Oct 14, 2014

Top Varieties at the Dallas Arboretum

I know many of you rely on data from trial gardens across the country to plan your production for the following season. In my last newsletter, I shared some of the results from Colorado State University’s trials. Today, I’d like to report the top-performing varieties at the Dallas Arboretum.

According to Jenny Wegley, director of horticulture at the arboretum, they had a fairly mild spring (following a long, cold winter and a late hard freeze). Early summer temperatures were below normal and Dallas got hit with several heavy rains early in the season. Mild temps continued through most of June and July; however, August was more of their norm – very hot and very humid.

So which plants stood up to the heat? Below are the top performers (in no specific order):

Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire’ (Proven Winners)

A great addition for Southern gardeners, ‘Vermillionaire’ has vibrant orange, tubular flowers with glossy, deep green foliage. It took early summer rains and 100-degree days in stride.

Vinca ‘Titan Romance Mix’ (PanAmerican Seed)

It was a rough year for vinca due to frequent heavy rainfall at the beginning of summer, and it quickly became evident which varieties had the most disease resistance. ‘Titan Romance Mix’ is vigorous and consistently offers an abundance of blooms in white, light pink and dark pink.

Lantana Landscape Bandana series (Syngenta Flowers)

These plants are extremely vigorous with a trailing habit that will quickly fill a landscape bed or container. Four colors are available (Gold is pictured), and all have shown great blooming ability.

Caryopteris clandonensis ‘Blue Fountain’ (Proven Winners)

Not only did this plant survive, but it is still thriving in the trial beds. Whorls of blue flowers cover this plant in late spring through summer. Bees are a huge fan!

Mandevilla Sun Parasol Giant series (Suntory)

This series was planted in three different locations (in ground, hanging baskets and containers), and in all three locations these plants were stunning throughout the entire season. They are vigorous, and the large blooms stand out against the dark green foliage.

Hibiscus ‘Pink Versicolor’ (Keepsake Plants)

Tropical hibiscus are always a crowd favorite and ‘Pink Versicolor’ was a stand out in trials this summer. It was in constant bloom from the time it went into the ground mid-spring through the heat of the summer. Large, 6-inch blooms grab your attention from a distance.

Gomphrena Pinball series (Sakata)

Pinball has a compact habit that makes it ideal for the landscape and container planting. It grows 19 inches tall, allowing it to be easily incorporated into any design. It is available in three colors: Purple, Snow Tip Lavender and White.

Salvia ‘Amistad’ (Jaldety Nursery)

Light green foliage is covered in purple-blue flowers till first frost. An almost black bract is the highlight for this salvia. Standing at 4 feet tall, it is a model perennial for the back border. Temperature does not seem to matter; it blooms regardless.

Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Hedgehog’ (Iseli Nursery)

There is nothing like a shade-loving evergreen shrub that does well in Texas. ‘Hedgehog’ delivers at 2.5 to 3 feet in height with dark green, compact foliage that can enhance any shady area. It allows the Texan to bring some of the Northwest into the landscape with its woody feel.

Are you growing any of the above varieties? How are they performing in your climate? If you are located in Texas, are there other stand-out varieties you think should be added to this list? Shoot me an e-mail and let me know! I’d love to hear from you.

– Jasmina