Pelargonium (Geranium) Modern geranium breeding All the big multinational plant breeding companies have their own series of geraniums and there's fierce competition between them both in the introduction of new types and, of course, market share. There seems particular competition between Goldsmiths of Gilroy, California and Floranova of Norwich, England; Goldsmith's are certainly the world leaders but Floranova have been more innovative. Following the introduction of the Diamond Series from East Germany in the early 1980s, the first 'multibloom' type, Floranova developed a much improved, early-flowering, extraordinarily prolific type in completely new style utilising wild Pelargonium species not used in geranium breeding before. They were dramatically different from existing geraniums &endash; with a more branching habit and more open flower heads; perhaps they were a little too different. Goldsmiths had been working away at their own version using more conventional breeding material when one of the British retail seed houses let it slip that the Floranova material, released as the Sensation Series, was on the way; Goldsmith's responded with the Multibloom Series. The general feeling amongst independent commentators was that the release of the Multibloom Series was premature and that it was not quite of the quality expected of Goldsmith. However, in the years since their introduction there was been a constant process of upgrading and the Multiblooms now boast improved uniformity and staying power through the summer to go with their earliness; there are now ten colours. The Sensation Series has progressed more slowly with only two new colours. There's still no white and the stunning 'Sensation Picotee', seen in Fleuroselect trials some years ago, has not yet been released. More recently Floranova entered the delightful and uniquely coloured 'Venus', with pink-eyed white flowers, for Fleuroselect trials and when it was released the following year Goldsmith's responded with the almost identical 'Maverick Star'. The two companies are now developing this type slightly differently: Goldsmith's are continuing to develop the Maverick Series while Floranova have followed 'Venus' with a succession of individual varieties like 'Coral Spice' and 'Moulin Rouge' with their larger habit and impressive garden performance.  Pelargonium (Geranium) A-Z   ©copyright 1998 Graham Rice. All Rights Reserved. All Images Digitally Watermarked.