"Beauty Queens" - a new generation of Erica gracilis is growing.

In the 19th century at the beginning of Erica breeding there were numerous varieties in production, mainly as a fortuitous result of seedlings in use, but in 1929 the variety "Glasers Rote" was found which is still in production.

Only in 1983 the breeding committee of the Azerka group took the initiative and Prof. Dr. Walter Preil from the federal breeding research institute in Ahrensburg, succeeded in crossbreeding between "Erica globularis" and "Glasers Rote". Seedlings of that were again interbred with the origin of Erica gracilis. Results were the so called "Swedish" varieties. That has been the second generation. They were separated specially for the Scandinavian market, and for that reason the name. Flowering time of these varieties is August/September.

With the crossbreeding of Erica from the origin in South Africa and with the second generation of Erica gracilis essential improvements could be registered. Considering the time between fructification and introduction into the market takes round 8 - 10 years, time - and capital expenditure of breeders are recognizable.

The new Erica generation "Beauty Queens" results from the crossbreeding with the origin Erica. These were seeded with the growers Holz, Weeze and Manten, Geldern, all German breeders, and selected to new varieties.

The twelve new sorts of "Beauty Queens" carry all the name of a queen: Fabiola, Sylvia, Elisabeth, Beatrix, Sissi, Paola, Sofia, Letizia, Juliana, Karoline, Sirikit and Magrethe. They have been partly in trade already in season 2004 and will be available in greater quantities in the coming years.

The new varieties have the following advantages:

• good rooting
• leafy branches
• compact, stable shape
• improvement in growth
• no growing through of shoots
• tight, often cob like flower trimming
• enlarged colour richness for the complete sales period

The plants present themselves in the well known purple, as well as in light and strong pink, salmon and in bright and dark red. The flowering time, depending on the variety, is from August until the late autumn.

To the varieties