PART 2 OF 3 (discussion starts at 1:35): Best for poinsettia “trees”; best for large containers; best traditional straight-ups; best poinsettias as cut flowers; best for independent garden centers; best florist type; best for fundraisers; poinsettias for landscape (?); energy-efficient varieties for cool growing; best for natural, compact finishing; varieties less-prone to whitefly (?); variety with longest shelf life, sturdiest varieties.

For this 3-part episode of the Tech On Demand Podcast, host Bill Calkins turns the golden TOD mic over to Chris Beytes, editor-in-chief of GrowerTalks magazine. Let’s all welcome “Bossman Beytes” to his first-ever podcast!

Chris asked three poinsettia experts—Gary Vollmer of Selecta One, Rebecca Siemonsma of Express Seed and Steve Rinehart of Rinehart Poinsettias—to share what they think are the BEST poinsettias for a wide range of grower and retailer needs.

Chris asks about just about every use—early- to late-season, small to large pots, best core and novelty colors, best varieties for regions from Fairbanks to Miami—and he asks them to pick regardless of breeder! He even asks which variety they wish was in their catalog, which variety they wish had never been bred, and which variety is the best poinsettia of all time.

Gary, Rebecca and Steve have more than 100 years of poinsettia experience between them and know almost every variety introduced since St. Louis Red!