If you’re a plant person, there’s no better place to be in April than California Spring Trials (CAST). Promising new plant introductions hold unlimited potential, and with any luck, you’re going to find some winners among the mix for your business.
Big blooms, fast finish; versatility, finish in 306 packs to large patio containers; only white in its class
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Berberis 'Sunjoy Mini Maroon' (Spring Meadow Nursery)
Sterile berberis, rust-resistant; dwarf, low-mounded habit; dark, burgundy-purple foliage accented with a green margin
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Calibrachoa 'Lia Melon' (Danziger)
Controlled mounding habit with tighter internodes for good flower coverage; plants flower in a 10-hour day, orange-yellow bloom tones look almost like a combo
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Calibrachoa Tree 'Funtastic Cherry' (Hishtil Nurseries)
Standard-tree calibrachoa with round-shaped head; massive flower power, drought tolerant, long-lasting flowers; comes in four colors
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Calibrachoa Tree 'Funtastic Mandarin' (Hishtil Nurseries)
Standard-tree calibrachoa with round-shaped head; massive flower power, drought tolerant, long-lasting flowers; comes in four colors
Early flowering, compact; bred by Breier in Israel; heat and drought tolerant series; versatile for landscape and container use
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Geranium 'Moxie Dark Red' (Syngenta Flowers)
New series; dark-red flower color, compact, mounded habit matches well to the series
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xPyracomeles 'Juke Box' (Spring Meadow Nursery)
Dwarf broadleaf evergreen; comes without the threat of boxwood blight or spider mites; natural ball-shaped habit; use for hedging, topiary, containers, and bonsai
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Rosa 'At Last' (Spring Meadow Nursery)
Combination of a fragrant, fully-petaled tea rose and a practical, no-nonsense landscape rose; large, sunset-orange blossoms from late spring through frost; glossy foliage; vigorous, rounded habit; great for landscapes or flower gardens
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Syringa 'Scentara Double Blue Lilac' (Spring Meadow Nursery)
Lush, fully doubled blue lilac with sweet aromatic fragrance; selected for its unique flowers; compact, rounded growth habit; cold and mildew tolerant.
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Senecio 'Silvery Velvet' (Jaldety Nurseries)
Evergreen, shrubby perennial; heat and drought tolerant; low maintenance; versatile for landscape and container use
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Spirea 'Double Play Doozie' (Spring Meadow Nursery)
Sterile, reblooming spirea; vibrant red and lime leaves darken as the season progresses; hot pink-red flowers open in June and continue until frost
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Verbena 'Vanessa Bicolor Purple' (Danziger)
Bicolored flowers with a strong color contrast; screened for a flush of color all summer; powdery mildew tolerance
Greenhouse Grower editors Laura Drotleff and Janeen Wright, accompanied by Allan Armitage and Andrew Scheldorf, winner of the Dr. Allan Armitage Scholarship for the Ornamental Spring Trials, will be front and center at CAST 2018, updating you on the latest plants, trends, and marketing ideas seen at the trials. Watch for daily news during the week in special Benchrunner editions with insider views on promising plants, slideshows of new introductions, and Allan Armitage’s top plant picks.
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But until then, we’ll give you a peek at some of the 2018 introductions breeders shared with us that will hit the retail market in 2019. During the weeks leading up to CAST, watch for preview slideshows covering all the stops along the CAST route.
This slideshow covers some of the stops in the Northern Region:
Seed Your Future Announces ‘10 Years, 10 Days, $10K’ Anniversary Fundraiser
Watch for a second slideshow on the Northern Region stops that includes Bailey Nurseries, Cultivaris, Sunset Western/Southern Living Plant Collections, Ernst Benary of America, Hem Genetics, Thompson & Morgan, American Takii, and Hilverdakooij.
015California Spring Trials 2018 Northern Region Preview: Spring Meadow Nursery, Syngenta, Danziger, Cohen, Hishtil, Jaldety, Nir
March 6, 2018 
