Wonders from the West Coast

Heat-tolerant varieties

An ever-popular category, here are a few of the latest plants that can withstand high temperatures.

Charitable roots

The salvia Wishes series by Skagit Gardens, supports the Make a Wish foundation. ‘Love and Wishes’ shown.

Scent First Memories by Whetman Pinks has benefitted Alzheimer’s research. We saw it at PlantHaven.

Grower benefits

Whether it’s a more shippable plant or easier-to-grow combinations, breeders had growers in mind with these new varieties and solutions.

Green Fuse Botanicals debuted its perennial combinations program which includes plants with the same cultural requirements. Growers can plan their perennials program based on when they want to plant and sell the combinations at retail. Mountain Sun is shown here.

Ball Flora Plant’s Real Series aims to simplify the production process by offering varieties that flower and ship in the same week and have the same culture and habit for all colors.

Benary’s Nonstop Joy yellow begonia stands up to shipping better than some other tuberous begonia varieties, making it a desirable choice for growers.

EuroAmerican continues to help growers and retailers work together on planning which plants to grow for which season. This time, the company debuted its Back to Cool Plants collection for the cool season and displayed plant offerings sorted by season.

Dummen Orange’s Confetti line offers six new combinations and a new option for growers and retailers. Growers can direct stick the unrooted cuttings into the retail-ready Confetti Garden DIY 306 Pack, designed for customers who want a more hands-on approach with their combination planters.

Terra Nova Nurseries debuted 37 new coleus varieties that are retail-ready in four to 10 weeks depending on container size, a quick turnaround for growers.

Sakata Seed debuted its Calipetite calibrachoa line, bred to stay compact without plant growth regulators, and long-lasting in color bowls without getting leggy.

American Takii added Red to its Trilogy petunia series, for a festive red, white and blue petunia basket for patriotic holidays.

Golden State Bulb Growers’ small bulbs with strong flower power allow growers to produce calla lilies in smaller, retail-ready containers like this three-pack with a custom handle.

Pollinator-friendly plants

Everyone seemed to be talking about ways to support pollinator populations. These are a few of the many new varieties we saw that attract these tiny helpers into the garden.

 
Eye-catching edibles

While the variety itself debuted at last year’s trials, the folks at Pacific Plug and Liner have revamped the point-of-purchase materials and look of the white strawberry known as Hula Berry.

The new veggie varieties at Burpee were chosen based on their consumer appeal and the fact that they all fit into at least one category: perfect for small space gardening, ideal for foodie gardeners (those who enjoy cooking with fresh produce they've grown) or show-stopping presence. One standout that fit into more than one of the categories was the Masterpiece pea, with its edible tendrils, peas and pods.

Over at Syngenta, veggie expert Jeannine Bogard introduced us to her “Decision Tree” concept for growers looking to diversify and complete their tomato and pepper offerings. Growers choose at least one variety from each of the categories that are represented by branches labeled “fruit color,” “fruit size” or “best sellers,” for example, to ensure they are fulfilling retail needs all season long.

Sakata Seed had some standout edible ornamental combinations that included trellised peas combined with calibrachoas, petunias and other plants. However, some of the pea varieties were just as much ornamental as they were edible. Another variety we liked was the ‘Little Dipper’ butternut squash, with its smaller-sized, easy-to-cut fruit.

Plug Connection’s Ketchup ‘n’ Fries grafted tomato and potato plant has hit shelves this year to resounding success. It has been featured on national television and sales are booming.

The Patio Edibles line from Vegetalis, we found out, is akin to a goldfish, but in all the best ways. The plants can be easily grown in a variety of pot sizes, from 4-inch containers in a pack to large pots with built-in support cages. The flexibility makes it a desirable line for growers.

At Cultivaris, we chatted with owner Josh Schneider, who has coined the term “edimentals” to describe the beautiful, yet edible and functional plants they produce.
 

Head-turning genetics

We looked twice when we saw these eye-catching flowers and vegetables in California.
 

All Photos: Karen E. Varga

Hungry for more California Spring Trials coverage? Head over to our website, greenhousemag.com/media to watch any of the many videos we recorded while we were out west.