Sep 24, 2019

And the Winners Are … By Jasmina Dolce

Selecting which new plant introductions to add to your production each year can seem daunting. With breeding companies introducing hundreds of new varieties each year, how can you possibly predict the ones that will be most successful for you and for your customers?

That is where organizations like All-America Selections, Perennial Plant Association and Fleuroselect come in. These and multiple other organizations take on the responsibility of trialing and evaluating plants each year in various regions in the United States and abroad. And GPN compiles a list of the awarded varieties each year.

If you haven’t already, check out GPN’s “Winners Circle” in the September issue where we highlight 14 varieties that have earned top honors for their beauty, performance and resilience.

Below you will find a handful of the awarded plants. Be sure to check out the full article to learn more about each winner.

Nasturtium ‘Baby Rose’
Takii Europe

This petite-flowered, mounding variety was awarded by both All-America Selections and Fleuroselect and features a beautiful rose color that contrasts nicely with the dark foliage. It is ideal for containers and small space gardens with its compact habit and upright blooms.

Marigold ‘Big Duck Yellow’
AmeriSeed

All three colors (Gold, Orange and Yellow) in the long-lasting, vigorous Big Duck series were recognized by All-America Selections. They are easy to grow and perform well in beds, containers, landscapes, hedges and borders.

Silene ‘Sibella Carmine’
Van Hemert

This new Silena pendula is self cleaning, so deadheading is not needed. Fleuroselect judges were impressed with its intense purple-red color, semi-double blooms and early flowering.

Leucanthemum ‘Madonna’
PanAmerican Seed

‘Madonna’ is a new leucanthemum from seed that is easy to care for, builds new flowers over the fading ones and flowers from summer to early fall. It is ideal for containers as well as the landscape.

Hydrangea ‘Quick Fire’
Spring Meadow Nursery

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers named ‘Quick Fire’ as its Woody Cut of the Year. One of the earliest paniculatas to bloom each year, it is usually two weeks ahead of other varieties. Flowers bloom white and age to red.

Begonia ‘Viking XL Red on Chocolate’
Sakata

All-America Selections judges were impressed by this new begonia’s large, uniquely colored dark leaves. The deep bronze color remained sharp and intense throughout the season. Plants were covered in vibrant red flowers and remained compact all season.

Stachys ‘Hummelo’

The 2019 Perennial Plant of the Year, ‘Hummelo’, is an excellent addition to full sun perennial borders in combination with ornamental grasses, echinacea and asclepias. It was the highest rated stachys is the Chicago Botanic Garden evaluation trials.

— Jasmina