2014 ASHS Annual Conference

NovaFlora, is the in-house breeding division of Star Roses and Plants.  Ornamental plant breeding at SR&P focuses on developing perennials, shrubs and roses that combine superior aesthetic characteristics with environmental adaptability and pest resistance.  The process between idea conception and cultivar release is a multi-year, multi-step process.  Projects are chosen based on consumer demands and market trends.  Information is weighed against industry standards to determine opportunities for improvement within a specific species or genus. Once targets have been indentified, research is conducted to determine breeding and economic feasibility of the proposed project.   Numerous techniques ranging from traditional breeding to mutagenesis to molecular biology are employed to develop hybrid populations to be screened for identification and introduction of new cultivars.  A rigorous multi-region, multi-year trialing program that culminates with plant patenting, marketing and national distribution follows the screening process.  For global markets, we partner with key distributors and growers around the world.