Suntory’s Newest Blue Flowers

Chris Beytes

Do you remember the blue rose Applause and the blue Moon carnation? They were introduced quite a few years back by Suntory, products of a breeding program focused on creating blue flowers in species that have never had blue flowers before.

Now Suntory has a third blue flower, BluOcean Chrysanthemums. Featuring five shades of violet and blue, BluOcean is the result of a collaboration between Suntory Flowers, Suntory Global Innovation Center and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) in Japan.

Said the announcement about the new flowers, “The collaboration between Suntory group and NARO exemplifies the power of scientific expertise and dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in plant breeding. Combining Suntory’s and NARO’s expertise in genetic modification to modify flower color and deep understanding of chrysanthemums research, the teams worked tirelessly to develop a chrysanthemum with an enchanting blue hue, previously unseen in nature.”

These are cut mums that are ideal for professional florists who are “seeking to elevate their floral arrangements with an elegant touch of blue.” Production has been licensed to growers in South America. Finished cuts should be available to the floral trade in September.

Why BluOcean? To represent Suntory’s high priority on the sustainability of water, an important raw ingredient for their beverage businesses, they say. GT