Ball Horticulture Highlights Its Top Retail Intros For 2016
The Ball family of companies is introducing a many, many new plants for the retail market in 2016. Greenhouse Grower RETAILING ask Ball’s staff to pick the top plants its introductions that are likely winners on retail shelves. Here are their choices.
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Petunia 'Easy Wave Yellow' (PanAmerican Seed)
PanAmerican Seed will be backing the Wave brand through a consumer marketing campaign, including interaction with the Wave Fan Club on social media channels. It will also offer POP materials retailers can access through growers. First up is petunia 'Easy Wave Yellow,' the first in the Easy Wave spreading petunia collection. The plants are fast growing and bloom freely all season in both garden beds and baskets and containers. It will reach 6 to 8 inches high and 30 to 39 inches wide.
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Petunia 'Tidal Wave Red Velour' (PanAmerican Seed)
Tidal Wave is a vigorous spreading petunia that fills big spaces like a hedge and climbs along and over walls and fences. 'Tidal Wave Red Velour' is an All-America Selections National Winner for 2015. It blooms well into autumn. It will reach 16 to 22 inches.
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Dianthus Jolt Series [PanAmerican Seed]
The new Jolt series of interspecific dianthus is the most heat-tolerant dianthus on the market. Jolt is highly durable with few disease issues. It continues to flower without setting seed. Available in Cherry and Pink (an All-America Selections winner and shown here), it will reach 16 to 20 inches high and spread 12 to 14 inches.
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Gerbera Revolution Series [Kieft Seed]
For spring 2016, Kieft Seed is emphasizing plants it believes will draw in the non-traditional gardener. The plants are easy to grow and can perform both indoors and out. First up is the gerbera Revolution series, which can be grown and sold year-round. The new bicolors further enhance the series and make great impulse items at retail and as an indoor gift plant. The gerberas will reach 12 to 16 inches high and spread only 5 or 6 inches. Shown here: 'Revolution Bicolor Yellow Orange'
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Lavender 'Bandera Purple' (Kieft Seed)
This Spanish lavender with a compact to mid-habit flowers heavily to almost cover the plant. It holds its dense mound in the garden without falling open. It's long flowering and self-cleaning with a good secondary flush of blooms. Hardy in Zones 7 to 10, it reaches on 7 to 9 inches high and spreads 10 to 12 inches.
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Campanula Rapido Series [Kieft Seed]
This showy spring perennial is ideal in 4-inches pots or gallons. Suited to patio planters and gardens, as well as an indoor novelty pot plant, Rapido is the earliest C. carpatica — up to four weeks earlier than other varieties. Available in Blue and White, it will reach 5 to 7 inches high and spread 5 to 8 inches wide. Shown here: 'Rapido Blue'
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MixMasters Combo Series [Ball FloraPlant]
Ball FloraPlant is promoting a collection that does well in summer heat, both at retail and for consumers. The varieties are combo-friendly and designed to help extend the retail season. First up is the MixMasters combo series, which range from all-calibrachoa mixes to multi-species, with 13 new and improved combinations for 2016, including Pop Culture, Eye Caramba (shown), and Fantasyland. Each recipe has been trialed and monitored to ensure consistency and efficiency.
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Hibiscus 'Little Zin' (Ball FloraPlant)
This dark-burgundy foliage plant pairs well in combination with other flowers in containers. 'Little Zin' holds its color and upright form in the heat. Its serrated leaves offer texture and unique appeal as a thriller component in mixes. At only 18 to 24 inches high and wide, it is more compact than other hibiscus.
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Coleus 'Campfire' (Ball FloraPlant)
This brightly colored coleus is easy to grow and will maintain its vibrant orange hue in both sunny or shady locations. It's suited for landscapes or in large-size containers. Its habit has a large range of growth — 14 to 36 inches high and 24 to 36 inches wide.
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Impatiens Bounce Series [Selecta]
These are the Selecta plant genetics to get to know in 2016. First up is the Bounce series of interspecific impatiens, which are not susceptible to impatiens downy mildew, yet they offer a high flower count and spreading habit that gives them the look of classic impatiens. Bounce thrives in both sun and shade gardens. They’re available in several colors, including Pink Flame, which was awarded an All-America Selections award. It will grow from 14 to 20 inches high and wide. Shown here: 'Bounce Violet'
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Trixi Combos [Selecta]
Selecta’s popular collection features more mixes for 2016, including 11 new and 10 improved combos with multiliner mixes. All are trialed and tested. Don’t miss new intros: Flirtini (shown), Treasure Chest, and Pretty Princess.
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Osteospermum 4D Series [Selecta]
Double-flowered 4D has a less vigorous habit than the previously introduced 3D. 4D’s shorter stems and improved branching make for masses of blooms in cool season gardens. The flowers stay open 24/7 and don’t get “sleepy” like traditional single-flowered osteos. Its height reaches only 8 to 12 inches and spreads 12 to 16 inches. Shown here: '4D Violet Ice'
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Tomato 'SteakHouse' (Burpee Home Gardens)
This spring, the Burpee retail brand offers these new varieties that should appeal across gardening demographics and skill levels. First up is 'SteakHouse' tomato, one of the world’s largest beefsteaks. It consistently tips the scales at up to 3 pounds., and it produces high yields. The broad-shouldered tomatoes are loaded with true heirloom flavor and wonderful fragrance. It will grow 66 to 72 inches high and wide.
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Tomato 'Baby Boomer' (Burpee Home Gardens)
Each prolific plant yields 300 or more big-flavored, little tomatoes. Compact, whorled plants produce 1-inches tomatoes right up until frost. It's disease resistant and ideal for small gardens and patio planters. It will grow 20 to 25 inches high and 24 to 36 inches wide.
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Pepper 'Cherry Stuffer' (Burpee Home Gardens)
These compact plants produce peppers that mature from green to red. They'll work in a number of culinary forms — raw, stuffed, and grilled. The fruit shape resembles popular 'Cherry Bomb,' but with less heat and more sweet. It will grow 24 to 32 inches high and 28 inches wide.
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Echinacea 'Sombrero Baja Burgundy' (Darwin Perennials)
These trialed and tested Darwin Perennial varieties offer improvements on popular plant classes. First up is an echinacea, 'Sombrero Baja Burgundy.' The Sombrero series of echinacea offers bold color and hardy performance to Zone 4. New Baja Burgundy is a rich, deep burgundy color that is well branched on sturdy and highly floriferous plants. It overwinters well and is drought resistant once established in the landscape. Greenhouses can grow it and sell it the same year — no vernalization is needed and it bulks up fast. It will grow 18 to 20 inches high and spread 22 to 24 inches wide.
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Digitalis Foxlight Series [Darwin Perennials]
Darwin is introducing three bold, novelty colors to its compact Foxlight series. It blooms all summer and has outward-facing flowers for better show. This first-year-flowering perennial needs no bulking for full plants. Foxlight will also attract butterflies. It will grow 22 to 24 inches high and spread 18 to 20 inches. Shown here: 'Foxlight Rose Ivory'
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Scabiosa Flutter Series [Darwin Perennials]
The Flutter series has shorter stems and larger flowers than previous scabiosa, so it makes a tidier, more attractive perennial garden. It also has richer color (available in Deep Blue, shown here, and Rose Pink). Flutter will also attract butterflies. It will grow 12 to 14 inches and spread 10 to 12 inches.
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Canna 'Cannova Lemon' (Ball Ingenuity)
Ball Ingenuity partners with some of the leading plant breeders and suppliers — big and small — around the world. first up is canna 'Cannova Lemon.' Cannova is the first seed, F1 canna series that offers an easy-to-grow option in this heat-tolerant class. The newest color for 2016 is Lemon, a light yellow that works great as a stand-alone or as a component to blend in mixes. Cannova is versatile — it works well in 4-inch pots to 2 gallons. It will reach 30 to 48 inches and will spread 14 to 20 inches.
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Celosia 'Intenz Dark Purple' (Ball Ingenuity)
The new 'Intenz Dark Purple' grows the same as 'Intenz Classic,' but has the flower remain dark purple as opposed to becoming two-tone. The Intenz series blooms throughout the summer and fall, making it the perfect plant to offer for indoors or in the garden. It will grow to 18 by 12 inches.
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Rex Begonia Jurassic Series [Ball Ingenuity]
Jurassic rex begonias offer a new take on a classic plant. Jurassics have been selected with excellent vigor, which help the varieties to fill out their containers. The vigor also helps the Jurassics finish faster than most other rex begonias currently on the market. Their bold patterns make a perfect addition to any indoor décor or deep shade garden. It will grow 10 to 16 inches high and will spread 8 to 12 inches. Shown here: 'Jurassic Rex Watermelon'
View all
Petunia 'Easy Wave Yellow' (PanAmerican Seed)
Petunia 'Tidal Wave Red Velour' (PanAmerican Seed)
Dianthus Jolt Series [PanAmerican Seed]
Gerbera Revolution Series [Kieft Seed]
Lavender 'Bandera Purple' (Kieft Seed)
Campanula Rapido Series [Kieft Seed]
MixMasters Combo Series [Ball FloraPlant]
Hibiscus 'Little Zin' (Ball FloraPlant)
Coleus 'Campfire' (Ball FloraPlant)
Impatiens Bounce Series [Selecta]
Trixi Combos [Selecta]
Osteospermum 4D Series [Selecta]
Tomato 'SteakHouse' (Burpee Home Gardens)
Tomato 'Baby Boomer' (Burpee Home Gardens)
Pepper 'Cherry Stuffer' (Burpee Home Gardens)
Echinacea 'Sombrero Baja Burgundy' (Darwin Perennials)
Digitalis Foxlight Series [Darwin Perennials]
Scabiosa Flutter Series [Darwin Perennials]
Canna 'Cannova Lemon' (Ball Ingenuity)
Celosia 'Intenz Dark Purple' (Ball Ingenuity)
Rex Begonia Jurassic Series [Ball Ingenuity]
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Carol Miller is editor of Today's Garden Center. You can eMail her at [email protected]. See all author stories here.