roses are blue

Nearly 14 years ago, I wrote a news story about the successful incorporation of genes for a blue pigment into roses, assuming that the new variant would hit the shops soon after:

Groß M (1994): Süddeutsche Zeitung Nr 75 (31.3./1.4.1994), I
Die Jagd nach der blauen Rose -- Japanische Genetiker hoffen auf neue Züchtungen

in fact it hasn't been commercialised to this day, but I have read in the press this week that the blue rose is now, 14 years later, almost ready to go on sale. The company Suntory Ltd. is currently growing test batches (which most observers consider to be purple rather than blue). Crikey, and I always thought my research projects went a bit sluggish ...



This one's a fake, borrowed from Wikipedia