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Star Roses and Plants/Conard-Pyle

From Alfawiki
Star Roses and Plants/Conard-Pyle
Company typePrivate
IndustryHorticulture
PredecessorHarmony Grove Nurseries, Conard & Brother, Dingee & Conard, Conard & Jones Co.
Founded1855; 171 years ago (1855) in West Grove, Pennsylvania, United States
FounderEverard Conard
Headquarters
West Grove
,
United States
Area served
United States
Key people
Steve Hutton (President and CEO)
ProductsRoses, Cannas, Perennials, Woody plants
Websitewww.starrosesandplants.com

Star Roses and Plants/Conard-Pyle, headquartered in West Grove, Pennsylvania since 1855, is a company focused on horticultural products, with a specialty in rose cultivation. The firm was responsible for introducing the Peace rose to the United States and was historically the top hybridizer of Canna varieties nationwide. It is widely recognized for developing the Knock Out and Drift Rose series.

History

  • 1725s: Ann (1677–1732) and Isaac (1665–1750) Jackson acquired land that would later become the location of the company’s operations at Harmony Grove Farm.
  • 1770s: John Jackson established a botanical garden on a portion of this property.
  • 1850: Isaac Jackson founded Harmony Grove Nurseries on a 30-acre tract, sourcing stock from nurseryman Thomas M. Harvey and collaborating with Charles Dingee.
  • 1855: Everard Conard, married to Mary Jackson, created Conard & Brother and subsequently took ownership of Harmony Grove Nurseries.
  • 1862: Conard partnered with Dingee to launch Dingee & Conard nursery enterprise, operating two greenhouses at Harmony Grove.
  • 1867: Led by head nurseryman Antoine Wintzer, Dingee & Conard began pioneering rose propagation techniques and initiated mail-order sales through a catalog featuring roses, bedding plants, bulbs, and seeds.
  • 1892: After parting ways with Dingee, Conard joined forces with S. Morris Jones to broaden rose cultivation and distribution; new farmland acquisitions formed part of what became Conard-Pyle.
  • 1897: The company was renamed Conard & Jones Co.
  • 1898: Robert Pyle became part of the firm and eventually assumed control following Conard’s death in 1906.
  • 1930: Antoine Wintzer was succeeded as head nurseryman by Sydney Hutton.
  • 1950: Upon Robert Pyle’s passing, Sydney Hutton purchased the business; it has remained under Hutton family management since then.
  • 2012: Steven Hutton introduced the Star® Roses and Plants/Conard-Pyle brand, focusing on plant breeding and royalties licensing.

Alfred Fellenberg Conard

  • Alfred Fellenberg Conard (1835–1906), originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, descended from German Quaker settlers in William Penn’s colony. He developed nursery skills working on his family farm and apprenticing under Thomas M. Harvey.

Charles Dingee

  • A member of the Dingee seed family, Charles Dingee contributed significantly to the company’s seed operations.

Antoine Wintzer

  • Born in Alsace, France, Antoine "Leon" Wintzer emigrated early to the United States. He served as head nurseryman before advancing to Vice-President, playing a key role in advancing plant breeding innovations.

S. Morris Jones

  • Limited details are available regarding S. Morris Jones.

Robert Pyle

  • Robert Pyle expanded the company’s reach by promoting two-year-old field-grown roses grafted onto roots, which commanded higher prices and bloomed more rapidly.
  • He earned global acclaim as a rose specialist and held leadership positions in prominent horticultural organizations.
  • In 1943, Pyle secured a patent for the famous Peace rose—originating from French hybridizer Francis Meilland’s creation—significantly enhancing the firm’s market presence.

Steve Hutton

  • Steve Hutton, who currently holds the position of President and CEO at Star® Roses and Plants/Conard-Pyle, represents the third generation in his family's nursery business.
  • His executive experience includes serving as president for both All America Rose Selections and the National Association of Plant Patent Owners.
  • Hutton contributes to several boards, including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Award Committee and Wholesale Nursery Growers of America, demonstrating his influential role within the horticultural sector.

Cannas

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em| Antoine Wintzer was known for creating numerous Canna varieties, such as:

  • Canna 'American Flag' (1902)
  • Canna 'California'
  • Canna 'Louisiana'
  • Canna 'Shenandoh'
  • Canna 'Venus'
  • Canna 'West Grove'
  • Canna 'Wintzer's Colossal'
  • Canna 'Wyoming'

Roses

  • Rosa 'Peace'
  • Rosa 'Mister Lincoln'
  • Sunblaze®
  • Meidiland®
  • Carefree®
  • Romantica®
  • Knock Out®
  • Drift®

Perennials

  • Caryopteris Grand Bleu® Bluebeard
  • Coreopsis Crème Caramel™ Tickseed
  • Echinacea Purple Fantasy™ and Panther Pink™
  • Eupatorium 'Little Joe'
  • Nepeta Junior Walker™
  • A variety of Salvia including 'Bright Eyes' and 'Fire Dancer'
  • Veronica 'Tickled Pink'

Woody Plants

  • Arctic Emerald Boxwood
  • Selected Buxus: 'Franklin's Gem', 'Highlander', Gordo™, Green Ice®
  • Chamaecyparis cultivars: 'Golden Mop' and Night Light™
  • Eleagnus Olive Martini™
  • Hydrangea 'Annie's Blue'
  • Ilex 'Drops of Gold'
  • Lonicera Edmee Gold™ and Ophelia™
  • Microbiota Fuzzball™
  • Photinia Pink Marble™
  • Prunus 'Chestnut Hill'
  • Spiraea Lightning Strike™
  • Thuja Fire Chief™
  • Weigela French Lace™

Roses developed by Conard & Jones Co.

  • Belle d'Orléans, Noisette 1902
  • Canadian Belle, Tea 1907
  • Climbing Mosella, Polyantha 1909
  • Eastern Gem, Tea 1905
  • Eugene Jardine, Noisette 1898
  • Henry Irving, Hybrid Perpetual 1903
  • Kaiserin Goldifolia, Hybrid Tea 1909
  • Little Gem, Polyantha 1898
  • Madame Bessemer, Hybrid Tea 1898
  • Palo Alto, Tea 1898
  • Peach Blossom, Tea 1898
  • Royal Cluster, Hybrid Multiflora 1899

Bibliography

  • For Love of a Rose by Antonia Ridge, which chronicles the creation of the Peace rose.

External links

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