Selecting the All-Americans
Last week, All-America Selections announced its 2014 winners. Twelve varieties were designated as AAS Winners including, for the first time in 80 years of AAS trialing, two vegetatively propagated varieties.
All-America Selections is an independent, non-profit organization that tests new varieties then introduces only the best garden performers as AAS Winners.
Since 1932, independent AAS judges have been trialing and scoring unreleased seed-propagated varieties for their garden performance. The trial grounds are located throughout the United States and Canada.
Spring 2014 marked the first time AAS allowed vegetatively propagated varieties to be including in the trialing. The inaugural winners in this category are SunPatiens Spreading Shell Pink impatiens (below left) bred by Sakata and Bounce Pink Flame ‘Balboufink’ impatiens (below right) bred by Selecta.
“The AAS Judges, Board of Directors and staff are extremely excited to enter this new phase where we are now representing a wider cross section of the horticulture industry. This ushers in a whole new facet of our national trialing program, said Ron Cramer, AAS president.
Ten seed varieties also earned the AAS Winner designation this year.
The eight national winners include :
* Dolce Fresca basil
* Pretty N Sweet F1 pepper
* Flaming Fare F1 pepper
* Emerald Fire F1 pepper
* Bossa Nova F1 squash
* Butterscotch F1 squash
* Trilogy Red F1 petunia
* Summer Jewel White salvia
The two regional winners that were selected by the judges are:
* Hot Sunset F1 pepper (Southeast, Heartland and Great Lakes)
* Chef’s Choice Pink F1 tomato (Southeast and Great Lakes)
To learn more about these varieties, the AAS trials grounds and judges and a complete list of AAS Winners dating back to 1932, just go to www.all-americaselections.org.
The AAS trialing process can be an extremely valuable tool for your business. As you are making your new product selections for 2015, you should check out what the trials judges in your region have to say about these new varieties they’ve already done some of the heavy lifting for you.
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