March 1, 2018
PanAmerican Seed acquires new begonia lines
Chicago, Ill.-based PanAmerican Seed has purchased the begonia product lines from Golden State Bulb Growers, one of the oldest growers and breeders of tuberous begonias in North America. The acquisition includes genetics of released varieties, breeding rights and seed bank, intellectual property, and marketing assets for the commercial AmeriHybrid and On Top begonia product lines.
“The begonia class continues to grow in popularity among consumer and landscape markets. This investment to build on our PanAmerican Seed begonia offering will widen our reach in this important segment of the industry,” said Anne Leventry, president of PanAmerican Seed.
There are currently more than 50 AmeriHybrid varieties, which feature unique flower forms and plant habits. The Moss Landing, Calif. -based Golden State Bulb Growers has bred begonias for over 100 years and has achieved breakthroughs culminating in unique, free flowering, multi-branched plants, with some of the largest blooms on the market today.