Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) 
A web site, available in eleven languages, describes the CVPO system for protection of plant varieties valid throughout the European Community. For more information look at the attractive web site www.cpvo.fr. 

Aster Cultivation Practices 
A publication is available from Danziger Dan Flower Farm in Israel that describes state-of-the-art cultivation of Asters. Information about the book is available at danziger@netvision.net.il.

Description of New Varieties in Plant Patents 
The Plant Patent law in the U.S. requires that an application for patent contain a description of the new variety which is "as complete as is reasonably possible." However, to anticipate different characteristics of plants grown under different conditions, e.g. climate, culture, etc., we usually include in the patent application a statement that differences may be observed under such circumstances. The scope of a U.S. Plant Patent may be affected if these differences are also expressed in the DNA such that the different- appearing plants are not clones of the patented plant. DeRuiter' New Roses has provided clear evidence that plants of the same variety grown under different conditions produce different results. It would be interesting to learn if basic DNA or other fingerprint analysis would reveal differences as well.

DeRuiter illustrated the affect of climatic conditions on plants of the same variety grown in The Netherlands, Kenya and Ecuador. When plants of Gypsy Curiosa™ ('Ruidusty') are grown in The Netherlands flower color is mixed yellow, orange and red. Plants grown in Ecuador produce flowers of mixed yellow and burnt orange coloration and flowers produced on plants grown in Kenya are a red/orange, yellow blend. Other differences also occur in flower and bud size, and production. 

Production of Cyclamen 
Ten years of successful cyclamen marketing experience has prompted Morel Diffusion to create a web site (in French and English) to share their useful information. Visit them at www.cyclamen.com.

Orchids That Last Forever 
Though Horchid Enterprises of Singapore hasn't said much about their process, the firm has announced they have a chemical treatment to make ever-lasting orchids. In fact, it is reported that Horchid Enterprises gives a lifetime guarantee that the flowers will not wither, but may fade slightly in direct sunlight over time. 

Estimates of Cut Flower and Pot Plant Production Predict Growth 
Predictions for 1999-2003 are that all countries except Russia and Japan will experience an increase in cut flower consumption during this period. Germany, the Netherlands and Norway expect no change but Russian and Japan are predicted to have a 3% decline. Greatest cut flower consumption increase is expected in China, 20%; Poland, 12%; Hungary, 10.3%; and Slovakia, 12.3%. Consumption of cut flowers in the USA is expected to increase 7%.

Changes in pot plant consumption during 1999 - 2003 show a more mixed picture. Belgium, France, The Netherlands and Switzerland are believed to experience declines with most other countries predicting increases. The winners?-Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia expect the greatest increase from a high of 12.4% (Hungary) to 9.2% (Slovenia).

On average, the world cut flower market grows at a rate of about 6-9% per year so that consumption is expected to reach 35 Billion U.S. dollars. About one-half of the world's cut flower production is in Western Europe.

Blue Carnation 
It took about eight years after they first isolated the "blue gene", but the Australian firm Florigene is introducing two carnations in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Australia that exhibit "shades of blue". The new varieties are designated Moondust (producing a light mauve flower) and Moonshadow (producing a deeper violet color). 

The Desert Comes Up Roses 
About 100 km east of the capital Abu Dhabi in an "off-set investment" project by a French Dassault aircraft group, eighteen rose varieties are blooming in the desert as a result of arrangements with UAE arms suppliers. A local company owns controlling interest. The rose varieties are grown in greenhouses. About one-half of 1.4 million units per year are sold locally with the remainder exported to other Gulf countries and Europe. Carnations are also grown in significant amounts in three greenhouses. 

Military contracts of the UAE of over $10 million require an off-set investment by which sellers must make a sufficient investment to yield at least a 60% return on the contract value in 7 to 10 years.

Water Plants Popular in Sri Lanka 
Increasing international demand for aquatic plants has prompted a new project in Sri Lanka for the purpose of increasing production from over 4 million aquatic plants for export in 1997, which doubled in 1998, to meet anticipated future demand. Tissue culture techniques to increase commercial production of slow-growing plants will also be developed. 

San Diego County Flower & Plant Association 
The Association started a new web site www.flowerandplant.org . The web site links sellers, buyers and customers, with members for information about plants while allowing consumers to contact growers, wholesalers and shippers. 

Alliances Formed to Promote New Plants 
In one alliance, firms in Canada and The Netherlands have agreed to work together to promote new plant cultivars. Pride of Plants, Inc. of British Columbia, Canada; Novitas Plantae, an association of growers in Boskoop, The Netherlands; and Bloem Bollenbureau Cefeco of Lisse, The Netherlands will focus on different functions for the group. The Lisse firm will handle sales administration and promotion policy for Europe; Novitas will be involved with European plant breeders to increase available new varieties and take care of plant breeders rights in Europe; and the Canadian company will handle marketing and promotion of new plant varieties in North America with intention of promoting such varieties globally. Additional information is available on the web sites www.prideofplaceplants.com and www.icangarden.com/NewEden 

Another strategic alliance has been organized under the name "Proven Winners" in Europe similar to Proven Winner alliances previously formed in North America and Asia. These alliances are created for the purpose of joining resources to facilitate marketing from breeders to gardeners. 
The European group includes the firms: Kientzler and InnovaPlant, from Germany; Kernock Park Plants and Four Oaks Nurseries, from the U.K.; Kjell-Ingvars Handelstradgard and Hansson, from Scandinavia;; Psenner Jungflanzen, fron Italy; and Plantpol Zaborze and ENGO, from Poland and Slovakia.
The Proven Winners firms have agreements with breeders to trial and introduce new varieties. The firms say the primary interest is not to collect royalties but to produce and market the best varieties for the international marketplace. However, the alliance hopes to halt the decline in prices allegedly caused by multinationals' market penetration with conventional plants by providing high quality new varieties that can be sold at a premium. 

New Definitions for Spray Chrysanthemums 
The Spray Chrysanthemum Advisory Team, a group of 41 members representing importing, bouquet manufacturing, retail and wholesale marketing, as well as wire services, have agreed on new terminology to describe Spray Chrysanthemums:

• Spray Mum- a cut Chrysanthemum with multiple flowers per stem (replaces the word 'Pompon'). 

• Button- Smallest of the Spray Mums, typically less than 1 ¼ " (3 cm) diameter, comprised almost entirely of ray petals with no discernible eye. 

• Cushion- comprised entirely of outer ray petals with no discernible eye, typically larger than 1 ½ " (3.75 cm) in diameter. 

• Daisy- Spray Mum with outer petals radiating from perimeter of a close-cropped "eye". 

• Duet- Spray Mum having two distinct kinds of petals: (1) a prominent "puffed" center of elongated disk petals, and (2) ray petals radiating out from perimeter of center disk. 

• Spider- elongated tubular petals, often curled at ends. 

• Exotic- any of the above with unusual and distinct petal characteristics. 

Viagra 
Viagra appears to be useful for all kinds of stems. It has been reported that Viagra extends the vase life of flowers by up to seven days. Roses that wilt after 3 or 4 days at room temperature conditions remain fresh and erect for an additional 7-days according to Prof. Ya'acov Lesham of Bai-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. 

All-America Rose Selections (AARS) 
Information about winning rose varieties is available at the AARS web site www.rose.org  along with a list of past rose winners, photos, public garden listings and rose gardening tips as well. The2001 All-America Rose Selections include a miniature rose Sun Sprinkles™ rose, introduced by Bear Creek Gardens; Glowing Peace™ rose, a Grandiflora introduced by The Conard-Pyle Company; and Marmalade Skies™ rose, also introduced by The Conard-Pyle Company. These roses are expected to be available for planting in 2001. 

Landscape Architect Contracts 
Sample contracts are available on-line at the American Society of Landscape Architects web site www.asla.org. The organization says they provide abbreviated standardized agreements between landscape architects and clients. However, it is recommended that the contracts be reviewed by an attorney before use. 

UPOV Statistics 
The Union for Protection of Plant Varieties (UPOV), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, reports that 720 applications for U.S. Plant Patents to protect asexually reproducible plant varieties were filed in 1998 and 561 Plant Patents were issued. Interestingly, the applications filed were fairly evenly divided between residents, 346, and non-residents, 374. By the end of 1998 there were 5926 plant patents in force.
Applications to protect sexually reproducible plant varieties are filed with the U.D. Department of Agriculture which grants Certificates of Protection for eligible varieties. Residents filed 406 applications and non-residents filed 53 applications in 1998. Sixty- eight Certificates of Protection were issued that year and by year-end 3207 Certificates were in force.