The 2026 California Spring Trials (CAST) take place later this month (click here for registration information). Whether you’re planning your own trip or just want to know what’s new in the world of floriculture, we’ve got you covered.
1
of
14
1
of
14
Pentas StreetArt Series (Benary)
Pentas StreetArt™ debuts with four colors (Red, White, Blue, and Rose) anchored by a coordinated Red/White/Blue combo ideal for premium patio pots for Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Fourth of July promotions. Uniform timing, strong heat tolerance, and dense umbels create high-impact retail displays and reliable summer performance.
2
of
14
Begonia hybrid iCandy™ XL Deep Yellow (Syngenta Flowers)
A new addition to the much-loved iCandy begonia series. iCandy flourishes in part sun and shade, making it a great choice for adding color on porches and patios. iCandy XL Deep Yellow has high vigor similar toiCandy Coral Pink, dark chocolate foliage, and deep-yellow cascading flowers.
3
of
14
Verbena bonariensis Flair (Benary)
Verbena Flair is the most compact V. bonariensis available, producing bright violet, round flower clusters with strong visual impact. Its genetically compact habit eliminates the need for PGRs or pinching, enabling efficient production. Heat-tolerant, pollinator-friendly, and landscape-ready, Flair earned the Fleuroselect Gold Medal for innovation and performance.
4
of
14
Petunia Amazonas Violet Parakeet (Danziger)
Danziger continues to redefine the petunia category, adding three new colors to the Amazonas™ Collection. These petunias are pushing the boundaries of the impact blooms can bring to the garden. Get ready for Amazonas™ Midnight Finch, Pink Macaw, and Violet Parakeet. The three new selections join the award-winning Plum Cockatoo variety. Each selection brings the colors of the rainforest to any garden with ruffled green edges and unique bloom colors. Adding Amazonas™ brings a conversation starter to beautiful patio pots and hanging baskets
5
of
14
Lavandula angustifolia Scent™ Mini Blue Lavender (Syngenta Flowers)
Scent Mini Blue matches the original Scent Blue for fill and flower timing, but finishes 33% more compact, offering a great option for packs and smaller pots and optimization of retail appeal and shelf-life.
6
of
14
Impatiens hybrid Sol Luna Orange Duet (Danziger)
Danziger’s Sol Luna™ Hybrid Impatiens Series now features a beautiful bicolor variety. Sol Luna™ Orange Duet offers large, creamy orange and bright white blooms backed by deep dark foliage. A standout in the garden, Orange Duet brings all the performance – in sun or shade – you’ve come to expect from this uniform and vigorous series.
7
of
14
Helianthus annuus Sunfinity® Single Yellow Sunflower (Syngenta Flowers)
Expect the Sunfinity promise of unmatched garden performance with continual flowering and a high resistance to powdery mildew throughout the summer season. The habit and timing of Sunfinity Single Yellow match well with Sunfinity Double Yellow. This new variety also makes a beautiful cut flower.
8
of
14
Gerbera Melodiva Hot Pink (HilverdaFlorist)
Melodiva® is a premium line of nine uniform pot gerbera varieties. Available as a vivid mix or by individual color, including stunning pink shades. The series is designed for efficient, predictable production. What makes Melodiva® truly unique is her synchronized blooming and compact, uniform habit.
9
of
14
Garvinea Sweet Pastry (HilverdaFlorist)
Garvinea® Sweet Pastry delivers strong performance with abundant, continuous blooms. Its pink flowers with a contrasting black center stay attractive in a wide range of weather. This uniform, low-maintenance variety produces many flowers for standout retail displays and supports extended sales periods with consistent quality across the supply chain.
Evolution™ Colorific™ Coneflower is a pollinator magnet with beautiful multi-colored blooms. The bright, color changing flowers range from pink, salmon and rosy-peach, and offer an ever-evolving look in the garden. A prolific bloomer, this coneflower is loaded with flowers from late spring through fall.
11
of
14
Durabella Amazonas Energy (Danziger)
Danziger’s Durabella® combinations program simplifies mixed container production without sacrificing stunning results. Each recipe brings together two or three carefully selected varieties that are bred and tested to perform well together, with matched growth rate, vigor and beauty. Every combination uses one liner per variety, helping reduce input costs, lowering water use, and creating a lighter root ball to support better shelf life and long-lasting quality.
12
of
14
Dianthus Hybrid Picture Perfect (HilverdaFlorist)
Picture Perfect® is a compact and uniform pot dianthus that delivers efficient, predictable production without growth regulators. The flowers maintain their vibrant color, and the series performs reliably in the greenhouse. Picture Perfect® combines easy cultivation with strong commercial appeal throughout the supply chain, adding consistent value for growers.
13
of
14
Camouflage Variegated Japanese Aralia (Monrovia, ThinkPlants)
Discovered by renowned plant explorer, Dan Hinkley, this unique selection features large, marbled leaves that shine in shades of chartreuse, emerald green and gold. Camouflage brings a bright tropical look to any shade garden, elevating the space. It’s perfect in the landscape or in larger containers. Recommended for Zones 7-10, this Japanese Aralia is also a stunning houseplant. First introduced as a Monrovia exclusive, Camouflage was also chosen to be part of the Landscape Legends Collection.
14
of
14
Begonia Wookie Series (Benary)
A breakthrough multiflora series built for premium baskets and tough summer conditions. Begonia Wookie offers vigorous branching, masses of bright blooms, and excellent heat performance. Its uniform habit and fast fill make it ideal for high-value retail programs with minimal grower input.
Advertisement
View all
1
of
14
Pentas StreetArt Series (Benary)
2
of
14
Begonia hybrid iCandy™ XL Deep Yellow (Syngenta Flowers)
3
of
14
Verbena bonariensis Flair (Benary)
4
of
14
Petunia Amazonas Violet Parakeet (Danziger)
5
of
14
Lavandula angustifolia Scent™ Mini Blue Lavender (Syngenta Flowers)
6
of
14
Impatiens hybrid Sol Luna Orange Duet (Danziger)
7
of
14
Helianthus annuus Sunfinity® Single Yellow Sunflower (Syngenta Flowers)
Check out the slideshow above for a closer look at new varieties from Syngenta Flowers, Danziger, Monrovia, HilverdaFlorist, and Benary that will be on display, and watch for more varieties from other breeders participating in CAST in the coming days. Once CAST kicks off, be sure to watch for daily highlights from the Greenhouse Grower team in our newsletters and across our social media channels.
015Check Out Part 1 of Greenhouse Grower's California Spring Trials 2026 Preview
March 4, 2026 
