Two AAS Award Winners for Takii in 2011!
Takii proudly continues its tradition of breeding excellence with the announcement of 2 AAS winners for 2011, Flower Kale F1 Glamour Red, and Salvia Summer Jewel Red.  Flower Kale F1 Glamour Red is the world’s first shiny-leaf bedding-type kale.  The breeding for Glamour Red began 10 years ago when a mutation was found. Breeding began in earnest to perfect the glossy leaves that gave a new look to this crop. With few options available to gardeners when the weather turns cold and brings frost and light snow, flower kale is a welcome pop of color and texture as it will do just fine in cold temperatures that quickly kill other cultivars. Glamour Red’s AAS award proves it has the performance and uniqueness to be a winner in gardens across the country, adding a bit of glamour to the bleak winter landscape.

In addition to receiving an AAS award, Salvia Summer Jewel Red earned a Fleuroselect Gold Medal Award.  This variety offers gardeners an early-blooming, compact Salvia coccinea. Summer Jewel Red blooms in approximately 7 to 9 weeks from sowing, about 3 weeks earlier than Lady in Red, a previous AAS winner also available from Takii. Summer Jewel Red is heavily branching and produces an abundance of flower spikes that are loaded with densely packed brilliant red flowers. The flowers are long lasting, and the plants are full, compact, long blooming and heat tolerant. The inspiration for the name Summer Jewel came from the hummingbirds that are  attracted to these brilliantly colored blooms.

Takii Seed Receives 2010 Industry Achievement Award and Editor’s Choice Award from Greenhouse Grower
American Takii’s Vice President and General Manager, Rick Falconer, and Flower Sales Manager, Bonnie Marquardt-Dillard proudly accepted Greenhouse Grower’s Medal of Excellence  for Industry Achievement award and Editor’s Choice award for Canna Tropical Bronze Scarlet.  The Medal of Excellence for Industry Achievement came during Takii & Company, Limited’s 175th anniversary year.  Takii’s breeding program has achieved many “firsts” over the years including the world’s first hybrid tomatoes, celery, cabbage, broccoli, turnip, daikon and eggplant. 

We’re very pleased that Canna Tropical Bronze Scarlet has been recognized by Greenhouse Grower with its Editor’s Choice Award. The Canna Tropical series is the first canna from seed, and the newest addition to the series introduced in 2010 is Bronze Scarlet, the first bronze leaf canna from seed.  While most cannas are tall, Tropical is bred to be genetically dwarf, achieving a height of 3 to 4 feet in a growing season.  The series thrives in heat and high humidity, so much so that it is used extensively in the landscape at Walt Disney World.