After 25 years of service, Senior Breeder Shifeng Pan is retiring. In that time, Shifeng has made countless contributions to the company and the horticulture industry as a whole. His 2013 AAS Award for Geranium Pinto Premium White to Rose F1 (also the recipient of a Fleuroselect Gold Medal award) is just one example!
Shifeng has worked on countless series over the years, including Tuscany Seed Verbena, Wonderfall Pansy, all Dianthus seed products (Super Parfait, Venti, Dulce, and Fandango), Geraniums (Maverick, BullsEye, Multibloom), Lantana (Bandana, Bandito, and Bandana trailing series), Cora XDR Vinca, and Sunfinity Sunflowers.
Sunfinity was developed using creativity, years of breeding knowledge, and a dare to try! Crossing those species was unconventional at the time, and the key was the ability of the breeders (Shifeng and Jason Jandrew) to merge essential attributes of the wild species into modern germplasm without the support of modern breeding tools. A testament to its power, Sunfinity has received several awards, including the Cultivate 2017 Industry Choice Award, The 2017 Reader’s Choice Award, and the 2018 HTA New Plant Award (Gold Award).
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