Phlox, Zinnias, and More for 2018 From California Spring Trials
We asked breeders to share with us some of the great varieties of annuals they’ll be introducing in 2017 for the retail market in 2018. They didn’t disappoint. In this second annuals slideshow, featuring plants from California Spring Trials (CAST) 2017, see phlox, verbena, zinnias, and more that have the vibrant flower color, long-lasting blooms, and strong branching you would expect to see in quality plants. And watch for even more CAST 2017 slideshows on perennials, shrubs, and edibles. It’s almost as good as being there.
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Geranium Calliope Medium (Syngenta Flowers)
Calliope Medium Geraniums have a more controlled habit than the existing Calliope Large. They are great for pot sizes from quarts to 12 inches and larger. Calliope Medium has similar growing and vigor as Americana geraniums, with intense color. It also has an outstanding heat and drought tolerance that is exceptional for landscape performance.
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Geranium 'Glitterati Diva Queen'
This new hybrid specialty geranium has vibrant chartreuse leaves with a striking red/rust zone and bright-pink flowers. Diva Queen is the little sister of Geranium 'Glitterati Ice Queen.' Diva Queen as the same garden toughness of an interspecific hybrid geranium but has a little more sass in the color department than Ice Queen.
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Kwik Kombos Sangria and Sunsets Mix (Syngenta Flowers)
Sangria and Sunsets Mix is bred for balance and beauty. Balanced components play well with others, ensuring beautiful combos from end to end. Built on performance, Kwik Kombos leverage the best genetics for combinations that last.
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Papaver rhoeas ‘Supreme’ (Thompson & Morgan)
This is the common P. rhoeas poppy, but with huge flowers that are up to three times larger than normal. A mix of fully double blooms come in bright Pink, Red, White, and Orange, and also bicolors. ‘Supreme’ is a Fleuroselect Novelty Award that works well for direct sowing and planting in borders. Its final garden height is 30 inches.
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Petunia SuperCal Buttercream Red Crimson Mix (Sakata Seed)
New Buttercream and Crimson Red offer two unique colors and all-weather garden performance. This gorgeous combo is ideal for quart and basket production with vigorous, well-branched plants. Plus, early blooms provide constant color.
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Pentas Lucky Star Series (PanAmerican Seed)
Lucky Star Pentas are bred for the fastest follow-up blooming of any pentas on the market. Plants look better getting off the truck, and they just keep getting better in the store. Follow-up blooms don’t eclipse the prior flush so plants stay compact, tight, and ready for sale at retail with minimal effort. The promise of continuous, showstopping color on full, lush plants is a huge plus for gardeners. Available in six vibrant colors for its debut year. Pictured: Violet
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Phlox 'Popstars Blue' (Floranova)
Popstars is a new series of F1 naturally dwarf phlox with eye-catching, unique,, star-shaped flowers. Popstars has strong overall garden performance and very good heat tolerance. The series is available in six bright colors, including striking bicolors. It works well for combinations as well as mono-pots.
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Senecio ‘Crushed Velvet’ (Hort Couture)
‘Crushed Velvet’ will excite most plant lovers senses with its arching, graceful habit, and silver gray, velvet-textured leaves. It works well as a centerpiece in an upscale combination planter or to add texture and contrast in the landscape. At maturity, ‘Crushed Velvet’ will reach 12 to 16 inches tall with a 6- to 8-inch spread.
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‘Sunfinity’ Sunflower (Syngenta Flowers)
‘Sunfinity’ has endless blooms all season long. It can drive trade-up from traditional sunflowers to a premium offer with numerous grower, retailer, and consumer benefits never before seen in the sunflower market.
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Tagetes ‘Cheerleader Orange’ (Floranova)
Cheerleader is a dwarf African Marigold with large double flowers on well-branched plants with strong 360° branching. Aggressive, sturdy, side branching fills a container with ease and creates a full flowering canopy for high impact in the garden.
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Tropaeolum majus 'Orchid Flame' (Thompson & Morgan)
A new color to add to ‘Orchid Cream’ with chameleon-like blooms, 'Orchid Flame's' flowers open bicolor red and yellow and then mature to a rich burgundy. Temperature and weather will affect the final flower color. It is ideal for planting en-masse in borders and landscapes. 'Orchid Flame's' final garden height is 12 inches.
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Verbena Empress Sun Series (Dümmen Orange)
Empress Sun Verbena are developed to fill the landscape verbena niche. These vigorous growers come in five colors including: Red, Violet, Pink, White Blush, and Lavender Charm. Empress Sun Verbena feature heat and mildew tolerance, great flower power, and a reduced cyclic blooming pattern. Pictured: Lavender Charm
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Verbena Obsession Cascade Series (Syngenta Flowers)
Obsession Cascade is the first trailing verbena from seed. It is notable for its bright and bold colors in a true trailing habit, making it ideal for added-value baskets and combos. Obsession Cascade pairs well with other value-added seed lines such as Petunia ‘Picobella Cascade,’ creating upscale combos packed with value. Pictured: Purple Shades with Eye
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Zinnia ‘Profusion Red’ (Sakata Ornamentals)
‘Profusion Red’ is the first true-red zinnia in its class and has been named an All-America Selections Winner for Superior Garden Performance in the ornamental seed trial. Also named a Fleuroselect Gold Medal Winner, ‘Profusion Red’ boasts bright flower color that truly lasts in the garden. Profusion’s uniformity and disease resistance are well-known, and new Red fits right in.
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Zinnia Solmar Series (Floranova)
Large double flowers cover this compact zinnia with excellent branching and impressive garden vigor. Solmar Zinnias exhibit strong heat tolerance and good uniformity in four bold colors.
View all
Geranium Calliope Medium (Syngenta Flowers)
Geranium 'Glitterati Diva Queen'
Kwik Kombos Sangria and Sunsets Mix (Syngenta Flowers)
Papaver rhoeas ‘Supreme’ (Thompson & Morgan)
Petunia SuperCal Buttercream Red Crimson Mix (Sakata Seed)
Pentas Lucky Star Series (PanAmerican Seed)
Phlox 'Popstars Blue' (Floranova)
Senecio ‘Crushed Velvet’ (Hort Couture)
‘Sunfinity’ Sunflower (Syngenta Flowers)
Tagetes ‘Cheerleader Orange’ (Floranova)
Tropaeolum majus 'Orchid Flame' (Thompson & Morgan)
Verbena Empress Sun Series (Dümmen Orange)
Verbena Obsession Cascade Series (Syngenta Flowers)
Zinnia ‘Profusion Red’ (Sakata Ornamentals)
Zinnia Solmar Series (Floranova)
In case you missed it:
New Petunias and Calibrachoas for 2018 from California Spring Trials
Begonias, Dahlias, and More for 2018 from California Spring Trials
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Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. . See all author stories here.