MelissaHopper said:I have read this particular thread several times and I have a couple of questions.
Why does Chick Charms feel they need to rename semps that already have names? I have been told when you don't know what a semp is you just call it a NOID so why would you change the name?
And I have to agree with the people who said they think that the originator of the plant should be consulted before this is done and that seems to me like it would just be common courtesy.
My only interpretation of renaming is so Chick Charms can claim the plant as their own.
I do have one Chick Charms plant like I mentioned before, Bing Cherry. There is no mention anywhere on the plant tag that this plant had a prior name.
Hi Melissa, all good points. I've been a vocal critic of this most unfortunate trend of slapping trademark names on pre-existing cultivars. The main criticism is that it invites unnecessary confusion, particularly with less than savvy gardening public that will have no idea about how a plant can have two names for the same plant, if they even notice the "fine print" (real cultivar name) on the back side of the label... if the plant even has the original Chick Charms label. There's no end of possibility, that any and all Sempervivum cultivars could be "harvested" via TM rebranding, and this could apply to many thousands of other popular plant groups like Hosta and Hemerocallis, what confusion and mayhem will it create.
Looking at the marketing material, such as Chick Charms Facebook announcements and ChickCharms -dot- net web site, chick charms are bold branded as NEW (in all caps), it is repeated "Chick Charms is a series of NEW and colorful, ultra zone 4 hardy, Hens & Chicks". One of the web outlets for chick charms is GardenCrossing -dot- com, there's zero information to indicate these are older pre-existing cultivars that have been rebranded. The marketing conveniently gives the complete impression these are all new hybrids.
Interestingly, one of two web store outlets listed for chick charms is GreatGardenPlants - dot- com. They have gone the opposite route, listed the semps using the true cultivar name such as: Sempervivum Reinhard
(excuse their misspelling of 'Reinhardt' and unconventional cultivar name syntax... no single quotes). Then in the product description they say "aka Chick Charms Appletini".
A third web site selling chick charms is SelectSeeds -dot- com. Again no mention the plants are merely rebranded older cultivars. Each semp listing has a great big blue dot icon stating "NEW", and has an entry "latin name: Sempervivum hyb.", does not list the true cultivar name. All a big mish-mash of naming.
Sure, the effective marketing on chick charms (although in my opinion it's overtly misleading as well) will call more attention to growing sempervivums. The big cartoon-size labels will surely entice children to want to grow these fine plants, and possibly encourage new generation of gardeners, so that's a plus.
Melissa, I am curious about the label on your chick charms Bing Cherry, that you say didn't have a true cultivar name on it, what kind of label did it have, was it a cartoon chicken?
