Flame Thrower® Cercis Wins Plant of The Year at the 2021 Chelsea Flower Show

Flame Thrower®, introduced by Star® Roses and Plants and sold as Eternal Flame™ in the United Kingdom and Europe, took home the top prize in this year’s competition.

For Immediate Release

Contact Leah Palmer:

West Grove, PA—Star® Roses and Plants is excited to announce that Flame Thrower® Cercis has won Plant of The Year 2021 at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2021 award celebrates the exciting range of new plants launched at the show. The show is the ideal global platform for the launch of many new plants and the prestige of winning this award is recognized around the world.

“The Chelsea Flower Show is one of the world’s most prestigious horticultural events and we’re thrilled that Flame Thrower® was recognized as the most exciting, innovative and diverse new plant of 2021,” says Bradd Yoder, President at Star® Roses and Plants.

Sold as Eternal Flame™ in the United Kingdom and Europe, Flame Thrower® Cercis (‘NC2016-2’) is a result of Dr. Denny Werner’s breeding and developed by the JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University. Werner is a JC Raulston Distinguished Professor of Horticultural Science and plant breeder at North Carolina State University. Flame Thrower® was introduced through Star® Roses and Plants in 2019.

Flame Thrower® is a highly impressive redbud that turns heads with its bold foliage colors. Its stunning color display is persistent throughout the season, often showing hues of reds, oranges, yellows and greens all on a single branch. The intensity of colors changes throughout the seasons with reds and oranges more prominent in spring, followed by yellows and greens in summer.

The eye-catching display is a color breakthrough for the Cercis category. Not only will the foliage give you color throughout the season, but clusters of pink blooms are also produced in early spring for added garden appeal. This tree will grow to about 15-20’ and will perform best in zones 5-9.

Learn more about Flame Thrower® Cercis and other Star® Roses and Plants’ introductions on our website. Visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show website for additional information about the awards.

To learn more about Flame Thrower® Cercis supply and availability, contact your Star® Roses and Plants Territory Manager to place your order or visit our Industry Professionals page.

Star® Roses and Plants has been bringing great plants to the world’s gardens since 1897, and continues to introduce breakthrough roses, shrubs, edibles and perennials. Their most notable brands include The Knock Out® Family of Roses, Drift® Roses, Bushel and Berry®, and Bloomables®. Star® Roses and Plants is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ball Horticultural. For more information, please visit www.starrosesandplants.com.