Highlights From Day 1 of California Spring Trials 2025

By Brian D. Sparks | Robin Siktberg|March 26, 2025

Day One of California Spring Trials 2025 is in the books. The Greenhouse Grower team spent the day at Green Fuse Grove, taking in some of the newest varieties and series from Green Fuse Botanicals, Hem Genetics, Beekenkamp, Schoneveld Breeding, and Westhoff. Check out the following slideshow to see what captured our attention at CAST 2025.

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Begonia ‘Dreams Waterfall Bicolor Improved’ (Beekenkamp) | All photos courtesy of Robin Siktberg

Beekenkamp continues its focus on shade breeding with this great shoulder-season series that works well in shade combos.
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Gerbera Joybera Springtime Mix (Schoneveld Breeding)

These mixes are among the new offerings from Schoneveld Breeding.
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Hydrangea 'Gamechanger Pink Burst' (Green Fuse Botanicals)

This year Green Fuse highlighted two new colors in the series: Freely Blue and Pink Burst (pictured).
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Pentas 'Phenom Star Red' (Green Fuse Botanicals)

A new pentas series features several colors, but the literal stars of the show are ‘Phenom Star Red’ and ‘Phenom ‘Star Lavender’. Each has white, star-shaped flowers bordered with picotee edges of red and lavender, respectively. Other colors in the series include Double White and Double Pink.
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Petunia 'Crazytunia Inferno Metallic Orange' (Westhoff)

Westhoff has trimmed the number of colors in its Petunia Crazytunia Series by at least 10 colors, but then added four more: Yello, Blackberry Syrup, Bananarama, and Inferno Metallic Orange (pictured). The reason was to choose cultivars within the mix that exhibited better uniformity in production.
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Thunbergia 'Uprising Yellow' (Green Fuse Botanicals)

This new series includes four colors, all with a striking black eye. Steve Jones, President of Green Fuse Botanicals, says they are designed to be grower friendly. After one application of PGRs, these thunbergias can be shipped in one-gallon pots and grown out in consumers’ gardens.

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Begonia ‘Dreams Waterfall Bicolor Improved’ (Beekenkamp)

Beekenkamp continues its focus on shade breeding with this great shoulder-season series that works well in shade combos.

Gerbera Joybera Springtime Mix (Schoneveld Breeding)

These mixes are among the new offerings from Schoneveld Breeding.

Hydrangea ‘Gamechanger Pink Burst’ (Green Fuse Botanicals)

This year Green Fuse highlighted two new colors in the series: Freely Blue and Pink Burst.

Pentas ‘Phenom Star Red’ (Green Fuse Botanicals)

A new pentas series features several colors, but the literal stars of the show are ‘Phenom Star Red’ and ‘Phenom ‘Star Lavender’. Each has white, star-shaped flowers bordered with picotee edges of red and lavender, respectively. Other colors in the series include Double White and Double Pink.

Petunia ‘Crazytunia Inferno Metallic Orange’ (Westhoff)

Westhoff has trimmed the number of colors in its Petunia Crazytunia Series by at least 10 colors, but then added four more: Yello, Blackberry Syrup, Bananarama, and Inferno Metallic Orange. The reason was to choose cultivars within the mix that exhibited better uniformity in production.

Thunbergia ‘Uprising Yellow’ (Green Fuse Botanicals)

This new series includes four colors, all with a striking black eye. Steve Jones, President of Green Fuse Botanicals, says they are designed to be grower friendly. After one application of PGRs, these thunbergias can be shipped in one-gallon pots and grown out in consumers’ gardens.