Agapanthus praecox ‘Amourette Superb White’ wins Best in Show at Groen-Direkt Summer Days

Agapanthus praecox ‘Amourette Superb is available in white and blue and readily available starting week 14.

Judges from Boskoop’s Royal Horticulture Society (KVBC) crowned Agapanthus praecox ‘Amourette Superb’ as Best in Show at Groen-Direkt’s Summer Days, held between 12-13 June 2023. The award-winning Agapanthus is bred and commercially grown by Highlands Potplants from ‘s-Gravenzande.  

The Golden Medal-winning Agapanthus produces masses of brightly white flowers. As it blooms, it continues producing new stems and blooms. KVBC’s panel of expert judges was impressed by the plant’s overall looks featuring small but lavishly flowering plants of garden centre quality.

Highlands Potplants, run by John Zuidgeest, Nick Duijvestijn and Mark van der Voort, began growing Agapanthus 15 years ago. Thanks to Agapanthus’ rising popularity in the gardening market, the company has evolved into a household brand for quality Agapanthus, with an anticipated production of 400,000 pots next year. The company grows its Agapanthus in 14, 17 (featuring six stems or more), 23, 30 and 40 cm pots, with the first three pot sizes among the strongest sellers.

The company has vertically integrated its processes upstream by taking complete control of the breeding, propagation (Kenya) and commercial production of plants. Highlands Potplants’ pride is their Amourette brand, the brainchild of breeder Jolien Vermeulen-Van der Vegt, who has undertaken thousands of crossings to create the cream of Agapanthus.

According to Nick Duijvestijn, Amourette Superb helps achieve even greater brand recognition as the new cultivar is well-branched, floriferous and very early. “While most Agapanthus growers start shipping in weeks 16-17, Amourette Superb is readily available as soon as week 14. Amourette Superb in bigger pot sizes mainly targets the high-end garden retail market, while smaller pot sizes are ideal for retail sales.

Left to right KVBC chairman Helma van der Louw, Agapanthus breeder Jolien Vermeulen – Van der Vegt, Nick Duijvestijn from Highlands Potplants, Linda Veelenturf-Hoogendoorn and Marjolein Wieckardt from Plantarium|Groen-Direkt (Photo credit: Joeri van der Kloet)

Fifteen plants had been submitted for the first summer judging round for the Plantarium|Groen-Direkt Best Novelty, of which twelve were eventually evaluated. In addition to the Gold Medal for Best in Show, the KVBC jury awarded three silver and three bronze medals.

The AIPH-approved category D, autumn edition of Plantarium|Groen-Direkt will take place on 23 and 24 August 2023, from 7 am until 5 pm, in and around Groen-Direkt’s premises at the International Trade Centre in Hazerswoude/Boskoop (the Netherlands). For more information, visit https://plantariumgroendirekt.nl/. The trade show is for professionals only.