Pansies, Petunias, Pelargoniums and Impatiens: What’s New In 2013

Greenhouse Grower June 2013 cover

Each year, each stop at Spring Trials offers exciting new plants and products. There were hundreds of new annual cultivars on display. Pansies, petunias, pelargoniums and impatiens are important annual categories; take a look at what’s new.

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Petunia Kermit Series (Westoff)

Petunia 'Kermit Purple'

Named for Kermit and Miss Piggy, all petunias in this early-flowering series are combinations of green and pink. ‘Baby’ and ‘Rose’ are semi-upright and ‘Piggy’ is upright.

Impatiens Divine Series (PanAmerican)

Impatiens 'Divine Scarlet Bronze Leaf'

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Four new colors join this series of seed-grown New Guineas. The Divine series slots into seed bedding production to fill packs, containers and baskets. Big, showy plants are an excellent alternative to Impatiens walleriana in areas where downy mildew has been identified.

Petunia ‘Pop-N-Polish Raspberry Superstar’ (HGTV)

Petunia 'Pop-n-Polish Raspberry Superstar'

‘Raspberry Superstar’ is a semi-mounding plant with
 gorgeous burgundy and creamy-yellow flowers with a varying pattern. It is day-length neutral and perfect for landscapes, containers and baskets.

Pelargonium Two-In-One Shadow Series (Elsner-PAC)

Pelargonium 'Two In One Shadow Violet'

This geranium actually grows very well in the shade, and can be a replacement for Impatiens walleriana. With its 3- to 4-foot spread, it is ideal for landscape plantings. Flowers are sterile and do not shatter. Two colors are currently available — orange and violet —  and white and red are coming soon.

Pansy Grandio Series (Sakata)

Viola 'Grandio Clear Colors Mix'

Grandio is a new large-flowered series and offers excellent uniformity from color to color. It works well for production from fall through spring. Grandio cultivars have very uniform habit between clear and blotched colors — there’s no need for special growing regimes. It is available in 10 colors and five designer mixes.

Impatiens Florific Series (Syngenta Goldsmith)

Impatiens 'Florific Lavender'

A New Guinea series from seed, Florific offers fast crop times and a uniform finish. Plants have large premium flowers held above the foliage and are available in four core colors: Lavender, Red, Violet and White.

Petunia Flash Mob Series (Burpee Home Gardens)

Petunia 'Flash Mob Redtastic'

The two colors in this series are unique and unexpected for a vegetative trailing petunia. ‘Bluerific’ and ‘Redtastic’ are morn-type petunias that work well as container or garden fillers. The finished height is 10 to 16 inches with a 20- to 30-inch spread.

Pelargonium Double Take Series (Selecta)

Pelargonium 'Double Take Scarlet'

The Double Take series is a uniform, interspecific geranium that offers excellent retail hold and shatter-resistant flowers.It provides 12 double flowers at first flush when grown three plants to a basket. It is available in several colors: Pink, Pink + Eye, Red, Scarlet and White.

Petunia ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’ (Plant Source International)

Petunia 'Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet'

This gorgeous member of the Cascadias series produces small, single flowers with an unusual pattern early in the season. Perfect for 4- to 6-inch pot production and hanging baskets.

Petunia ‘Surfinia Heavenly Blue’ (Suntory)

Petunia 'Surfinia Heavenly Blue'

The Surfinia series has outstanding ability to weather heat, cold and rain. They bloom profusely and grow quickly. ‘Heavenly Blue’ offers terrific floral impact with a beautiful sky blue color and wavy-edged flowers.

Petunia ‘Cascadias Rim Magenta’ (Danziger)

Petunia 'Cascadias Rim Magenta'

This new member of the popular Cascadias series has gorgeous, consumer-pleasing dark purple flowers with a sharply delineated creamy-yellow edge that emphasizes the wavy flower shape. Sturdy and well-branched, Cascadias are weather-tolerant and work well in mixed containers, pots and baskets. Two other colors, Scarlet and Sunshine Ray, were also added to the series.

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