Here Comes the Sun: Vineland expands 49th Parallel Collection with release of Chinook Sunrise rose
VINELAND STATION, Ontario, March 14, 2019 – A new bloom has dawned in Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection of bred-in-Canada garden and landscape roses.
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre officially released Chinook Sunrise™, the second in a series of roses developed for their hardiness and ability to blossom almost anywhere in Canada. The rose was unveiled at Canada Blooms, Canada’s largest garden and flower festival.
“I want to congratulate the hardworking team at Vineland who our government is proud to support. Their innovations, such as the Chinook Sunrise rose, help to keep our ornamental horticulture farmers on the cutting edge and grow our economy,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
“Launching the Chinook Sunrise is an exciting moment that showcases the incredible innovation that is happening in horticulture in our province,” said Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Our government is proud to support Vineland’s projects like this, which can provide new products and economic growth for the agriculture sector, through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.”
Chinook Sunrise boasts outstanding beauty with its unique coral blossoms resembling the bright, warm hues of a rising sun. The flowers start as deep apricot buds, revealing a riot of pink as they open and the days are growing warmer. Chinook Sunrise’s incredible range of colour strays from the usual dark pink and red shades that have dominated Canadian rose breeding.
Even better, Chinook Sunrise is a low-maintenance addition to landscapes because of its black spot tolerance and winter hardiness across Canada. It’s also a repeat bloomer, so it stays stunning all season. Chinook Sunrise will be available at gardening centres and greenhouses across the country in time for the 2019 growing season.
“Chinook Sunrise really stood out with consumer panels when compared to the top-selling roses already on the market,” said Amy Bowen, Vineland’s Research Director Consumer Insights. “The spectrum of colours it offers and its glossy green foliage made it the right choice for release under Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection banner.”
Chinook Sunrise succeeds Canadian Shield®, the wildly successful first release in the collection. The red rose was launched in 2017 to mark Canada’s 150th birthday and has been a popular addition to gardens nationwide since then. Canadian Shield was named Canada Blooms’ 2017 Plant of the Year.
Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection is the product of Canada’s national rose breeding program at Vineland in partnership with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and selections have been tested in field trials across the country through this partnership.
More information is available at 49throses.com including details on Aurora Borealis™, the next rose in the collection set for release in 2021.
About Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
With a highly-skilled research team, oversight from an independent Board of Directors, engagement from an international Science Advisory Council and collaboration with 86 global partners including a Stakeholder Advisory Council, Vineland’s goal is to enhance Canadian growers’ commercial success through results-oriented innovation. We are an independent, not-for-profit organization funded in part by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. For the latest on our research and innovation, visit www.vinelandresearch.com.
