Breeders Bring New Flavor to Old Favorites on Day 3 of California Spring Trials

By Julie Hullett | Robin Siktberg|April 4, 2023

During the 2023 California Spring Trials, visits to Sakata Ornamentals, Kientzler, American Takii, Danziger, and others included new series and updates to familiar names.

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Pansy 'Spring Grandio Lavender Shades' (Sakata Ornamentals)

‘Spring Grandio Lavender Shades’ from Sakata is a beautiful new color that is sure to grab consumer attention. This unique variety from seed has a tie-dye pattern on the flowers with an early and abundant flowering under short days. Crop time is 10 to 11 weeks.
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Calibrachoa 'Calipetite Sunset Orange' (Sakata Ornamentals)

‘Calipetite Sunset Orange’ produces orange bicolor flowers. This variety is day length neutral and is naturally compact. ‘Sunset Orange’ fits best in small patio pots and window boxes. Medium vigor and mounding habit.
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Canna 'South Pacific Yellow' (American Takii)

South Pacific is a hybrid dwarf canna series from seed so it is not prone to diseases transmitted in rhizome production. This series from American Takii thrives in hot and humid conditions. It has uniform germination with reduced production time in all phases. Yellow and White are new colors for 2024.
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Gerbera 'Patio Monte Viso' (HilverdaFlorist)

‘Monte Viso’ is the newest addition to the Gerbera Patio Series from HilverdaFlorist. This pink-white bicolor has semi-double blooms. ‘Monte Viso’ works well in large pots on a patio.
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Osteospermum ecklonis 'Osticade Aurora' (Danziger)

‘Aurora’ is one of the new introductions to the Osticade Series from Danziger. This new osteospermum has a controlled trailing habit that is ideal for baskets. Peach-colored petals turn to a light purple in the center of each bloom. ‘Aurora’ can be grown in a warm greenhouse with other annuals, so a cold treatment is not necessary. The other new color addition to the Osticade Series is ‘Twilight Moon’.
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SunPatiens 'Compact Red Candy' (Sakata Ornamentals)

You may think you’ve heard everything about Sakata’s SunPatiens series, but they dropped a gorgeous new color this year: ‘Compact Red Candy.’ Bright magenta pink petals with dramatic red star in the center will make this one stand out at retail. It looked fantastic in combinations, too.
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Begonia Bellissa Series (Kientzler)

A new begonia series from Kientzler features a compact habit, upright flowers, reduced shipping damage and dropped blooms, plus ease of handling at retail. Four colors (Orange, Red, White, and Yellow) are ready for 2024.
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Petunia Splash Dance Series (Danziger)

This speckled and spotted petunia series from Danziger is not new this year, but they have added five new colors, more than doubling the options available. ‘Calypso Cherry,’ ‘Fuchsia Flamenco,’ ‘Moon Walk,’ ‘Rumba Rose,’ and ‘Violet Vogue’ are the new additions to this early flowering, mounded series, which has been trialed and tested for pattern stability in the heat.