Highlights From Day 5 of California Spring Trials 2025

By Brian D. Sparks | Robin Siktberg|April 1, 2025

The Greenhouse Grower team closed out our California Spring Trials 2025 experience in true style with visits to American Takii, Benary, and Hilverdaflorist. Check out the following slideshow to see what plant varieties and series captured our attention on the final day of CAST 2025.

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Dianthus Beauties Series (Hilverdaflorist) | All photos courtesy of Robin Siktberg

Hilverdaflorist is moving its dianthus stock production to Green Leaf Plants in Pennsylvania, helping it avoid concerns about potential tariffs. The Dianthus Beauties series includes four varieties: ‘Rowsey’, ‘Kaia’, ‘Freya’ (pictured), and ‘Sherise’.
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Digitalis Hanabee Series (American Takii)

“Hanabee” means “fireworks” in Japanese, and this new digitalis series at American Takii may someday live up to its name. Available in two colors (Pink and White), these digitalis offer a nice branching habit and earlier flowering.
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Echinacea ‘Moodz Serenity’ (HilverdaFlorist)

New to the popular Moodz series are ‘Moodz Flirty’ and ‘Moodz Serenity’ (pictured).
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Pentas ‘Graffiti Deep Red’ (Benary)

This new pentas series is actually a combined rebranding of Benary’s Graffiti OG and Graffiti 2020 series. There are 17 total colors in the series, including two new colors: ‘Graffiti Deep Red’ (pictured) and ‘Graffiti Neon Plum’.
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Tagetes ‘Mango Tango’ (Benary)

Benary introduced two new stand-alone marigolds, meaning they deem them good enough to hold their own without being part of a series. ‘Mango Tango’ (pictured) and ‘Milli Vanilli’, a soft solid yellow.
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Tropaeolum ‘Baby Gold’ (American Takii)

American Takii has done it again, adding two new outstanding colors to the Baby series. ‘Baby Gold’ (pictured) and ‘Baby Yellow’ add to the growing rainbow assortment.

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Dianthus Beauties Series (Hilverdaflorist)

Hilverdaflorist is moving its dianthus stock production to Green Leaf Plants in Pennsylvania, helping it avoid concerns about potential tariffs. The Dianthus Beauties series includes four varieties: ‘Rowsey’, ‘Kaia’, ‘Freya’, and ‘Sherise’.

Digitalis Hanabee Series (American Takii)

“Hanabee” means “fireworks” in Japanese, and this new digitalis series at American Takii may someday live up to its name. Available in two colors (Pink and White), these digitalis offer a nice branching habit and earlier flowering.

Echinacea ‘Moodz Serenity’ (HilverdaFlorist)

New to the popular Moodz series are ‘Moodz Flirty’ and ‘Moodz Serenity’.

Pentas Graffiti Series (Benary)

This new pentas series is actually a combined rebranding of Benary’s Graffiti OG and Graffiti 2020 series. There are 17 total colors in the series, including two new colors: ‘Graffiti Deep Red’ and ‘Graffiti Neon Plum’.

Tagetes ‘Mango Tango’ (Benary)

Benary introduced two new stand-alone marigolds, meaning they deem them good enough to hold their own without being part of a series. ‘Mango Tango’ and ‘Milli Vanilli’, a soft solid yellow.

Tropaeolum Baby Series (American Takii)

American Takii has done it again, adding two new outstanding colors to the Baby series. ‘Baby Gold’ and ‘Baby Yellow’ add to the growing rainbow assortment.