New Plants for 2025 – NL Flower Trials and UK HTA Plant Show
The overarching trends spotted include pastels and whites, suggesting a shift towards softer, more elegant garden palettes. Another significant focus was on heat tolerance, a feature increasingly valued for plant resilience, even if not a primary concern in Ireland.
Images below with thanks from Fleuroselect and F.P. Mathews: Cosmos Cherry Chocolate, Pansy Topwave, Prunus Samuara Fugenzo, Digitalis Hanabee White and Veronica Lacinta.
New Plant Spotlights
Veronica & Rudbeckia
- Vitroflora has introduced the new Veronica Lancita series, touted as a robust all-rounder. It boasts excellent mildew resistance, strong branching without the need for PGR treatment, making it a low-maintenance option.
- Vitroflora also launched Rudbeckia Kick Start, which is noted for being the earliest flowering Rudbeckia available.
- Benary added Rudbeckia Tablemate Gold to complement their existing wide selection – Amorello Gold being their most outstanding selection. This new variety is more compact and features abundant golden flowers.
Digitalis
- Hanabee Digitalis bred by Takii and distributed by Florensisproudly took home the FleuroStar Award. It is described as uniform, multi-branching, compact growth and is easy care. Three vibrant colour a: white pink and deep rose
- Hem Genetics introduced Digitalis DiBella, a groundbreaking variety that flowers in its first year from seed. It will be available in 2026 in four classic colours.
Azalea
- Hortinno presented Parfumollis, a new fragrant Azalea, bringing an aromatic dimension to this popular shrub.
Dianthus
- Hem Genetics also launched the very compact Dianthus Divinity series.
Florensis promoted Dianthus Dart, a compact, hardy Sweet William bred by PanAmerican Seed.
Dahlia
- Look out for Dahlia Summer Bees, a new introduction in this vibrant genus.
Begonia – Year of the Begonia 2025!
- 2025 is officially the Year of the Begonia, and new introductions were prominently featured. Drought and shade tolerant thuy are a useful filler and feature plant.
- From Schneider, Begonia Landscape Flower Power and Viking Explorer Red on Green, a vigorous trailing selection.
Benary unveiled Begonia Megacool Rose Scarlet and Pink. These varieties are praised for their extremely large flowers, flowering 10 days earlier than competitors, fast pot filling, and impressive retail performance.
Petunia
- Pan American Seed introduced Petunia Top Wave Pink Shades. This series promises the largest flowers among spreading pansy types and a nicely mounded shape, giving them a superior visual appeal at retail.
- Other notable Petunias include “Painted Love” and the Itsy series, the latter specifically highlighted for its compact size and heat tolerance.
Osteospermum
- Danzinger presented Osteospermum Besties, a strong performer well-suited for smaller pot sizes.
- Osteo Purple Sun Improved is new for 2025 and also won a FleuroStar Award.
Erysium
- Erysium Fire is a new colour in the compact series, described as strong and suitable for larger pots than typical Erysium varieties.
Pansies
New varieties like the Topwave pansies were showcased, recognized for their larger blooms and suitability for hanging baskets.
Chocolate Cosmos
- Florensis added a new colour to the Chocolate Cosmos series: Cherry Chocolate, offering a deeper, richer color. The series also has a chocolate aroma in hot weather.
These new introductions showcase innovation in breeding, focusing on improved plant performance, unique colors, and enhanced garden appeal.
HTA Plant Show Awards for 2025 key category winners:
- Best tree and overall winner: Prunus Sumaura Fugenzo, Japanese Lantern. By FP Mathews
- Best shrub Hydrangea Zeta Noir by The Bransford Webbs Plant Company & Darby Nurseries
- Best perennial Hosta ‘Silly String’ By Darby Nursery Stock Ltd & Fairweathers
- Best annual LaBella Dahlia Grande Chocolate Rose By Beekenkamp
Green Peach Aphid (Myzus persicae) control failures 2025
The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae is one of the most serious agricultural pests worldwide, with a broad host range, numerous resistances to plant protection products and the capability to transmit numerous plant viruses. In all, the green peach aphid is reported to be resistant to 87 different compounds. One compound that there have not had reported resistance in green peach aphid is flonicamid. In Ireland, green peach aphid has a wide host range but tends to be of most concern in protected cropping systems, particularly in fruit and ornamental plants. In 2021, reports of difficulty in controlling green peach aphid in Dutch sweet pepper glasshouses emerged.
Subsequent investigations identified a population of green peach aphid who had a reduced mortality (78%) to field rates of flonicamid. The mechanisms causing this increased tolerance to flonicamid by some populations of green peach aphid is unknown, although it is suspected it may be associated with an overexpression of cytochrome P450 genes, which help insects, including aphids to detoxify certain agrochemicals. Currently Dutch growers have begun using cyantraniliprole to manage green peach aphid populations in houses where control with flonicamid is not satisfactory (Beekman et al., 2024).
In Spring 2025, Teagasc received reports of difficulties managing green peach aphids in at least 2 nurseries where imported ornamental plants had been treated with flonicamid. Samples were taken and sent to a laboratory in Holland. Here 5 locations in the aphid genomes were analysed, and the results indicate that the ‘Irish’ samples sent had similar results to the green peach aphid variant which displayed flonicamid resistance. Given the nature of the test we can not confirm if these aphids are the same genotype which caused control issues in the Dutch glasshouse sector, but they do have the same genes that convey flonicamid tolerance.
While the two control failures were subsequently managed utilising different plant protection products, biological control and crop destruction, it is a useful reminder of the need to carefully check plants when they arrive on the nursery and also to check the efficacy of any agrochemical application, as these are both critical elements to any nurseries integrated pest management plan.
Integrated pest control is a useful tool in controlling resistant aphids. In protected environments where aphid numbers are low Aphidius parasitic wasp species, can be used that are highly mobile and adept at finding aphids throughout a crop. At this point in the season active predators such as Aphidioletes can effectively deal with small aphid colonies. Generalist predators such as lacewing larvae are useful also. When using plant protection product and IPM tools consider the persistence of the chemical and if more compatible options such as physical acting modes would be less harmful to your beneficial predators. Teagasc recommend rotation of plant protection products to help prevent resistance build up. Active ingredients are coded by their mode of action. These numbers should be applied in rotation with a minimum of two other active substances. Population carry over to new crops should be managed through good hygiene and control of glasshouse weeds.
Ref: Beekman et al., 2024. Insecticide resistance in Myzus persicae collected from sweet pepper.
Helpful web tool to ID your Aphids
If you are having difficulty with aphid control or suspect tolerance to flonicimid please contact your advisor.
Important Update: Changes coming to Acetamiprid Product Labels and MRLs
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has issued an update regarding changes to Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for 38 commodities, including Acetamiprid. This follows a review by EFSA in 2024 concerning the health-based reference values for acetamiprid, a consumer risk was identified for 38 MRLs currently in place within EU Regulation. As a result, EFSA recommended lowering the existing MRLs for these 38 commodities. The EU Commission subsequently published Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/158 earlier this year, amending the affected MRLs. The categories impacted are mostly tree fruit, field veg and some protected edible crops.
Ornamental plant growers will be unaffected by these changes as their application rates remain the same. There is however a minimum 20 days required between these 2 permitted applications. All growers should note that the labels for products containing Acetamiprid will be changing. The final date for using current products is August 1st, 2025, after which updated product labels and PCS numbers will be introduced. The relevant plant protection products are:
- Gazelle SG (PCS No. 03248)
- Ceta SG (PCS No. 06252)
- Forge (PCS No. 06721)
Updated Gazelle label here (pdf) and Gazelle EAMU for edibles (pdf) others will be will appear on the PCRD web site as they are available.
Reminder New EAMU for PPP
See full Updated EAMU for non food crops Feb 2025
- Lakota – Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L Protected tomato, forest nursery, forestry and ornamental outdoor. Similar to Coragen this product controls larvae and caterpillars.
- SHENZI Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L outdoor ornamentals
- Laguna Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L outdoor ornamentals
- Vertipin – Sulphur 700g/L SC Protected & outdoor: Ornamentals and strawberry . Protected: Tomato and aubergine. Sulphur is a useful product for control of powdery mildew and this is a welcome addition for protected ornamentals.
- PROBLAD – Aqueous extract from the germinated seeds of sweet Lupinus albus 100% w/w (containing 20% w/w BLAD protein) SL Outdoor & protected crops of ornamentals etc. This biological fungicide has been authorised for the control of Mildew and botrytis.
These and additional products are listed here for EAMU for edible and non crops
Herbicide Flufenacet non renewal
The EU Commission recently agreed not to reauthorize Flufenacet in the coming year. Registration expired on June 15th with member states authorised to extend a grace period of 12 months for use up though this is up to each state. Flufenecet is an active ingredient in the following herbicides approved for use with ornamental plants: Sirinova, Sunfire, Cadou Star, Firebird, Naceto and Riber. Irish use up dates will be published by PCS and relayed here.
