Updated at 2:27 p.m., Monday, October 15, 2007
Flower created at UH wins national competition
Advertiser Staff
The anthurium was entered into the "Other Cut Flowers" category by Green Point Nursery, one of the state's largest anthurium growers. Only seven of the 49 flowers in the category took home a Blue Ribbon, a UH news release stated.
"'Tropic Sunrise" originated from a cross between two anthuriums, Anuenue and Soga Orange Obake, made by CTAHR Professor Emeritus Haruyuki Kamemoto in 1981. It was later given its name and released in 2000.
Coloration and flower size are the major attributes of 'Tropic Sunrise.' The orange obake, or multicolored, anthurium has a large spathe and is often over 12 inches long with a bright orange center and green perimeter. Its stems have an average length of 30 inches. As a cut flower, the flowers last for about 32 days. "Tropic Sunrise" can potentially yield about 6-7 flowers per stem per year, which is considered high for a large obake.
Kamemoto teamed up with Heidi Kuehnle, Tessie Amore, John Kunisaki, Joanne Lichty and Janice Uchida to develop the flower.
"Tropic Sunrise" joins the ranks of another UH product, 'Lavender Lady,' a 2004 SAF Blue Ribbon winner. Other UH varieties receiving ribbons in recent years are: Tropic Fire (Red Ribbon, 2004) and Kalapana (Red Ribbon, 2005).
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Green Point Nursery owner Harold Tanouye shows off one of award-winning Tropic Sunrise anthuriums that were originally bred at the University of Hawai'i Photo by Eric Tanouye / Courtesy University of Hawaii |
