The Oracle At OFA
June 19, 2008 
I spent a little time at the OFA Short Course a few weeks ago. As usual, it was an exceptional show, with hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors. It may not be worth it to go every year, but you really should try to make it once every two or three years. The educational sessions alone are worth the price of admission. However, the trade show is getting to be more like the Cirque du Soleil each year, so if nothing else, a wide-eyed gawking should be on the agenda every few years.
I was asked to talk about some of the plant material that the vendors wanted to highlight. When I talked to the various vendors, it was of course, just as you would expect. All of them were shy, none wanted their photo taken and no one wanted to tell me how good their products were. (If you believe any of those statements, you need to get out more). Ears ringing with stunning endorsements, it was all I could do to tear myself away to the next booth. What a job, I had a ball. However, it seems to be that there were many of you missing, so allow me to share with you a sampling of the plants that both the vendors and I were taken by.
By the way, no excuses about not being able to find these. Talk to your brokers or the company mentioned. They can get you any of these.
Perennials
Gaillardia ‘Tizzy’ looked brilliant, looked like fun and ready to fly. Gaillardias are poised to be the next echinacea, so take a look at this and new offerings in the Good Vibrations series (seen at Novalis booth).
The euphorbs–like euphorbia ‘Glacier Blue’–are heating up, and with recent excellent introductions, perhaps it is time for a variegated form. The people at Skagit Gardens have offered some plants I recommend without hesitation, (helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ and euphorbia ‘Black Bird’) so I hope this will have good landscape performance as well as good eye appeal.
Heuchera, echinacea and dozens of succulents are still going strong. The fern market seems good, at least looking at the great material such as normal ferns and the peacock ferns (selaginella) from Casa Flora.
Yarrows from Yoder had interesting names like ‘Strawberry Seduction,’ ‘Sunny Seduction’ and ‘Pomegranate.’ The coreopsis ‘Limerock Dream’ certainly caught my eye.
Temperennials
Cordyline and phormium were everywhere, and if the production and vigor can be enhanced, you should take a serious look at them again. Many cordylines are winter hardy to Zone 7b, perhaps even to 6b.
Anything with the tropical look such as banana, alocasia, colocasias and gingers were on display in more than one booth. The demand is there. If the demand can be met, we will actually see these plants become even more popular. Tropicals were highlighted at AG-3, phormiums were highlighted at ForemostCo and Ball Ornamentals, cordylines at Bodger Botanical and Ball Ornamentals.
Bulbs like caladiums were incredible. The people at Bates Sons And Daughters as well as Abbott Ipco showed new and, in some cases, sun-tolerant caladiums. Bulbs were spotted at Van Bloem, Berbee and a host of others.
Annuals: Lots And Lots More
Osteospermum are getting better all the time, highlighted almost everywhere annuals are bred. (For those with excellent heat tolerance, see Greenhouse Grower, September 2006.)
Petunias, calibrachoas, dwarf sunflowers and canna from seed (Takii) were all impressive. Begonias such as the “rex” types are becoming more visible every year. I’d jump on that bandwagon. Begonias, such as ‘Bonfire’ and ‘Bellfire,’ are sure to be winners.
Hibiscus at Dupont are always amazing and this year was no exception. Robby and clan are on the cutting edge of new annuals and perennials as well.
I loved Gloeckner’s new celosias and Goldsmith, Suntory, Proven Winners, Ball, Pan-Am, Ecke, Goldfisch and Sakata showed off the new, the colorful and the produceable.
Grasses are catching on and have proven their value in the landscape. Growers have been shy to do a lot with them, but no excuses now. Emerald Coast, Meadow View Growers and Hoffman Nursery all had excellent grasses, from schizicharium to molinia, pennisetum to panicum and lots more. If you work with the gardening public or landscapers, I can’t see you not growing at least three to four different grasses.
New plants from Athens Select like iochroma ‘Purple Queen,’ hibiscus ‘Panama Red’ and ‘Panama Bronze’ and new flowering maples (‘Fairy Coral Red’) received a lot of attention for being, well, different. They looked terrific in the containers outside, as well. They certainly did not have the market on new, however, as the New Plant displays took my breath away (well, not all of it).
Woody plants are fast gaining acceptance in the market (us old folks want less maintenance, easier planting times). The gang at Proven Winners, Spring Meadow, Novalis, Ball Ornamentals and many others are gearing up for the demand for woodies in mixed containers. Be aware, it is already a major trend.
Visitors from other lands were welcomed and smiling. In fact, they all have offices in America or travel here so often, they might as well take out citizenship. The Australians (Ramm, Tesselaar), Israelis (Danziger), Germans (Benary, Dömmen, Selecta), Dutch (Fides), Japanese (Sakata, Takii, Suntory), Brazilians (Gro Link-Athena) and Canadians were all well represented.
Aside from the plants, the most intriguing issue I am watching is the one of sustainability. The Ellepot people have received well-deserved good press for a good product, but it was heartening to see the mainstreaming of other ideas as well. I loved Jolly Farmer’s Daniel English showing me his vase from recycled paper, Ed Thornton at Premier displaying large molded fiber pots for mixed containers and seeing Jack van de Wetering proudly displaying his straw pots. It was exciting indeed. It is a start, but you have to come around sometime. If we can sustain this sustainability, we will not be the dirtiest part of the green industry.
Of course, what I can’t convey is the comraderie enjoyed and the soul rejuvenated when we meet our friends and colleagues once again. Priceless!
There were way too many good people and far too many good plants to put in a single 60 minute talk, but I tried. The same problem is catching me here, far too much, too few words to do it in. Guess you will have to get to this show in the future, so you don’t have to have me tripping all over myself in my excitement to share all this with you.
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