Top Performers From Penn State 2020 Flower Trials
2020 was a challenging year for many, and the Penn State University (PSU) Flower Trials was no exception. In a typical year, we have more than 100 Penn State Master Gardeners and PSU Floricultural Advisory Board members who provide a significant contribution to the physical labor required for producing and maintaining the trials. These volunteers were not allowed on site due to Pennsylvania state policies and those of PSU regarding COVID-19.
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The trials display was produced in 2020 by the PSU trials team staff, Penn State Educators, Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SEAREC) staff, and SEAREC interns. With the reduced work force, it took longer to complete production compared to previous years. Trials Director Sinclair Adam and Trials Associate Deneen Shaffer coordinated the program with collaboration from SEAREC Director Professor Alyssa Collins, and the PSU Floricultural Advisory Board in 2020.
All those who contributed to the PSU trials in 2020 at SEAREC were deemed essential workers by the university and did a wonderful job with the trials. Appreciation for the contributions of Allegheny County Master Gardeners, Hershey Gardens staff, and Dauphin County Master Gardeners must be expressed as well.
Considering the circumstances in 2020, the PSU trials program was successful. It was a wonderful experience to produce, maintain, and trial the plants in most of our usual sites located across the state, even with the pandemic. We are very fortunate to have such committed people in PSU Extension who contributed so much to these efforts.
It is equally great that the companies who provide the plants were so supportive in these challenging times. PSU Educators Krystal Snyder, and Nick Flax (who also sit on the Floricultural Advisory Board) made significant contributions in plant culture, production, and in program outreach.
South Central Pennsylvania (Lancaster and Dauphin County trials sites) experienced the hottest year on record during the months of June to August, while rainfall was close to average during the period. In western Pennsylvania, the trials site at North Park (Allegheny County) also experienced excessive heat, but received more rainfall then average. Plants are trialed in containers at SEAREC (Lancaster County), but at Hershey Gardens (Dauphin county) and North Park (Allegheny county) trial plants are tested and displayed in ground. At SEAREC, the container number was reduced from three to two containers per entry, which provided a production reduction that was sustainable with the reduced work force. Plants were not trialed in Centre County in 2020.
An in-ground perennial trial is conducted at SEAREC as well, and plants entered in this aspect of the Penn State Flower Trials are tested for three consecutive years. This part of the trials went on as usual, but was planted a week later than in previous years. In 2020, 1,030 container and in-ground entries were rated at SEAREC. Final results are up on the PSU Flower Trials web pages for 2020.
This year Nick Flax, Krystal Snyder, and I created five Penn State Flower Trials videos accessible on our web pages and YouTube showcasing the trials, as well as a Virtual Field Day that ran on July 23 and drew 494 attendees. It is interesting to work with new outreach methods in these times, and we are learning a great deal.
The importance of these plant trials programs can’t be understated, especially when confronting the impact of climate change and weather induced environmental stresses. New varieties are the lifeblood of our industry, and researching plants for their ability to perform is a very good way to evaluate success (or not) in regional and local conditions. There should be a strong support for plant trials in the future, as this is the best way to encourage strong breeding lines, and outstanding selections. The Penn State Flower Trials program strives to help breeders, growers, and retailers make sound decisions on varieties for the Mid-Atlantic region, and the increased virtual presence has brought the flower trials to more clients than usual. We plan to continue virtual offerings into the future.
Best Flowering Plants:
- Angelonia ‘Serena Rose’ (PanAmerican Seed)
- Begonia ‘Sprint Rose Plus’ (Benary+)
- Begonia ‘Solenia Yellow’ (Beekenkamp)
- Begonia ‘Rose on Green D8-2100A’ (Sakata Ornamentals)
- Calibrachoa ‘Cabaret Bright White’ (Ball FloraPlant)
- Celosia ‘Kelos Fire Magenta’ (Beekenkamp)
- Combos Kwik Kombos Beach Bum (Syngenta Flowers)
- Euphorbia ‘Diamond Snow’ (Proven Winners)
- Geranium Interspecific ‘Cumbanita Deep Rose’ (Dümmen Orange)
- Geranium ‘Zonal Patriot’ (JP Bartlett)
- Impatiens ‘SunPatiens Rose Glow’ (Sakata Ornamentals)
- Impatiens ‘Paradise Electric Orange’ (Kientzler North America)
- Impatiens ‘Paradise Light Pink’ (Kientzler North America)
- Lantana ‘Compact Pink Opal Gem’ (Danziger)
- Lobularia ‘Easy Breezy White’ (Ball FloraPlant)
- Melampodium ‘Showstar’ (Benary+)
- Petchoa ‘SuperCal Rose’ (Sakata Ornamentals)
- Petunia ‘Supertunia Mini Vista Indigo’ (Proven Winners)
- Petunia ‘Dekko Banana’ (Syngenta Flowers)
- Petunia ‘Pink Panther’ (Kientzler North America)
- Salvia ‘Cathedral Blue Bicolor’ (GreenFuse Botanicals)
- Scaevola ‘Surdiva Fashion Pink’ (Suntory Flowers)
- Vinca ‘Soiree Ka-wa-ii White Peppermint’ (Suntory Flowers)
- Zinnia ‘Preciosa Orange’ (American Takii)
Best Foliage Plants
- Alternanthera ‘FanciFillers Choco Chili’ (Westhoff)
- Caladium ‘Hot 2 Trot’ (Classic Caladiums)
- Coleus ‘ColorBlaze Royale Cherry Brandy’ (Proven Winners)
- Coleus ‘FlameThrower Cajun Spice’ (Ball FloraPlant)
- Coleus ‘FlameThrower Salsa Verde’ (Ball FloraPlant)
- Coleus ‘FlameThrower Serrano’ (Ball FloraPlant)
- Combos MixMasters Pico de Gallo (Ball FloraPlant)
- Cyperus ‘Cleopatra’ (Kientzler North America)
- Helichrysum ‘Silver Ribbon’ (Selecta One)
- Ipomoea ‘Sweet Caroline Medusa Green’ (Proven Winners)
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