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Aglaonema Grand Blossom wins Best Foliage Houseplant at HTA New Plant Awards

An underrated houseplant in a striking new colourway is awarded Best Foliage Houseplant at the 2024 National Plant Show

While Cyclamen Illusia stunned judges over at the flowering houseplants display, it was a new twist on an underused, often overlooked indoor plant that stood out among the foliage houseplants entered for this year’s HTA New Plant Awards.

Low maintenance, easy to grow and packing a punch with its vibrant tropical foliage, Aglaonema Grand Blossom is a real show piece for the home that can be enjoyed for year after year.


What’s the story behind Aglaonema Grand Blossom?

Aglaonema Grand Blossom was developed in Thailand by the family-run breeding company belonging to Heike and Tamlong Suphachadiwong. It was brought back to Europe by Netherlands-based grower ANSU.

ANSU grow around 185 cultivars of Aglaonema, and are currently the exclusive growers of Grand Blossom in Europe. ANSU’s Grand Blossom plants are distributed by Netherlands-based international suppliers Javado, who entered Grand Blossom for this year’s awards.

“ANSU work closely with breeders in Thailand on houseplants,” explains Michel Heemskerk of Javado. “They regularly visit to find different products, and bring these over to Europe to start testing them.

“Grand Blossom is becoming more popular every month. With the price going down as quantities increase, we’ll see it getting more popular.”

© Michel Heemskerk, Javado
Grand Blossom growing alongside other Aglaonema at ANSU nursery shortly before the show
What’s so special about Aglaonema Grand Blossom?

Grand Blossom boasts a unique colour pattern for the large-leafed tropical Aglaonema, with a striking bright pink stripe down the centre of the leaf.

“This is a really popular product,” says Javado’s Michel Heemskerk, who entered Grand Blossom for this year’s awards. “It’s a really easy plant for a consumer, and the colours are amazing – that makes it so special.”

The large leaves with their beautiful colouring will stand out from other green houseplants. A slow grower that’s easy to care for and keeps its colour in the home, this is one of the strongest plants for indoor growing.

It’s really got instant impact. Aglaonema is quite an underused houseplant

- Emma Allen, show judge and RHS Head of Horticultural Relations
The key to success
So what was Michel looking for when he chose plants to enter for the New Plant Awards? “Firstly, would I buy it myself? There are so many products out there, so I consider which ones I actually like myself.

“Then I want to find out whether the plant is really different to what’s already on the market; for instance a new colour. Then I consider what the shelf life is. At the end of the day, is this plant a winner and does it tick all the boxes? If so, it’s a strong contender.”


© Horticultural Trades Association
Judges Emma Allen and Andy Bunker alongside judging coordinator Pippa Greenwood
What did the judges think?

This year’s judging panel consisted of Emma Allen (RHS Head of Horticultural Relations), Andy Bunker (Alton Garden Centre), Cath Quinney (Bennybeg Plant Centre), Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) and Josh Egan-Wyer (Pershore College).

Emma Allen says, “This was a new type of variegation in Aglaonema, with contrasting pink down the centre of the leaf. We hadn’t seen this particular break in colour before and thought it was really rather attractive.

“I also think Aglaonema is quite an underused houseplant – they’re quite easy to grow, and they don’t grow too quickly either so they can stay in this pot for some time without you needing to move it on or it outgrowing its space. What you buy is what you’re going to get for a long time, and it’s really got instant impact.

“When we judge it’s not just about innovation; it’s about saleability in the garden centre, and we thought this one would sell and that it should be given some prominence.”

It’s got a sense of wow, I need to have that

- Pippa Greenwood, HTA Horticulture Manager and judging coordinator
Andy Bunker adds, “For me the major factor would be the ease of care; that’s got to be the number one. This looks a good doer.”

HTA Horticulture Manager Pippa Greenwood, who coordinated the judging, says: “This is very much something that has the wow factor. It’s different from the similar plants that are out there at the moment, it has good pest and disease resistance, and it’s suitable for lots of different purposes.”


© Horticultural Trades Association
Emma Allen presents the Best Foliage Houseplant award to Michel Heemskerk of Javado
How to grow Aglaonema Grand Blossom

Aglaonema Grand Blossom is an easycare houseplant that can survive in a spot that receives only a moderate amount of natural light, such as an east, west or north-facing windowsill, and requires just a little water once a week. Warm conditions will cause this tropical plant to grow faster.
 


Where can I buy Aglaonema Grand Blossom?

Check your local garden centre for Aglaonema Grand Blossom. Javado supply around 400 branches in the UK, including Notcutts and Blue Diamond garden centres.
About the author – Olivia Drake

With a background in plant sciences, Olivia is passionate about sustainable horticulture and plant diversity. She is trained as a botanical horticulturist and previously worked in public gardens around the UK and overseas.

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