/lilac in colour with a dark lilac stripe on the back of her petals. In the heart, the white stamens have deep purple tips. Havana has a large flower at the top, and four smaller buds on the side branches. "The secondary buds open slowly in the vase and give a nice contrast with the large main flower. It’s an extraordinary view and a special treat to have so many extra flowers opening", the grower says. 

Introduced at the Dutch auction
Last week, on May 19th, Clematis Amazing® Havana was introduced at the Royal FloraHolland Aalsmeer auction. Marginpar was satisfied with the demand and prices on the clock, but particularly happy with the reactions they received from florists and growers in different parts of Europe, Eastern Europe and the UK. "Designers, from Sweden, Russia, the UK and many more countries posted pictures on their Social Media pages of this variety with very positive comments", Marginpar's Helena van Achterberg tells us.