Feb 23, 2016

Spring Trials Preview – Part 3 By Jasmina Dolce

The countdown to the 2016 California Spring Trials continues with just 45 days until the week-long event begins!

The breeding companies have so many new varieties and programs in the works, and they’ve been kind enough to share some of their new introductions with me. I’ve been sharing some of those sneak peeks over the past few weeks, and today I’ll be sharing even more with you.

Keep in mind, this is only a small handful of what varieties attendees will get to see in California in April. Be on the lookout for my next newsletter where I’ll share more new varieties with you.

Dahlia Magnificent series (Flamingo Holland)

The addition of the new Magnificent series bring potted dahlias to a whole new level for growers and consumers alike. This large-flowered, decorative series currently has five colors; pictured is Splendor, a dramatic bicolor with yellow petals and rosy pink tips.

Pelargonium ‘Pinki Pinks’ (Jaldety)

‘Pinki Pinks’ is an outstanding evergreen perennial with a long flowering season. It boasts masses of pink flowers from early spring to late fall and is drought resistant. Ideal for hanging baskets, it trails over the sides of containers and can also be used as a small groundcover.

Carex ‘Feather Falls’ (Pacific Plug & Liner)

A vigorous, super-sized variegated carex, ‘Feather Falls’ will work in almost any landscape. This new variety proves its toughness in the summer months by tolerating full sun without burning, and it also thrives in shade. It is hardy to Zones 5 through 9.

Begonia ‘Funky Pink’ (Benary)

‘Funky Pink’ will add fun to any hanging basket program with its novelty flower form, bright color and fun name. It is easy to grow and ship, and plays well in mixed containers.

Petunia ColorRush series (Ball FloraPlant)

ColorRush is a new vegetative petunia series with big vigor and even bigger garden performance. It provides mounds of color and holds up to the heat and rain. This series is ideal for landscapes and large baskets.

Phlox Early series (Dümmen Orange)

Three new additions to the popular Early series include Cerise, Pink Blush and White Improved. Plants are compact and first year flowering, with an extended flowering period. Early phlox is a reliable choice for early spring through fall perennial programs due to its early bloom time.

Osteospermum Bright Lights series (Proven Winners)

With strong impulse appeal at retail, the bright daisy-like flowers of ‘Bright Lights Yellow’ appear all season long on mounded plants. Its heat tolerance is greater than older cultivars but it also retains its tolerance to cool temperatures, making it a versatile annual with a long sales window.

Take 2 Tomato combos (Burpee)

Take 2 combos are a hardworking container solution for small-space gardening. Each Take 2 combo has a slicing type and a small-fruited type tomato that have been trialed together for habit and fruit timing. Three selections are available for 2017 sales.

Will you be attending the 2016 California Spring Trials? Which varieties are you most excited to see in person? Shoot me an email at jdolce@greatamericanpublish.com, and let me know!

— Jasmina

P.S. For a trip down memory lane, check out GPN’s California Spring Trials photo galleries (on our freshly redesigned website), where you can browse photos from past events. And while you’re there, click around and check out all that our new website has to offer. Got any feedback? Let us know!