Feb 11, 2020

Countdown to Spring Trials 2020 — Part 2 By Jasmina Dolce

The 2020 California Spring Trials countdown continues. In just 45 days, breeders and suppliers will gather along the California coast for five days of new variety trials and exhibits.

If you haven’t received GPN’s California Spring Trials Companion yet, be on the lookout. It should be hitting your mailbox any day now. In the meantime, you can access the digital edition at digital.gpnmag.com/i/1204788-2020-california-spring-trials.

Breeders have been hard at work over the past year perfecting their latest creations, while many growers have taken on the responsibility of producing these new varieties for the big event. Everything needs to be just right — habit, uniformity, color. Presentation means everything!

I’ve been in touch with most of the exhibitors, and they’ve been kind enough to share a sneak peek of their most recent breeding efforts. Here’s another preview into the latest intros for next season. Keep in mind, this is just a glimpse of what you’ll be seeing along the coast next month. I’ll share even more with you in my next newsletter …

Impatiens Sol-Luna
Danziger

Danziger is reinventing hybrid impatiens with a series that delivers in both sun and shade. Sol-Luna takes the guesswork out of gardening for homeowners. Varieties are compact and perfect for packs, quarts and gallons. The series is easy to grow and available in four vibrant colors.

Petunia ‘Crazytunia Peach Bellini’
Westhoff

‘Crazytunia Peach Bellini’ is another breakthrough for Westhoff breeding. The unique combination of rosy-pink and yellow gives way to orange tones under cooler conditions.

Begonia ‘BIG White Green Leaf’
Benary

The most exciting BIG addition lives up to the BIG begonia name with outstanding garden performance. It is extremely well branched with short internodes, so it is covered in blooms. And it is very heat tolerant.

Geranium Rosalie
Syngenta Flowers

A novel variety, Rosalie adds a new twist to geranium programs big and small. Truly unique rosebud-like blooms make this zonal geranium a standout at retail and in the garden. Its controlled habit works well across a range of small- to medium-sized containers. One color is currently available: Antique Salmon.

Celosia Sol
PanAmerican Seed

Foliage celosia brings color and texture to containers and gardens. The Sol collection launches with two varieties that produce relatively fast with no downy mildew issues. Both hold well at retail and expand the options for consumers looking for sun-loving accent plants.

Dahlia MegaBoom
Dümmen Orange

The all new MegaBoom series is designed for maximum impact in a small amount of space. The oversized blooms are held just above the foliage canopy, making them ideal for mixed containers or as a mid-border plant in the garden. ‘MegaBoom Fire’ (pictured) has an intense fiery red color all summer long.

Coleus ‘Monkey Puzzle’
Terra Nova Nurseries

‘Monkey Puzzle’ produces peach- and purple-toned leaves that have a lace-like appearance. This fast-growing annual has a rounded, spreading habit with a height of 10 inches and a width of 20 inches. Hardy to Zones 10 to 11, its exposure allows for full to partial shade.

Will you be attending the California Spring Trials this year? What types of varieties are you looking for? Is there any introduction in particular that you are most excited to see up close and personal? Shoot me an email at jdolce@greatamericanpublish.com, and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

— Jasmina