Beyond Pretty: Perennials That Boast Style and Function
While gardeners still adore perennials for purely aesthetic reasons, beautiful perennials alone can't cut it like they used to. Consumers looking for that extra value in their plant purchases, however, may not know what to look for to get the most for their money. Beneficial traits like drought tolerance, disease resistance and pollinator appeal also serve as tantalizing selling mantras, especially with renewed focus on diversified perennial varieties. For the grower and greenhouse that recognize the need to add as much value as possible into a single plant, new varieties found below that boast these great traits can provide the enticing hooks needed to make the sale and move the product.
Drought-Tolerant Perennials
Water is and will continue to be one of the great challenges for horticulture. For example, an exceptional drought is impacting roughly 63 million
residents of California and southwest regions according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. That's a staggering statistic, especially when that number also represents current and potential consumers. When customers are faced with the choice "water for my plants" or "water for me," it's obvious that plants will take a secondary seat, and many water-thirsty perennials may suffer. However, perennials that can withstand drought and outshine a yucca are well worth showcasing and pushing for their landscape benefits.
1. Agastache Acapulco Deluxe series from Thompson Morgan and marketed by GreenFuse Botanicals Ð With its showy flowers and scented foliage (and popularity with hummingbirds and butterflies), this serves as a strong candidate for a colorful, water-wise option. Agastaches are native to the southwest, so they have a natural tolerance of drier conditions. The Acapulco Deluxe series not only offers bright and fun colors but is also a more compact version of the standard 'Acupulco' series, perfect for edging and borders.
2. Heuchera 'Forever Purple' from Terra Nova Nurseries Ð Heucheras are fairly drought tolerant and thrive when sited with good drainage. This new cultivar features vibrant purple foliage and dramatic fluted edges that make this four-season plant a real stunner. They also stand out in containers and are an attractive addition to any heuchera product mix.
3. Gaillardia 'Celebration' from PlantHaven Ð Once established, there can be no wrong with 'Celebration' and its drought tolerance. Bright, colorfast red flowers will last all season and won't run up a water bill.
4. Kniphofia 'Rockette Orange' from EuroAmerican Propagators Inc. Ð This striking plant with tall and vibrant blooms will attract customers for its sheer stateliness. The Rockette series is unique among other torch lilies for its reblooming cycle. As a tough, drought-tolerant plant, it's a stunner in the landscape and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and moths, as well.
Disease-Resistant Perennials
Nothing is more discouraging for a gardener than to bring home a plant with fanfare and excitement; plant it, nurture it and adore it; and then watch as it struggles or dies with a disease. An intermediate to advanced garden consumer will know this pitfall and be on the lookout for plants that have natural resistance to disease. A beginning consumer, however, might be unaware of this hazard, so new varieties that offer resistance in their genetics from the get-go is a strong selling point and has a greater chance for success.
1. Monarda 'Balmy' series from Ball/Darwin Ð The Balmy series reportedly has the best mildew-resistance of all monarda on the market. Floriferous, bright and compact, these are a fantastic option for those looking to strike it big with show-stopping borders and edging. (Plus, they are deer and rabbit resistant).
2. Phlox subulata Early Spring series from Bartels Stek Ð Nothing screams spring like early blooming Phlox subulata. Early Spring stays true to this reputation with the added benefit of blooming up to two weeks earlier than other varieties. While not completely immune to diseases like Colletotrichum and powdery mildew, increased resistance to these common issues makes this a strong spring sell and an easy solution to early color.
3. Coreopsis Li'l Bang series from Darrell Probst Ð This series brings with it all of the flower-power and disease resistance of the Big Bang series but in a more compact, tight form. Compact habits make Li'l Bang an easier finish in the greenhouse, and it's a natural in containers. Season-long blooming and low-maintenance are two more selling points for any garden consumer.
Perennials with Pollinator Appeal
Bees and pollinators have been buzzing in the media and news both within the industry and in general public forums with hot-button topics such as neonicotinoids. Consumers are at least aware that honeybees are facing a crisis, and pollination of crops and plants suffers as a result. Bees and pollinators have a stronghold on the underdog stance, and everyone loves an underdog. These perennials appeal to consumers' environmental concerns and altruism with an offer of being a safe resource for pollinator food and nutriment.
1. Coreopsis grandiflora 'Sun Up' from Darwin Perennials Ð One of the earliest flowering tickseed varieties, the bright yellow of 'Sun Up' kicks spring off right. As a whole, tickseeds are attractive to pollinators because of their long bloom season, bright color and multitude of flowers. Combined with its early start and continuous seasonal bloom, 'Sun Up' is a great pollinator-friendly choice and offers great color in any perennial garden.
2. Echinacea 'Butterfly Orange Skipper' from AB Cultivars Ð It was a great idea to give this cultivar the name of a pollinator! Having Butterfly right in its name helps to communicate that this plant is attractive to pollinators. The neon-tangerine colored flowers and compact habit will also be attractive to customers, and growers will love that it's a strong finisher in production.
3. Penstemon Cha Cha series from Terra Nova Nurseries Ð This new series should have growers and consumers alike very excited. Combining the best breeding across several Penstemon varieties, the Cha Cha series represents great habit, incredible flower-power (which equals pollinator appeal) and drool-worthy color. Its long bloom time from July to October allows it to be a steady food source for pollinators and a worthy investment for consumers.
4. Veronica Moody Blues series from Star Roses & Plants Ð This series was specifically bred for consistent habit and predictable re-blooming throughout the season. Growers will have no trouble bringing this series to finish with its compact habit. With promises of re-blooming from early summer through to the fall, this series of veronica will be a strong contender for consumer and pollinator favorite.
Perennial breeding is a strong and growing market, and the results are exciting but can be overwhelming for new consumers. Therefore, helping customers differentiate between varieties with added benefits such as drought-tolerance, disease-resistance and pollinator appeal not only makes customers more confident about their purchase, but it also can help your product move that much faster off the bench. It's a straightforward win-win situation, especially with plants that are great at what they claim to do.
Beyond Pretty: Perennials That Boast Style and Function
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