Jun 23, 2015

Make Way for Striking Standouts By Jasmina Dolce

Novel varieties are a great way for gardeners to really make a bold statement – in the ground and in containers, especially mixed combinations. They offer dimension and create a standout presentation.

Petunia ‘NightSky’, bred by Selecta, certainly turned heads during the 2015 California Spring Trials. So it’s no suprise this eye-catching variety was recently announced as this year’s recipient of Fleuroselect’s FleuroStar Award. The FleuroStar Contest takes place annually during the Flower Trials in June in the Netherlands and Germany. An independent panel of judges choose the winner based on the variety’s visual impact and “wow” effect at retail.

Breeders are continuously working on varieties that will peak consumer interest and pop on the bench at retail, and we caught a glimpse of quite a few striking standouts during this year’s California Spring Trials. Are your customers in search of varieties that stand apart from the others? For those customers that dare to be different, here are some of the most stunning and unique varieties that grabbed our attention during Spring Trials.

Petunia ‘NightSky’ (Selecta)

The white spots on the dark violet blooms of this experimental variety resemble a constellation in the “night sky.” With a trailing plant habit, this cutting-raised petunia is easy to grow and transport.

Calibrachoa ‘Superbells Holy Moly!’ (Proven Winners)

This new calibrachoa features a novel, two-toned bloom with rich pink and yellow petals. While the color pattern is somewhat similar to ‘Superbells Cherry Star’, this variety is slightly more vigorous.

Geranium ‘Dandy Merlot Mex’ (Elsner-PAC)

This new ivy geranium does not crack or stretch and will perform well in pots and hanging baskets. The unique bicolor pattern remains stable throughout the plant.

Verbena ‘Wicked Rad Red’ (Dümmen Orange)

The newest addition to the Wicked series, Rad Red features bright red inner petals and white outer petals with a faint red edge. This medium vigor variety has a semi-upright habit.

Petunia ‘Crazytunia Blackberry Cheesecake’ (Westhoff)

A new addition to the Crazytunia series, Blackberry Cheesecake features unique lemon- and plum-colored flowers. With a trailing, mounded habit, it will work well in 4- to 6-inch pots as well as hanging baskets.

Salvia ‘Grandstand Blue Bicolor’ (Green Fuse Botanicals)

The Grandstand series debuted this year with three primary colors (Red, Purple and Lavender), but Green Fuse also displayed a couple of pre-introduction varieties. This unique bicolored salvia has a compact frame, and is ideal for use in the landscape and containers.

– Jasmina