May 2021 Events, Plant Trials, Variety Info

Back with a Bang By Jasmina Dolce

After taking one year off, the industry’s must-attend new variety event is back with new summer dates. The 2021 California Summer Trials (previously known as the California Spring Trials) will be taking place June 23-27* in locations along the coast.

While the event is a bit abbreviated this year (with nine total stops from Gilroy to Santa Paula), it is sure to impress with hundreds of new introductions and marketing concepts from over 25 participating breeding companies.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, all trial attendees are required to book an appointment in advance. Be sure to use the information below to register and plan accordingly.

*Dates and times are subject to change.

EXHIBITOR LISTING

SYNGENTA FLOWERS
Address: 2280 Hecker Pass Hwy., Gilroy
Trials dates: June 23-27
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: melanie.fernandes@syngenta.com
Phone number during event: 408.310.1257

PACIFIC PLUG & LINER
Including Flamingo Holland, Southern Living Plant Collection and Sunset Plant Collection
Address: 750 Casserly Rd., Watsonville
Trial dates: June 23-27
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: packtrials@ppandl.net
Phone number during event: 831.722.5396

BENARY AND BENARY+
Address: 195 Paulsen Rd., Watsonville
Trial dates: April 1-Aug. 31
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Contact email: cast@benary.com
Phone number during event: 815.529.0759

AMERICAN TAKII
Including HilverdaFlorist and Sahin
Address: 301 Natividad Rd., Salinas
Trial dates: June 23-27
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: springtrials@takii.com
Phone number during event: 831.443.4901

SAKATA
Address: 105 Boronda Rd., Salinas
Trial dates: June 23-26
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: jescobar@sakata.com
Phone number during event: 408.778.7758

DÜMMEN ORANGE
Address: 6464 Ana Bay Rd., San Luis Obispo
Trial dates: June 23-27
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: cast@dummenorange.com
Phone number during event: 720.670.9885

PLANT HAVEN, SUNTORY FLOWERS AND VIVERO INTERNACIONAL
Address: Armstrong Growers,
14545 W. Telegraph Rd., Santa Paula
Trial dates: June 22-26
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: jeanette.bett@planthaven.com
Phone number during event: 805.570.7974

BALL HORTICULTURAL CO.
Including Ball FloraPlant, Ball Ingenuity, Darwin Perennials,
Kieft Seed, PanAmerican Seed and Selecta One
Address: 335 S. Briggs Rd., Santa Paula
Trial dates: June 20-27
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and
12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m
Registration website: www.ballhort.com/cast
Contact email: springtrials@ballhort.com
Phone number during event: 630.588.3187

GREEN FUSE BOTANICALS
Including Beekenkamp, Hem Genetics, Schoneveld Breeding and Westhoff
Address: 15245 W. Telegraph Rd., Santa Paula
Trial dates: June 23-27
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Contact email: jturner@green-fuse.com
Phone number during event: 803.933.5599

SNEAK PEEK VARIETIES

Calibrachoa Rainbow
Dümmen Orange

This brand new series of vigorous varieties has a unique characteristic that causes the bloom color to change based on temperature, light level and day length when the bud is initiated, giving a constantly changing tricolor effect to the plants. Plants are extremely heat tolerant, making them a top performer in summer baskets, large containers and even in-ground plantings.

Angelonia Serafina
Westhoff

The new Serafina series combines heat and drought tolerance with big flowers on an upright, mounding habit. With seven new colors to choose from, these will be perfect for summer sales in small pots, combination planters or for use in the landscape.

Petunia ‘Limbo GP Silver Blue’
Hem Genetics

A new addition to the Limbo GP series for 2022 is Silver Blue, a silver lavender color with blue veining that pairs well with the 2021 Pantone Color of the Year — Ultimate Gray. Perfect for landscape beds, containers and hanging baskets, Limbo is one of the lowest maintenance petunias you will grow.

Delphinium ‘Delgenius Breezin’
Pacific Plug & Liner

Breezin is the newest addition to the Delgenius series of delphinium — bringing the series total to four. This new selection has highly ruffled flowers that are purple with white edging and a green bee. Breezin is the earliest to bloom in the series.

Rudbeckia Sunbeckia
Flamingo Holland

The Sunbeckia series is a hirta hybrid bred in Germany by Hartwig Bull and is known for its large flower size and long-lasting blooms. The series is well branching with strong, sturdy stems and is great in the garden or on the patio. Thirteen varieties are available as tissue culture or as a liner, and have a fast crop time of eight to 10 weeks after transplant.

Cyclamen Elegante
Schoneveld Breeding

Many years of breeding work have resulted in the fast and early-flowering Elegante cyclamen series, which does not suffer from heat delay. Plants are strong and round with mid-size blooms, and perfect for 4-inch/quart programs. With a short production time, uniform growth and long shelf life, these are true champions.

Zinnia ‘Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor’
Sakata

Red Yellow Bicolor is an All-America Selections winner with outstanding garden performance, even in the high heat of summer. Its stunning, bright bicolor of red and yellow is a true eye catcher in any planting. This new zinnia delivers high impact in large containers and landscape plantings.

Begonia ‘Nonstop Joy Rose Picotee’
Benary

The latest addition to the Nonstop Joy series features an exciting, intense bicolor with dark foliage and an outstanding controlled habit. Early to bloom and easy to ship, this new selection integrates perfectly into the Nonstop Joy series. It offers excellent uniformity and perfect flower presentation above the foliage.

Mandevilla ‘Sun Parasol Sunbeam’
Suntory Flowers

Sunbeam is the first yellow in the Sun Parasol mandevilla collection. This new variety fits the original group. Plants have a bushy habit for hanging baskets and containers. Rich buttery yellow blooms have darker throats. Sunbeam is loaded with buds that bloom two to three weeks earlier than older varieties.

Torenia Hi-Lite
Syngenta Flowers

Bred under extreme conditions to perform well in high heat and humidity, the new Hi-Lite resists stretch and fade. Multi-branched plants fill packs and small pots with ease for high-density production.

Buddleia Chrysalis
Darwin Perennials

The compact Chrysalis series was bred and selected for its profusion of flowers that attract butterflies. Gardeners will enjoy continuous blooming from spring through late summer. Plants are root hardy to Zone 5 and stem hardy in warmer locations. It is available in five colors for its 2022 debut.

Lavender La Diva
Dümmen Orange

The new La Diva lavender is about creating a portfolio of species and series, allowing growers to continuously produce luxuryquality plants from early spring through autumn. The new ‘La Diva Eternal Elegance’ is a complete breakthrough for angustifolia types with months earlier flowering, allowing extremely early-season sales.

New Guinea Impatiens Spectra
Syngenta Flowers

Raising the standard for New Guinea impatiens with interspecific breeding, Spectra offers large flowers, excellent branching and intense colors. Early to flower and uniform mounded habits make Spectra grower friendly and versatile in all pot sizes and hanging baskets. It will stand out at retail with high-quality New Guineas that perform in both sun and shade gardens.

Leucanthemum ‘Real Goldcup’
Plant Haven

‘Real Goldcup’ has bright sunshine yellow flowers that are colorfast with no color phasing. Flowers have bold golden yellow centers carried on very strong stems. This variety is very floriferous with improved disease resistance. It is hardy to Zone 5 and drought tolerance once established.

Marigold ‘Xochi Orange’
BloomStudios

Strong stems and rich color make this cut flower best for bouquets and grower bunches. An excellent option for summer and fall cut flower programs, Xochi offers uniformity, good shipability and durability to meet the increasing consumer demand for Día de los Muertos and Halloween celebrations.

Petunia ‘Opera Supreme Lemon’
American Takii

‘Opera Supreme Lemon’ features a magnificent 36-inch spread while maintaining a low habit — no more than 10 inches in height. Plants flower from the center out so the plant is full of color from center to tip. Bred to have tight internodes, each branch is packed with flowers that have excellent rain recovery. Plants stay colorful from grower to retailer to consumer.

Celosia Kelos Lunar
Beekenkamp

Kelos Lunar is a new series with unique genetics, featuring vibrant cristata blooms. Varieties have a long shelf life with continuous flowering — excellent for early spring through fall programs. This celosia performs well in all climates and can also be used as an indoor plant. Lunar varieties are day length neutral, allowing for early spring production and season extension.

Portulaca 24/7
Green Fuse Botanicals

All new breeding in portulaca brings this revolutionary new series to the market. Like your neighborhood quick shop, the 24/7 flowers never close! The series not only boasts large, 2- to 3-inch fully double flowers but is also day length neutral. The five colors of Fuchsia, Orange, Red, White and Yellow are perfect in quarts through basket production.

Echinacea MOOODZ Cheerful and Devotion
HilverdaFlorist

Two new colors have been added to the fast echinacea series from tissue culture. ‘MOOODZ Cheerful’ presents a true happy yellow color with large flowers and an overwhelming first flush. ‘MOOODZ Devotion’ features an intense red color.

Sedum ‘Conga Line’
Terra Nova Nurseries/ThinkPlants

This new sedum grows strong, upright stems that are covered in multicolored foliage and topped with lovely peach, coral and cream flowers in late summer. It is a champion pollinator magnet with a short compact habit.