Trial: Annual
Year Trialed: 1998Good Qualities
Clear true color, very vivid (6); Transplants well (2); Strong stems (2); Better production than most other colors in the 'Fortress' series; Good germination; Well liked by the florists; Holds up well after being cut (both foliage and flower); Tolerated heat well; Sold fresh to florist; Full bracts; First color to bloom; Dries well - retains color; 74% germinationProblems
Color somewhat dull; Low production; Yield miserable (QIS did not do much better); Some difficulty retaining blooms after drying, some shattering occurred; Leaf disease susceptibility; Extremely varied (color shade and stem structure); Most stems did not have a nice head of flowers - it took a lot of stems to make a presentable bunch; Small flower headsTrial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating¹ | Repeat Again Rating¹ | Ease of Cultivation Rating¹ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 11.5 | 17.3 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 4.7 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Comments
Similar to 'Fortress Dark Blue'; Similar to 'Purple Monarch'; The 'Fortress' strain as a whole was not impressive; I have grown a lot of annual Statice for the past nine years, and this strain is, on the whole, inferior to anything else I've grown; Overall an exceptional plant. Customer appreciation very high - great cut flower; Shorter stems than other colors in series.