Plantpeddler announces winners from 2025 Poinsettia Variety Day

Breeders participating in Plantpeddler's 2025 Poinsettia Variety Day included Beekenkamp, Dümmen Orange, Graff, InBlume, Lazzeri, Rinehart Poinsettias, Selecta One and Suntory Flowers.

On a frigid day with double-digit negative temperatures outside, the poinsettia industry came together in Cresco, Iowa, for Plantpeddler's annual Poinsettia Variety Day on Dec. 4, 2025.

There were 223 varieties on display for trial attendees, who included representatives from poinsettia breeding companies, growers, retailers and brokers.

Breeders presented on their top introductions, with Mike Poretsky of A-ROO Company discussing value-added upgrade treatments and packaging. Caleb Wilson of Syngenta Professional Solutions also held a training on proper drench application techniques.

Genetics were submitted by Beekenkamp, Dümmen Orange, Graff, InBlume, Lazzeri, Rinehart Poinsettias, Selecta One and Suntory Flowers. Plantpeddler is licensed by all breeders represented.

"The Plantpeddler Poinsettia Trial and Variety Day event emphasizes their commitment to the industry by showcasing genetics under northern USA growing conditions. As a leading young plant provider, this event represents an investment in the success of their retail, grower, broker and breeding partners," the company said in a news release. "A commercial production trial of poinsettias is an important way for the industry and growers to evaluate variety performance, improve their selections and therefore increase profitability."

Winner of Plantpeddler 2025 Poinsettia Variety Day Best of Class White – 5 Year Challenge

This year, a blind vote was conducted to determine the 2025 Best of Class White – 5 Year Challenge. This contest pitted the five top finishing white varieties in the non-red class over the past five years. The varieties were Jack Frost from Rinehart Poinsettias, Alaska from Lazzeri, Pure White from Rinehart Poinsettias, Alpina  from Lazzeri and Brilliant White from Selecta One. In a close competition, Brilliant White garnered the winning vote count. Selecta won the award for the second year in a row, having won the Best of Class Red –  5 Year Challenge in 2024 with Noel Red.

Scroll through the five varieties in the challenge below:

Jack Frost from Rinehart Poinsettias.

Alaska from Lazzeri.

Pure White from Rinehart Poinsettias.

Alpina from Lazzeri.

Brilliant White from Selecta One.

Results from Plantpeddler 2025 Poinsettia Variety Day

Trial attendees voted using a three-flag system for “best red variety” and “best non-red variety” with a 3, 2 1 point scoring system. Again this year, “non-traditional” novelty varieties ranked at the top of the trial in both the red and non-red categories. The results are as follows:

Event sponsors included Syngenta Professional Solutions, Oasis Grower Solutions, A-ROO Company and BioTherm Solutions.

Plantpeddler also observed National Poinsettia Day on Dec. 12 by presenting poinsettias to notable figures in Iowa, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen and Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Daniel Robison.

Next year’s Plantpeddler Poinsettia Variety Day trial event is Dec. 3, 2026. Plantpeddler will also host its Variety Day trial event showcasing annuals on Aug. 7, 2026.

For more information, contact Plantpeddler at 800-827-1654 or info@plantpeddler.com or visit  plantpeddler.com.