Thursday's Plant -- Hypericum

Prince Flair

Hypericum

Over the past six years, hypericum has become a popular fresh cut flower in Europe. In 1994, Van der Bosch, Holland, breeder of the Flair series, introduced a compact cultivar called Prince Flair. This cultivar is suitable for outdoor container or landscape use. Plants reach a final height of 15-17 inches and a width of 16-18 inches.
Prince Flair is a woody perennial that produces spikes of 1-inch-wide, yellow flowers. Plants continue to flower for four weeks. After flowering, reddish-brown berries (0.4 inch in diameter) develop and remain on the plants for five to eight weeks. Crop time is 15-18 months depending on which stage of development the plants are sold.

*****
Hypericum is vegetatively propagated and rooted in 50-cell trays for 10 weeks. A well-drained growing mix with pH of 5.6 is recommended. Rooted cuttings are pinched once about five to six weeks after planting.

SPECIFICS:
Name: Hypericum Prince Flair
Crop timing: 15-18 months from planting of rooted cuttings. Plants can be sold green, with yellow flowers or with flowers and reddish-brown berries. Does best in 6-inch to 1-gallon containers.
Grower benefit: Can be grown at a wide temperature range. Hypericum can be sold as an outdoor container plant or for use in the landscape.
Selling point: Cool-temperature woody perennial that has attractive yellow flowers and reddish-brown berries.

Plants do well finished in 6-inch and 1-gallon containers. Plants develop good lateral shoots when cuttings are planted 1/2 inch deeper then the growing medium level.
Crop time from a 10-week-old, one-pinch liner is seven to nine months for a green, salable plant. A finished plant in flower requires 11-12 months. A plant with flowers and berries has a production time of 12-15 months.
Crop time can be shortened by three months using supplemental light (incandescent lamps are adequate) to extend the total day length to 17 hours. Once the shoots reach 2 inches long after pinching, supplemental light should be provided for eight weeks.
After transplanting, plants can be moved outdoors. They should be irrigated with clear water for four to six weeks depending on amount of rainfall and weather conditions. Grow plants under cool temperatures (45F-50F) initially to promote good root formation. As shoots begin to grow, apply a low level (0.8-1 EC) of 12:10:18 fertilizer. Gradually increase the amount of fertilizer (EC 1.3-1.5) as plants continue to grow.
Initially, finished containers can be spaced pot to pot. When shoots reach 4-5 inches tall, space plants at nine pots per square meter (10.8 square foot). This ensures that plants finish with a nice, round shape.
Temperature range, 23F-90F, for hypericum is wide. Prince Flair is grown outdoors in the Netherlands. Grow plants in full sun for best results. If severe frost is expected after planting, cover plants to avoid frost damage.
Time to sale can vary because of production timing and pruning. If plants are pruned in July and August, they should be ready for sale in November and December.
Plants are susceptible to aphids, thrips and rust.
For more: Marflor Farms, P.O. Box 230816, Encinitas, CA 92023-0816; (760) 727-6390; fax (760) 727-8193.

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Hypericum
Over the past six years, hypericum has become a popular fresh cut flower in Europe. In 1994, Van der Bosch, Holland, breeder of the Flair series, introduced a compact cultivar called Prince Flair. This cultivar is suitable for outdoor container or landscape use. Plants reach a final height of 15-17 inches and a width of 16-18 inches. Prince Flair is a woody perennial that produces spikes of 1-inch-wide, yellow flowers. Plants continue to flower for four weeks. After flowering, reddish-brown berries (0.4 inch in diameter) develop and remain on the plants for five to eight weeks. Crop time is 15-18 months depending on which stage of development the plants are sold. ***** Hypericum is vegetatively propagated and rooted in 50-cell trays for 10 weeks. A well-drained growing mix with pH of 5.6 is recommended. Rooted cuttings are pinched once about five to six weeks after planting.	SPECIFICS: Name: Hypericum Prince Flair Crop timing: 15-18 months from planting of rooted cuttings. Plants can be sold green, with yellow flowers or with flowers and reddish-brown berries. Does best in 6-inch to 1-gallon containers. Grower benefit: Can be grown at a wide temperature range. Hypericum can be sold as an outdoor container plant or for use in the landscape. Selling point: Cool-temperature woody perennial that has attractive yellow flowers and reddish-brown berries.
Plants do well finished in 6-inch and 1-gallon containers. Plants develop good lateral shoots when cuttings are planted 1/2 inch deeper then the growing medium level. Crop time from a 10-week-old, one-pinch liner is seven to nine months for a green, salable plant. A finished plant in flower requires 11-12 months. A plant with flowers and berries has a production time of 12-15 months. Crop time can be shortened by three months using supplemental light (incandescent lamps are adequate) to extend the total day length to 17 hours. Once the shoots reach 2 inches long after pinching, supplemental light should be provided for eight weeks. After transplanting, plants can be moved outdoors. They should be irrigated with clear water for four to six weeks depending on amount of rainfall and weather conditions. Grow plants under cool temperatures (45F-50F) initially to promote good root formation. As shoots begin to grow, apply a low level (0.8-1 EC) of 12:10:18 fertilizer. Gradually increase the amount of fertilizer (EC 1.3-1.5) as plants continue to grow. Initially, finished containers can be spaced pot to pot. When shoots reach 4-5 inches tall, space plants at nine pots per square meter (10.8 square foot). This ensures that plants finish with a nice, round shape. Temperature range, 23F-90F, for hypericum is wide. Prince Flair is grown outdoors in the Netherlands. Grow plants in full sun for best results. If severe frost is expected after planting, cover plants to avoid frost damage. Time to sale can vary because of production timing and pruning. If plants are pruned in July and August, they should be ready for sale in November and December. Plants are susceptible to aphids, thrips and rust. For more: Marflor Farms, P.O. Box 230816, Encinitas, CA 92023-0816; (760) 727-6390; fax (760) 727-8193.