2017 Spring Trials Preview — Vol. 4
And the countdown to the California Spring Trials continues with just 24 days until the event begins!
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been delivering sneak peeks to your inbox. The breeders must be just as excited as I am, and they have been sharing tons of new variety information with me. So if you can’t wait to see them along the California coast, here’s another installment of what they’ll be debuting next month.
For those of you procrastinators, you have just about three weeks left to finalize your travel plans! Be sure to check out GPN’s Spring Trials Companion if you need help scheduling appointments or mapping your route.
And for those of you unable to attend, no worries — we’ll be reporting from the road. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where we’ll be posting from California daily.
In the meantime, here’s another sneak peek into the new varieties that will be on display at Spring Trials.
Gerbera ‘Patio Capitol Reef’
Florist Holland
A new addition to the Patio line, Capitol Reef offers abundant flowering from late spring to early autumn. This voluminous plant with big, decorative flowers is a quick variety with instant “wow” effect on patios, decks and other outdoor living areas.
Salvia ‘Berggarten’
Hishtil Nurseries
‘Berggarten’ is an evergreen perennial herb with slightly narrow leaves and a lovely cream variegation. It has a very fresh flavor without the bitterness.
Petunia Limbo series
Hem Genetics
For 2017-18, Hem Genetics is introducing a developmental breakthrough in adding picoteed colors to its Limbo GP series of genetically dwarf petunias. The three new colors are Red Picotee (pictured), Rose Picotee and Burgundy Picotee, with more colors coming in the future.
Geranium Calliope Medium series
Syngenta Flowers
From the greenhouse to the garden, Calliope Medium is bred to deliver intense color and enjoyment that lasts all season long. Well-branched plants produce an abundance of blooms at the time of ship. With outstanding heat tolerance and drought tolerance, the series demonstrates exceptional landscape performance.
In 2016, ‘Carmen’ was the overall winner in Beekenkamp’s European trial garden, where thousands of consumers and trade members voted for their favorites during the summer. ‘Carmen’ is a strong plant in semi shade and boasts dark leaves contrasted with beautiful red flowers.
Petunia ‘Supertunia Vista Valentine’
Proven Winners
A true, bright pink petunia joins the popular line of sun-loving Supertunia Vistas. This plant is very vigorous with a mounding habit that can reach up to 2 feet in height in the landscape. It will trail over the edges of baskets and containers up to 4 feet by the end of the season.
Snapdragon Candy Tops series
Sakata
This new series of dwarf snapdragons features plants with upright and sturdy stems. The abundance of blooms on dwarf plants means constant color and sweet fragrance. Candy Tops plays well with others in mixed containers.
Dianthus ‘Rockin’ Red’
Kieft Seed
This eye-catching red will keep perennial borders alight for years to come with its vivid color, durable performance and reliable overwintering. ‘Rockin’ Red’ opens the door to premium sales in perennial quart and gallon programs for mid-spring and fall decorating seasons.
Marigold Cheerleader series
Floranova
The new Cheerleader series features dwarf African marigolds with large, durable flowers on well-branched plants. Aggressive, sturdy side branching fills a container with ease and creates a full flowering canopy for high impact in the garden.
Petunia ‘Evening Scentsation’
American Takii
This 2017 All-America Selections winner is a medium-sized multiflora type with a low, spreading habit reaching a height of 4 to 8 inches. Flowers have a scent similar to hyacinth and are shades of indigo.
Will you be attending the 2017 California Spring Trials? What types of varieties are you looking to add to your production? Send me an email, and let me know; I’d love to hear from you.
Video Library 
