Sep 17, 2015

Coreopsis on Trial By Jasmina Dolce

One of the highlights of the California Spring Trials each year is the comparison trial at Pacific Plug & Liner (PP&L). In keeping with tradition and the whole reason “Pack Trials” started, PP&L grows and displays a true comparison trial each year, which focuses on a genera or group of plants with new breeding developments and an overabundance of choices for the grower. In 2015, the trial focus was coreopsis.

Each year, April Herring-Murray, PP&L’s new product development and marketing manager, shares the trial results with GPN. You can read about this year’s trial in the September issue, which should be arriving in your mailbox soon if it hasn’t already.

According to Herring-Murray, “We chose coreopsis this year because… we are seeing more and more varieties hit the market so we wanted to see for ourselves what the real differences were, and with all the new breeding being done, it was interesting to see the direction this group of plants is moving toward.”

Below are some of the highlights from the trial. If you’d like to read Herring-Murray’s full report, click here.

Best early bloomer: ‘Solanna Golden Sphere’ (Danziger)

Best late bloomer: ‘Firefly’ (Terra Nova Nurseries)

Best up and comer: Ka Pow series (Star Roses)

Best of show: Leading Lady series (Dümmen Orange)

Are you growing coreopsis? Which varieties are your favorites? Which ones are your top sellers? Shoot me an e-mail and let me know; I’d love to hear from you.

– Jasmina