8/4/2026
Behind the Plants: How Research Becomes Real Opportunity for Growers
Developing strong Pothos varieties for growers takes more than discovering a promising new plant. It requires research, commercial evaluation, production testing, reliable stock development and a clear understanding of what growers actually need on the bench.
Why New Pothos Varieties Need More Than Research
A promising new plant can begin in a research greenhouse, but that is only the beginning of the journey.
For growers, the real question comes later: Can this plant perform consistently in commercial production, and does it offer something meaningful to the market?
That is where Foremost sees an important part of its role.
Foremost and the University of Florida: Connecting Research with Commercial Growing
For many years, Foremost has worked with Dr. Jianjun Chen and the University of Florida’s Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, reviewing new genetics and helping evaluate how promising selections perform beyond the research environment.
The relationship is built around a shared goal: bringing together research, production experience and commercial insight to identify plants that can create real value for growers.
From Eight Pothos Selections to Three Commercial Varieties
From Eight Selections to Three Commercial Varieties
In 2021, Dr. Chen invited the Foremost team to review a group of new Pothos selections at the University of Florida research greenhouses.
Eight were selected for further evaluation.
How Foremost Evaluates New Pothos Varieties for Growers
The plants were then grown and tested at Phoenix Foliage, where Foremost looked at the characteristics that matter in commercial production, including growth, consistency of color, root health, pest and disease resistance, fullness and overall plant performance.
The team also evaluated how the plants responded under different growing conditions.
Not every selection moved forward.
One, for example, showed very attractive coloration but presented challenges with stability and disease. Ultimately, Foremost decided not to continue with it.
That is an important part of the process.
A plant can be visually exciting, but growers need more than that. A successful commercial variety must also be dependable, consistent and practical to grow.
After the evaluations, three selections stood out.
They would later become Marble Prince, Neon Queen and Ivory Knight.
Moving Marble Prince, Neon Queen and Ivory Knight Toward Commercial Production
Moving from Research to Commercial Production
Selecting the plants was only one step.
Foremost continued working with the University of Florida to put the appropriate agreements in place and begin moving the selected material toward commercial production.
Stock plants were sent to Vita Farms in Guatemala, where the company began building the volume needed to support future demand.
At the same time, Foremost continued evaluating the material as it moved through the production and logistics process. Trial cuttings were sent back to Phoenix Foliage, and material was also shared with growers for further evaluation and feedback.
By 2023, the three varieties had progressed through the steps required for broader commercial release.
The process took time, but that is exactly the point.
By the time a grower receives new starter material, a significant amount of evaluation, testing and decision-making may already have happened behind the scenes.
Why Commercial Plant Evaluation Matters to Growers
Why This Matters to Growers
Foremost’s goal is not simply to bring more varieties to market.
It is to bring forward options that can make sense for growers.
That means looking at the plant from more than one perspective.
- Is it different enough to create interest?
- Can it grow consistently?
- Can it be produced at commercial scale?
- Can Foremost build reliable stock and supply?
- And most importantly, can it become a crop that growers can confidently incorporate into their programs?
How Research Partnerships Create Real Market Opportunity
This is where collaboration with institutions such as the University of Florida becomes especially valuable.
Researchers like Dr. Chen and his team spend years studying plants, genetics and new possibilities for the industry. Foremost adds its own experience in production, testing, commercial growing, logistics and customer feedback.
Together, those perspectives help move promising genetics closer to real-world applications.
That approach fits directly with Foremost’s broader commitment to being more than a supplier: providing expert guidance, dependable products and practical solutions built around growers’ real needs.
What Makes a New Pothos Variety Successful for Commercial Growers?
The Work Continues: New Pothos Cultivars in Evaluation
The collaboration did not end with Marble Prince, Neon Queen and Ivory Knight.
Since their commercial introduction, these varieties have been well received by Foremost customers, reinforcing the value of combining strong genetics with careful evaluation and real-world growing experience.
That positive response is also part of what keeps the process moving forward.
Foremost is currently evaluating two additional Pothos cultivars with Dr. Chen’s program that may have future commercial potential.
But the collaboration can begin even earlier. Foremost is often approached during the early stages of an idea, sometimes before research and development begins, to provide a commercial and production perspective. That input can help inform which concepts may be worth exploring further before significant time and resources are invested in their development.
It is another example of how research and industry experience can complement each other.
Research creates possibilities. Commercial evaluation helps determine which of those possibilities can become meaningful products.
For Foremost, the value is in connecting those two worlds.
Because innovation is not simply about introducing something new.
It is about doing the work behind the scenes to understand what can truly work for growers.
Explore Marble Prince, Neon Queen and Ivory Knight Pothos Varieties
Curious about the three Pothos varieties that came out of this collaboration? Take a closer look at Marble Prince, Neon Queen and Ivory Knight, click here.
