TORONTO, Ontario – ‘Pixie Grape', a one-of-kind ornamental will be released today at Canada Blooms, Canada's largest home and garden show. This mini-sized grapevine is a stand out with tiny clusters of red-skinned grapes, a perfect showpiece for indoor, outdoor, garden or balcony.
Pixie is a miniature version of the Pinot meunier variety, a grape traditionally grown for the production of wine and Champagne. At only 18 inches tall, the Pixie was initially used for plant breeding research at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) but its potential as a decorative plant was hard to miss.
Sunrise Greenhouses, a leader in greenhouse innovation and a research partner of Vineland, recognized that the unique appearance of Pixie would be a delight for gardeners and homeowners across Canada. To better understand the market opportunity, Sunrise worked with Vineland's Consumer Insights and Product Innovation expert Dr. Isabelle Lesschaeve to take a hard look at consumer perception of Pixie and marketability. The end result met consumers' demand and is an innovation for the marketplace.
"Pixie is a wonderful conversation piece and a must-have for the wine lover," said Rodney Bierhuizen, CEO Sunrise Greenhouses.
And stay tuned, researchers at Vineland are working to create new types of Pixie grape through breeding with varieties such as Merlot, Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
For further information and to see the Pixie, visit Sunrise Greenhouses at Canada Blooms' Featured Growers of Ontario, a showcase of Niagara Region growers.
Vineland is funded in part by Growing Forward, a federalprovincialterritorial initiative.
About Sunrise Greenhouses
Sunrise Greenhouses is an exclusive producer of potted flowering plants in North America. Located in Vineland, Ontario, Sunrise Greenhouses travels the globe to bring new and innovative plants to the marketplace. To produce leading edge plants, Sunrise utilizes the newest greenhouse technology and automation and environmentally-friendly growing techniques. Combine this with a dedicated staff and Sunrise successfully delivers on the highest quality plants.
Further information:
Rodney Bierhuizen, CEO
Sunrise Greenhouses
Rodney@sunrisegreenhouses.ca l 905.984.9014
www.sunrisegreenhouses.ca
Further information:
Isabel Dopta, Director, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, 905-562-0320, Ext. 791
Isabel.dopta@vinelandresearch.com, www.vinelandresearch.com
Source: Sunrise Greenhouses
