16 New Shrubs and Flowering Perennials For Your 2020 Crop Mix
As you get ready to plan your crop mix for 2020, consider 16 of the newest flowering perennials and shrubs coming on the market. Many of these debuted at California Spring Trials 2019. They share several characteristics that make them easy to maintain such as compact habits and heat and drought tolerance. And with a combination of long bloom times and eye-catching fall foliage, many new perennials have multi-season appeal. They are first-year flowering and attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
-
-
1 of 16
Athyrium 'Crested Surf' (Proven Winners Perennials/Walters Gardens)
'Crested Surf' is the first perennial fern added to the Proven Winners line-up. Similar in color to a Japanese Painted Fern, 'Crested Surf' has double-crested fronds and is a good choice for the shade. Hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
-
2 of 16
Aubrieta 'Rock on Pink' (Dümmen Orange)
The Rock On series has a compact, mounded habit and is available in vivid Blue and Pink colors. Plants have a multitude of blooms and a long-flowering window.
-
3 of 16
Caryopteris 'Pavilion Pink' (Danziger/ThinkPlants)
'Pavilion Pink' blooms late summer to early fall, making it a great perennial for fall interest. It has unique pink blooms on short internodes and a well-branched, compact habit. 'Pavilion Pink' is a first-year flowering perennial with no need for vernalization. It is hardy in Zones 5 to 9.
-
4 of 16
Dianthus 'Constant Beauty Crush Rose' (Green Fuse Botanicals)
This hybrid dianthus is hardy in Zones 3 to 10. It's production season runs early spring through summer with continued flowering late into the summer season.
-
5 of 16
Dianthus 'Delilah Bicolor Purple' (Danziger/ThinkPlants)
Hardy in Zones 4 to 9, 'Delilah Bicolor Purple' blooms from early spring to fall. This hardy dianthus has vibrant, semi-double flowers. It is compact and easy to grow.
-
6 of 16
Digitalis 'Artic Fox Rose' (Darwin Perennials)
This hybrid digitalis is hardy in Zones 5 to 9, offering winter hardiness for northern growers, plus summer-long flowering for southern growers.
-
7 of 16
Erysimum 'Erysistable Tricolor' (Syngenta Flowers/ThinkPlants)
Erysistable Erysimum are compact, well-branched plants with large, brightly colored flowers. They bloom from early to late spring and are hardy to Zone 5.
-
8 of 16
Euphorbia purpurea 'Miner's Merlot' (Pacific Plug and Liner)
'Miner's Merlot' is a dark-leaved Euphorbia that is drought and heat tolerant. Plants have lime-green flowers, and their foliage darkens up even more when temperatures warm up.
-
9 of 16
Helleborus 'Winter Angels Charmer' (Pacific Plug and Liner)
This compact variety is programmable for a Christmas bloom time. It is compact and flowers up to five months.
-
10 of 16
Heucherella 'Firecracker' (Terra Nova Nurseries)
The red splashes on 'Firecraker's' golden, cut foliage help it standout in containers. Day-neutral plants perform well in the sun and have few or no flower spikes for easy maintenance. They have a dense, compact habit and are hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
-
11 of 16
Heucherella 'Peach Tea' (Terra Nova Nurseries)
The large, peachy-red leaves of the dainty 'Peach Tea' contrast beautifully with creamy-white flowers. Plants are day neutral and have a mounding habit. They are hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
-
12 of 16
Iberis 'Snowdrift' (Syngenta Flowers/ThinkPlants)
This late-flowering iberis is a good perennial for extending the season. It flowers two weeks later than 'Snow Surfer' and four weeks later than 'Snow Cone.' Plants bloom in early spring, and they are hardy in Zones 4 to 8.
-
13 of 16
Lavandula 'Madrid Lavish White' (Green Fuse Botanicals)
Multi-bracted Madrid lavenders in the First Light Perennials line have larger flower bracts for long-lasting color. Plants are drought tolerant, and their foliage is fragrant. They are hardy in Zone 7. White is the newest color in the line.
-
14 of 16
Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise Ruby Red' (Ernst Benary of America)
Ruby Red is a first-year flowering perennial with a long flowering season. It is a prolific bloomer until frost. Plants are heat and drought tolerant and can be used indoors, as well as outdoors. 'Elise Ruby Red' is available as ApeX seed only. The series includes two colors and a mix. Plants are hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
-
15 of 16
Mooodz Echinacea 'Satisfy' (Hilverdakooij)
'Satisfy' attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators with its rich, orange-pink blooms. Plants flower from July until September and are hardy in Zones 5 to 8.
-
16 of 16
Sedum 'Rock 'N Grow Yellow Brick Road' (Proven Winners Perennials/Walters Gardens)
Yellow Brick Road is a red-stemmed groundcover covered with masses of tiny yellow flowers from mid to late summer. It has little to no lodging, and it blooms a few weeks later than standard summer-flowering Stonecrop. Plants are hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
View all
Subscribe to eNewsletter
Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. . See all author stories here.