Glow-in-the-dark petunia named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024 list
Light Bio’s petunia ‘Firefly’, a bioluminescent plant that emits a soft green glow, has been named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024. The plant has captured public attention for its ability to bring natural illumination into homes and gardens. With abundant white blooms by daylight, it transforms into an enchanting display of living light after dusk.
“This recognition by TIME, and the unique experience we’re providing to people across the country, is the result of decades of scientific effort,” said Light Bio CEO Keith Wood, Ph.D., citing the achievement as both a technological breakthrough and a cultural milestone.
To compile this year’s list, TIME gathered nominations from its global network of editors and correspondents and accepted submissions through an online application process, emphasizing frontier disciplines such as healthcare, AI and green energy. Each nominee was then evaluated based on several criteria, including originality, effectiveness, ambition and overall impact.
Petunias are among the world’s most beloved ornamental plants, prized for their easy cultivation and profusion of blooms. ‘Firefly’ can be grown in pots, hanging baskets, or garden beds, reaching 8 to 10 inches in size. It glows continuously without the need for special conditions or treatments.
Growers and independent garden centers interested in carrying ‘Firefly’ should contact Rooted in Solutions LLC ([email protected]), the exclusive licensed distributor of the plant in North America through a partnership with Light Bio. Rooted in Solutions is led by industry veterans Susie Raker and Casey Stanton of Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants in Michigan, along with Jim Devereux of Green Fuse Botanicals in California.
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