Beginning with January 2023 royalty collections, Plants Nouveau will manage the administration, supply chain and marketing of the Chicagoland Grows Plant Introduction Program, according to a company press release.
Plants Nouveau was founded in 2005 by Angela Treadwell-Palmer, who managed the Chicagoland Grows program from 2002 to late 2004, before relocating to the East Coast in 2005. Linda Guy joined her as a partner in 2011, expanding Plants Nouveau’s offerings and reach. Today, Plants Nouveau represents more than 45 plant breeders and more than 380 new plant introductions.
Chicagoland Grows was founded in 1986 as a corporate partnership between the Chicago Botanic Garden, The Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Grower’s Association of Northern Illinois (OGA).
Famous for introducing the world’s first hybrid orange coneflower and the Prairieblues™ false indigo series, Chicagoland Grows Plant Collection is a plant introduction program developed to promote the use of new plant cultivars that are well-adapted to the growing conditions of the Upper Midwest. While regional in focus, the program’s plants can be grown successfully in all zone-appropriate regions of the world.
Read the full press release below
Mobile, Alabama – Plants Nouveau, a woman-owned new plant introduction company, has some really exciting news. On November 14, 2022, Plants Nouveau signed official documents to assume management of the royalty administration, supply chain and marketing of the Chicagoland Grows Plant Introduction Program.
Chicagoland Grows® was founded in 1986 as a corporate partnership between the Chicago Botanic Garden; The Morton Arboretum; and the Ornamental Grower’s Association of Northern Illinois (OGA), a network of wholesale nurseries located in northeastern Illinois.
New Plant Introductions from plant breeding at both the Chicago Botanic Garden and The Morton Arboretum are fed into Chicagoland Grows for release into the market. Plants found or selected from any of the OGA members are also introduced through the program.
Plants Nouveau is honored that we were chosen to manage the program. Beginning with January 2023 royalty collections, all licensed growers will have their licenses transferred to a Plants Nouveau license and will report royalties from that day forward to Plants Nouveau.
Plants from Chicagoland Grows will now be marketed under the name Chicagoland Grows Plant Collection, highlighting the stories of each plant and the mission of each breeding program. Breeders from both the Chicago Botanic Garden and The Morton Arboretum will be working on selecting new plants for the collection that perform well in northern gardens. Adding this collection of plants to Plants Nouveau will initially bring 19 trees, 16 shrubs, and 36 perennials to our ever-growing portfolio.
“Having managed the Chicagoland Grows program from 2002 to late 2004, I am incredibly excited to be working with the partners, the plants, and the licensed growers again. There is so much untapped potential for this program. Adding 71 cold hardy plants to the nearly 400 plants we already represent will provide so many opportunities for both our existing licensees and the current Chicagoland Grows program licensees. It is a great opportunity to raise awareness for the partner institutions and these wonderful, cold hardy plants all in one. Linda and I can’t wait to get started. We have big plans for streamlining the supply chain, maximizing royalties, and being able to tell the story through our many marketing channels.”, says Angela Treadwell-Palmer, Founder and Co-Owner of Plants Nouveau.
Fred Spicer, V.P. & Director of the Chicago Botanic Garden says, “Many of you are likely already aware of Plants Nouveau, and their two well-known and dynamic owners, Angela Palmer, and Linda Guy. I bet more than a few of you remember when Angela was the Chicagoland Grows manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Regardless, Angela and Linda are both extraordinary plantswomen, skilled and savvy marketers, and very familiar with the CLG line. That’s the simple reason we’ve made this change: to let these trusted and respected experts create more demand—across America and across the globe—for CLG products. Your products. We hope that’s a change that you’ll welcome.”
Stay tuned for more announcements and a brand new section on our website showcasing this amazing collection of plants. For more information on the plants, email: [email protected]
