Conard-Pyle finds illegal Knock Out roses

The Conard-Pyle Co. has reached a settlement with a central Florida nursery and landscaper found to have infringed its plant patent and trademark rights on Knock Out roses. In addition to imposing a financial penalty, Conard-Pyle required the grower to destroy a large number of infringing plants. The nursery and landscaper was in violation of United States Plant Patent Laws that state no one may asexually propagate or sell any patented plant without the permission of the patent owner.

“Illegal propagation is a topic that we take very seriously,” said Jacques Ferare, vice president of license for The Conard-Pyle Co. “As the introducer of the Knock Out roses, we are committed to ensuring that Knock Out plants are grown and marketed only by legitimate growers. This not only protects these legitimate nurseries, it also guarantees that the consumer is getting the real thing and not a ‘knock off.’”