Poinsettia FASTFACTS

Poinsettia FASTFACTS

Eckespoint^® Prestige™ Early Red


Product Description Dark green foliage Available in red Strong stems with upright growth habit Excellent post production qualities	Response Time: 8 weeks Vigor: Medium Durability: Excellent Shelf Life: Excellent	Cultural Tips Natural flowering comparable to Freedom with flower initiation September 15^th-20th May need some growth retardant application No late season stretch

STOCK: For maximum production of good quality cuttings, maintain minimum night temperatures of 66-68°F/19-20°C throughout the production season. Use of night interruption lighting from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM is recommended through 15 May to prevent flower initiation. A minimum of 10-foot candles/107 lux at plant height is required to be effective. Provide a balanced and complete fertilizer regime to assure optimum plant growth. Light intensities of 4,500 to 5,000 foot candles/48,400 to 53,800 lux are ideal provided daytime greenhouse temperatures do not exceed 90°F/32°C.

Prestige Early Red mother plants:

produce ample cuttings under good cultural management
have an optimum cutting maturity of 6 weeks
are adaptable to multiple (2-3) pinch or single pinch (fast crop) programs
may require shading or cooling protection from increased daytime temperatures 85°+F/29°+C that occur at high light intensities of 5,000+ foot candles/53,800+ lux

PROPAGATION: Cuttings root quickly under normal propagation conditions. Use of a rooting hormone containing up to 2500 ppm IBA will promote speed and uniformity of root development. Chemical growth retardant applications may be needed during propagation to prevent stretching.

FINISHED PLANT CHARACTERISTICS: Prestige Early Red is easy to grow and performs well in 5” to 6” pots or larger containers. Plant growth is very uniform with all bracts visible in the floral display. The natural flower initiation date is approximately September 15^th-20^th. Because of its earlier flower initiation date it is recommended to add 1-2 weeks to production schedules, allowing the plant to size up before flower initiation. With an earlier flower initiation date and shorter response time, Prestige Early Red is a suitable replacement for Eckespoint® Freedom™, with its similar timing. It is important to avoid heat and high light stress on young plants. Pinch within 10 to 14 days of transplanting for branched plants. Provide shading and cooling until about two weeks after pinching. Prestige Early Red is sensitive to heat delay at bud set. Maintain night temperatures below 74F during flower initiation. In areas of the country with extreme heat such as southern Florida, this cultivar will finish in the mid season making this cultivar and excellent choice for growers who have been unable to finish Prestige on time due to heat delay. Chemical growth retardant requirements may be minimal, but use if needed as determined from graphical tracking. Prestige is responsive to A-Rest®, Bonzi®, Cycocel®, Sumagic® or combinations of B-Nine® and Cycocel®, if treatments are needed. Because of its large, strong upright branches, there should be very little branch breakage during sleeving of the finished product. Prestige is resistant to epinasty and withstands the rigors of sleeving, boxing and shipping.

Fast Faxes are one of many forms of technical assistance provided by the Ecke Ranch. For additional information on Poinsettias, please consult our website www.ecke.com or for technical assistance, log on to www.ecke.com/techhelp.

We hope the information provided will be helpful. It is based upon and knowledge (including information provided by the recipient) considered to be true and accurate, but without independent investigation and is offered for the recipient's consideration, investigation and verification, but we do not warrant the results to be obtained. Please read all statement, recommendations, or suggestions in conjunction with any conditions of sale or use which apply to any products, or systems recommended by us. No statement, recommendation, or suggestion is intended for any use which would infringe any patent/copyright.