Award-winning varieties

Each year many associations, shows and trial gardens give recognition to strong performing annuals, perennials and shrubs by giving out awards. This roundup includes only a small sample of all the honorees celebrated by the Cultivate’24 Retailers’ Choice Awards, All-America Selections Winners, Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Colorado State University Flower Trial Gardens, Raker-Roberta’s Trial Gardens and from other trials gardens and industry associations.

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FLOWER TRIAL GARDENS 

2023 Top Performer 

flowertrials.colostate.edu 

1. Echinacea ‘SunMagic Vintage Fuchsia’ 

Bull Plant Genetics 

The SunMagic Vintage series offers unique colors, tight branching and a compact habit. Plants grow to a mature height of 18 to 24 inches with Zone 4 hardiness. What stands out most about ‘SunMagic Vintage Fuchsia’ is the horizontal orientation of the flowers, the prolific flower canopy with large flowers and the striking brown cones against pinkfuchsia petals. 

2025 ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS 

Ornamental Winners 

all-americaselections.org 

2. Dianthus ‘Capitán Magnifica’ 

Selecta One 

‘Capitán Magnifica’ dianthus held up well in trials through the summer heat and provided continuous bicolor blooms. This is a new interspecific variety that allows more heat tolerance than other dianthus, and Capitán has stems long enough to be used as a cut flower. 

3. Geranium ‘Big EEZE Pink Batik’ 

Dümmen Orange 

Big EEZE geraniums are a grower favorite in the interspecific category for the combination of heat tolerance, giant oversized umbels and manageable foliage size. With a mounding, semi-trailing habit, Big EEZE are very adaptable and can be used in patio containers or hanging baskets. 

ASSOCIATION OF SPECIALTY CUT FLOWER GROWERS 

2024 Fresh Cut Flower of the Year 

ascfg.org 

4. Snapdragon ‘Potomac Appleblossom’ 

PanAmerican Seed 

Earning the Fresh Cut Flower of the Year Award, ‘Potomac Appleblossom’ is giving growers great productivity with multiple flushes of white and rose bicolor flower stalks through the season. Stems are strong and can reach a length of 60 inches long. Growers can produce these snapdragons all year with supplemental high-intensity lighting. 

CULTIVATE’24 

Retailers’ Choice Award Winners 

cultivateevent.org 

5. Rudbeckia ‘Lion Cub’ 

Terra Nova Nurseries 

(Shown at top of page) Named for its perfect pom pom shaped golden flowers, rudbeckia ‘Lion Cub’ has a naturally tight, mounded habit. It only grows 10 inches high with a spread of 18 inches. Great for full sun mixed beds and borders through the summer, and it’s a great fall option in containers. 

6. Dipladenia ‘Sun Parasol FiredUP Orange’ 

Suntory Flowers 

This bright orange dipladenia is a natural born thriller with an upright habit. Plants create a whole new tropical look with slender foliage and pinwheel-shaped blooms. Colors deepen in warmer temperatures. It’s a perfect focal point for heat-loving combos. 

PLANTPEDDLER TRIAL GARDENS & VARIETY DAY 

Top 25 Winners 

plantpeddler.com 

7. Begonia ‘I’Conia First Kiss Orange’ 

Dümmen Orange 

Large orange blossoms against the dark foliage of ‘I’Conia First Kiss Orange’ make this an easy top pick by looks alone. Growers can also expect strong branching, consistent bicolor blooms and medium vigor with an upright habit for a stand-alone container choice. 

 

8. Helianthus ‘Sunfinity Double Yellow’ 

Syngenta Flowers 

Sunfinity has a new variety addition and it’s been a top performer in many trials this year! A vegetative double-bloomed sunflower, helianthus ‘Sunfinity Double Yellow’ has the same multi-branching, nonstop blooming power of the original seed Sunfinity. It blooms from late spring until fall. 

RAKER-ROBERTA’S TRIAL GARDENS 

2023 Top Performer 

trialgardens.raker.com 

9. Begonia ‘Adora Velvet Red’ 

Syngenta Flowers 

Velvet Red blooms with petite double flowers against striking dark foliage. Its well-branched, mounded habit works across a range of container sizes and is an ideal choice for premium begonia programs for both sun and shade applications.