New Downy Mildew Resistant Impatiens and Annuals for 2020
Breeders shared so many of the new annual introductions with us that they showed off at California Spring Trials 2019 that we had to make up a second slideshow to get everything in. From African marigolds to downy mildew-resistant impatiens to pericallis and zinnias, check out 23 new annuals that will be available for retail in 2020.
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African Marigold Big Top Series (Floranova/Syngenta Flowers)
‘Big Top’ has large, fully double flowers that shed rain and create a high impact in the landscape. This strong landscape variety has sturdy branching and strong peduncles. It works great for larger formats and upgraded planters. This uniform series includes Yellow, Gold, and Orange colors. -
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Argyranthemums ‘Grandaisy Dark Pink’ (Suntory Flowers)
‘Grandaisy Dark Pink’ is a unique new color in solid dark pink with a dark center. Grandaisy argyranthemums are intergeneric hybrid argyranthemums. They are not your standard argyranthemum but a completely new crop. They are full, vigorous plants with large, dark-pink flowers that have dark centers. Grandaisy argyranthemums work well for premium patio pots. -
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Beacon Impatiens (PanAmerican Seed)
Beacon impatiens exhibit high resistance to Plasmopara obducens, the cause of impatiens downy mildew. The series has a plant structure, flowering time, flower size, and crop culture similar to ‘Super Elfin,’ so it is easy to incorporate into production planning. Beacon offers season-long color in the shade like the garden impatiens we know and love. Pictured: Violet Shades -
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Cleome ‘Crème De La Crème’ (Hort Couture)
This genera is growing in popularity due to its deer resistance and great summer performance. ‘Crème De La Crème’ is a bright, vibrant selection with rich, deep-purple flowers that bloom all summer for a fireworks-like display in the garden. The striking variegated foliage also stands out in pots or the landscape. ‘Crème De La Crème’ is a genetic anomaly that will be available to independent garden centers in 2020. -
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Coleus ‘Jigsaw’ (Terra Nova Nurseries)
The red, orange, and yellow foliage of ‘Jigsaw’ spices up a dark corner. No plant growth regulators are recommended for ‘Jigsaw.’ It is self-branching and great for containers, summer borders, and mass plantings. Foliage height is 43 inches and foliage spread is 25 inches. Plants are hardy in Zones 10 to 11. -
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Coleus ‘Red Threads’ (Terra Nova Nurseries)
The feathery, burgundy-red leaves of ‘Red Threads’ are upright and slightly spreading with dense foliage. It is a good choice for containers, summer borders, and mass planting. No plant growth regulators are recommended for ‘Red Threads.’ Foliage height is 16 inches and foliage spread is 27 inches. Plants are hardy in Zones 10 to 11. -
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Coleus ‘Under the Sea Red Snapper’ (Hort Couture)
Red Snapper coleus has an eye-catching color combination that just gets better as the season goes. The rich-purple leaves are nearly black, and they have velvety, bright orange-red margins. The margins can seem pink in early spring but quickly brighten and by late summer are wider and even brighter red. -
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Cosmos ‘Black Forest’ (Cohen Nurseries)
‘Black Forest’ is bred by Genesis. It has a dark flower with a white stripe that contrasts well against light-green foliage. -
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Dianthus chinensis ‘Diana Loving White’ (Hem Genetics)
Loving White is a new color addition to the Diana series. It has blushing white flowers with a deep magenta-crimson centers. The Diana series has one of the widest color ranges in dianthus. -
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Gerbera ‘Garvinea Sweet Frosting’ (Florist Holland)
Sweet Frosting has a truly white color and large flowers that stand out well in the garden. It can also be grown in large planters and it works well in combination with bright-colored border plants. -
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Imara XDR Impatiens Series (Syngenta Flowers)
Imara XDR is the first Impatiens with a high degree of resistance to downy mildew. With proven landscape performance, it fights back against disease, providing reliable flowering all season long. -
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Nemesia Escential Series (Westhoff)
The Nemesia series has sweetly scented blooms. It comes in seven bright solid colors and bicolored blooms. Pictured: Blueberry Custard -
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New Guinea Impatiens ‘Roller Coaster Hot Pink’ (Dümmen Orange)
‘Roller Coaster Hot Pink’ has beautiful double flowers that sit atop dark-green foliage. Plants are vigorous with strong garden performance. They work well for late spring and early summer for larger container sales. -
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Pansy Spring Grandio Series (Sakata Ornamentals)
The Grandio series is a new seed series that was specifically bred for early spring production. It is early blooming across all varieties and more daylength neutral. Plants in the series have good uniformity and matched bloom times. The new series includes 12 colors and two mixes. Pictured: Blue with Blotch -
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Patio Gerbera ‘Pinnacles’ (Florist Holland)
Patio Gerberas are voluminous plants with palm-size flowers. They create an instant impact in front of a door, or on the balcony, patio, or terrace. ‘Pinnacles’ is a semi-double red Patio Gerbera. -
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Pelargonium ‘Flower Fairy Red Splash’ (Vivero Internacional)
A PAC breeding variety, ‘Flower Fairy Red Splash’ adds a bicolor zonal to the series. Flower Fairy stands out with light-red edges in the petals that get darker in the center. The white center brings an additional color into the flower. Red Splash has a vigorous, brightly colored foliage with almost no zoning.
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Pelargonium ‘Two in One White’ (Vivero Internacional)
This interspecific variety is a new addition to the PAC series. Branching from the lower base, this variety is a good ground cover. In the landscape, it will quickly cover open ground and its zonal-like flower will shine out of the dark-green foliage underneath.
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Pentas Graffiti 20/20 Series (Benary)
The Pentas Graffiti 20/20 Series was bred to be an early series with strong pack performance. Look for better plug growth, and vigor and good uniformity in the pack, along with tight flower clusters for maximum color at retail. Graffiti 20/20 pentas are available in nine colors and a mix. Pictured: Flirty Pink -
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Pericallis ‘Senetti White’ (Suntory Flowers)
‘Senetti White’ is a new white color that provides contrast in the assortment. Its white petals have dark blue/gray eyes, and it matches the classic Senetti group. Senetti pericallis thrive in cool conditions, making them a good choice for early spring sales. ‘Senetti White’ earned the award for the best new intro at the IPM Show in Germany in 2018. -
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Unique Pocket Calibrachoa Series (Kientzler)
The Unique Pocket calibrachoa come in Light Red, Dark Pink, and Yellow. They have a natural compact habit and are early to flower. Unique calibrachoa are bred by Birgit Hofmann of Kientzler. This uniform series fits best in baskets and gallon containers. It is selected under grower friendly criteria including pH sensitivity trials and early flowering. Unique calibrachoa are natural flowering with a long landscape shelf life. -
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Vepita Verbena Series (Kientzler)
This series of upright, compact verbena is early to flower. New colors include: Burgundy, White, Hot Pink, and Lavender. Verbena in the Vepita series exhibit good presentation in pots, are heat and humidity tolerant, and show good resistance to powdery mildew. -
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Zinnia Preciosa Series (American Takii)
Zinnias in the Preciosa series are more compact and more branching while flowers are more double than Zinnia Dreamland. Colors in the series include Light Yellow, Yellow, Pink, Rose, Scarlet, White, and Red, as well as two mixes. -
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Zinnia ‘Profusion Cherry Bicolor’ (Sakata Ornamentals)
Cherry Bicolor is a new color in the Profusion series of zinnias from seed. It is a non-fading color that fits well within the series. Extremely heat and drought resistant, all Profusion zinnias are good performers in the landscape and containers. Mix any of the colors, including singles and doubles, for added interest. Profusion zinnias compact habit and flower quality combined with vigor and exceptional disease resistance contribute to strong performance and habit in all climates.
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In Case You Missed It:
New Landscape Shrubs to Watch for From CAST 2019
What to Expect in New Perennials From CAST 2019
New Petunias and Begonias Set to Debut at CAST 2019
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Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. . See all author stories here.