Petunia Phantom’s black velvety petals with their striking yellow star fit perfectly into modern gardening themes. The FleuroStar award is all about the ‘wow’ effect, and that is exactly what the 2010/11 winner delivers! The independent panel of industry professionals who judged the 2010/11 FleuroStar entries on behalf of Fleuroselect, were as one in their opinion of Petunia Phantom - stunning! Phantom is truly unique, and with its black base colour and distinctive yellow star pattern, it is sure to bewitch consumers and magically fly off retail benches.
Use
Beautiful as a stand-alone feature for patio or terrace containers or baskets, it is also ideal for use in creative mixed containers, or as an eye-catching border item.
Market value
Growers will love this easy-to grow, top-quality cutting raised variety that needs no special culture and has low energy needs to produce stunning colour on high-performance plants, adaptable to a wide range of pot sizes for high-margin premium baskets and containers. Retailers will delight in a new breakthrough in a popular class, and a genuine extension of their Petunia offering. No-one could call Phantom a 'me-too’ variety!
Consumers doing their regular Petunia and other bedding-plant shopping will be unable to resist an extra impulse purchase of Phantom, and will enjoy this striking sun-lover all summer long for its full, easy-care plants and masses of trendy flowers. ‘New and different’ is the key to the premiumbedding plant market, and black flowers are a sought-after attraction. Petunia Phantom forms part of a designer collection of cutting-raised Petunias bred by Ball FloraPlant and distributed in Europe by Florensis, Graines Voltz and Ball Colegrave, which also includes the solid-coloured Black Velvet, just like Phantom the very first of its kind. Used together or individually, these premium Petunias have fantastic market potential.
Background information
Petunia belongs to the family of Solanaceae, and has its origins in Argentina, Southern Brazil and Uruguay. Although Petunias were introduced to Europe many years ago, they are indisputably the trend product of recent times. This classic garden favourite has over the last few years enjoyed a marked increase in popularity, and Petunias are currently available in a wide variety of shapes, colours and sizes. Breeder Jian Ping Ren PhD is a renowned specialist in this species and relentless in her pursuit for new and unique characteristics and improved quality and performance. Petunia Phantom is unequivocal proof of her success, an opinion that was shared by the Fleuroselect judges who had no hesitation in crowning this variety with the 2010/11 FleuroStar award.
