Focus Section

New for 1999

A new year means new plants listed in catalogs and arriving in nurseries. Each year we are promised new colors, new habits, new pest resistance, and new flavors. A very few new plants are destined to become garden classics; most fade into oblivion with the countless other plants that have gone before. Do we really need a petunia in another shade of pastel? Does the latest hosta, daylily, or azalea really have something distinctive to offer?

Time will be the test of most of these new plants, but we have scoured catalogs and read over-enthusiastic news releases from seed companies to preview some of the most promising new plants for 1999. We've also included plants that have been named award winners or plants of the year by various national organizations, from the Perennial Plant Association to the All-America Selections.

If you grow any of these new or acclaimed plants, let us know your experiences with them.
 

FOCUS SECTION INDEX
What's In
All American Selections
Roses for 1999
Other New Annuals
New Vegetables
Perennial Plant Association Winner
Sources
 

What's In
by Christina M. Scott

Each year, hundreds of new plants are introduced into the horticultural marketplace. Many of these plants that find their way into seed catalogs or onto nursery shelves are truly newthe product of intensive breeding programs to develop new flower colors, growth habit, or disease resistance. Others have existed for some time but, until now, haven't been widely available to the public. Whether these plants are really new or simply new to us, the result is a wider variety of exciting plants to choose from when planning our gardens each year. Here are some likely candidates for 1999.

Annuals
If pre-release publicity is any indication of a plant's potential for success, then Petunia "Misty Lilac Wave" and "Rose Wave" from Ball Horticultural Company, headquartered in West Chicago, Illinois, are sure to be as popular as their predecessors, "Purple Wave", a 1995 All-America Selections winner, and the 1996 release, "Pink Wave". "Misty Lilac Wave" has large, three-inch, light lavender blooms that fade to pale lavender or white. "Rose Wave" has intense rose colored flowers that cover the plant in summer. All of the "Wave" petunias grow to a height of four to six inches, spread three-and-a-half to four feet wide, and bloom all summer, thriving even in hot and damp conditions.

Gardeners will also find new colors of Salvia "Vista", another popular annual from Ball. The most common salvia is bright red, but now you'll have the choice of burgundy, lavender, purple, and red and white. These plants are advertised as heat tolerant and fade resistant, growing 10 to 12 inches high.

Goldsmith Seeds, Inc., of Gilroy, California, is introducing a whole new series of snapdragons (Antirrhinum spp.) for 1999. The La Bella series promises to combine the best qualities of the other Goldsmith snapdragons: strong basal branching to create a full profile, an open flower form, and 10 bright colors, including bronze, lavender, red, yellow, red and white, and purple. La Bella snapdragons grow 18 to 22 inches high in the garden.

Nemesia fruticans (also listed as N. caerulea) "Compact Innocence", a new offering from Proven Winners, of Bonsall, California, has delicate, small white snapdragonlike flowers with bright yellow centers. The fragrant flowers on this tender perennial are suspended above compact, semi-trailing foliage. "Compact Innocence" is heavy blooming and tolerant of full sun, yet is cold hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Perennials
At Heronswood Nursery in Kingston, Washington, owner Dan Hinkley is excited about this year's new offerings, including four new epimediums that are the result of Hinkley's 1996 expedition to China. Two new, as-yet-unnamed selections, of Epimedium acuminatum will add to Heronswood's already large collection of this popular genus. But Hinkley's favorite plant this year is E. chloandrum, distinguished by deep red-spotted, lancelike foliage that grows to eight inches long. The yellow flowers stand on 18-inch stems. "This plant was only described in 1997," explains Hinkley. "Before that, no one even knew it existed."

Niche Gardens, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is promoting a new version of an old favorite. Echinacea purpurea "Kim's Knee High" is a dwarf version of the purple coneflower that Niche has been working on since 1990. In summer, the plant produces clear pink flowers with drooping petals and the characteristic red-tipped cone of iridescent orange on stems that top out at 15 to 17 inches. In mid- to late August, the plant reblooms on slightly taller stems.

Other new perennials that will be hitting the catalogs and nursery shelves include Geranium "Pink Spice", from Monrovia nursery in Azusa, California. The unusual dark purple-bronze foliage serves as a nice contrast to the dainty light pink flowers, which begin to bloom in late spring and continue throughout the summer.

EuroAmerican Propagators, headquartered in San Diego, California, is introducing Scaevola aemula "Blue Shamrock". This new cultivar branches well and grows more compactly than previous cultivars, reducing the need for pinching. Intense blue flowers cover this 10- to 14-inch-tall bushy plant in early spring and will continue to bloom through the winter in mild climates.

Two new mandevilla cultivars, Mandevilla "Ruby Star" and "White Delight", are being offered by Oglesby Plants International of Altha, Florida. Blooms of "Ruby Star" mature from swirls of lush pink and white to deep red trumpet-shaped flowers. "White Delight" has large white flowers with golden throats and is more compact than other cultivars of this tender perennial vine.

Gardeners who have a soft spot for daisylike flowers will be pleased to hear that Proven Winners has added two new selections to its Cobbity Daisies line: Argyranthemum frutescens "Summer Melody" and "Sugar Buttons". "Summer Melody" is a double, pink daisy that, according to its promotional material, outperforms other Argyranthemum cultivars. It has a strong, bushy habit and long-blooming flowers that are deep pink in bud, turning soft pink as they open up. "Sugar Buttons" is a compact plant featuring large, white, double flowers with a yellow center.

Trees and Shrubs
From Monrovia comes the variegated Abelia grandiflora "Sunrise". A dense evergreen shrub growing three to five feet tall and four to six feet wide, the foliage of "Sunrise" emerges as small, pink-tinged green leaves with gold leaf margins. As the foliage matures, it turns creamy yellow. Fall color is bright yellow, orange, and red. Small white flowers appear in spring and summer. "Sunrise" is also available through Fairweather Gardens.

Also from Monrovia comes a new ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius "Monlo". A large deciduous shrub, "Monlo" has dark red foliage that contrasts with two-inch-wide clusters of small creamy white summer. It grows nine to 12 feet high and wide, with arching branches that cascade to the ground.

Hydrangea sikkokiana, a very rare hydrangea species from Japan, was grown from seeds collected by Heronswood's Dan Hinkley in 1997. Enormous, bold, scalloped foliage that is similar to oakleaf hydrangea grows along stems that reach eight feet tall. Large white lacecap flowers bloom in midsummer.

Argyrocytisus battandieri (formerly known as Cytisus battandieri) will be offered by Gossler Farms Nursery in Springfield, Oregon. This 15- to 18-foot-tall shrub, commonly known as pineapple broom because of the pineapplelike fragrance of its golden yellow flower clusters, has attractive silky gray-green foliage.

All of these plants should be available at your local nursery or through one of the mail-order sources listed on the next page.

Christina M. Scott is assistant editor of The American Gardener.

All-America Selections
AHS Staff

The All-America Selections, a non-profit organization that field tests new plants each year and awards those that offer superior garden performance, has honored 12 plants for 1999.

Of the plants chosen in 1999, two received AAS Gold Medals, which are reserved for plants that represent a breeding breakthrough such as improved disease resistance, improved flowering or fruiting, or other noteworthy characteristics. The gold medal winners are zinnia cultivars "Profusion Orange" and "Profusion Cherry". According to the selections committee, these zinnias are tolerant of foliar diseases, such as powdery mildew and bacterial leaf spot, that commonly affect zinnias.

Other selections

• Begonia "Pin-Up Flame". A tuberous begonia with dramatic bicolor flowers that are yellow with red to orange edges.
• Cucumis "New Queen". A watermelon cultivar with bright orange flesh that matures in about 75 days from seed.
• Cucurbita "Eight Ball". This green summer squash is essentially an egg-shaped or round version of the zucchini. It is compact (growing to only five feet in diameter) and fruits can be harvested only five or six weeks after planting.
• Cucurbita "Wee-B-Little". This pumpkin produces miniature fruit that weighs up to a pound. The plant also has a bushy habit that takes up less space than other pumpkins. Matures in about 120 days from seed.
• Kniphofia uvaria "Flamenco". This new selection of the perennial red-hot poker flowers the first year. Its tubular flowers, clustered around a spike, are creamy white to yellow at the bottom of the inflorescence and orange to red at the top.
• Lycopersicon "Juliet". This new tomato produces elongated cherry-size tomatoes that resemble grapes. The tomatoes are resistant to cracking and mature about 60 days after being set out in the garden.
• Osteospermum "Passion Mix". This selection of these South African plants with daisylike flowers includes pink, rose, purple, and white ray flowers around blue centers.
• Portulaca "Sundial Peach". A new rose moss with large, shiny pink flowers.
• Tagetes "Bonanza Bolero". A dwarf French marigold featuring flowers with an irregular gold and red bicolor pattern.
• Verbena "Quartz Burgundy". This spreading verbena features deep pink flowers with a white eye in the center. These bloom throughout the growing season.

Roses for 1999
AHS Staff

Four roses with very different habits have been chosen All-America Rose Selections (AARS) winners for 1999. The winners were chosen from scores of new roses that went through rigorous evaluations at test sites throughout the United States. Rose experts judged the roses on 15 different traits, including color, fragrance, disease resistance, hardiness, and growth habit.
 

• "Candelabra", a grandiflora rose, has lightly scented coral and orange flowers and dark green, glossy foliage.
• The flowers of "Kaleidoscope", a shrub rose, change color as they mature. The tan and lavender petals gradually fade to pink at the tip. This rose grows three to four feet tall and has medium green foliage.
• "Fourth of July" is the first climbing rose to win an AARS award in 23 years. Canes reach 10 to 14 feet tall and the slightly fragrant, velvety red-and-white-striped flowers bloom in clusters.
• The trademarked "Betty Boop" is a floribunda rose with ivory yellow flowers edged in red. It flowers early and often and has a slightly fruity but sweet fragrance.

A free brochure on the 1999 AARS winners can be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to AARS, Department 99, 221 N. LaSalle, Suite 3500, Chicago, IL 60601.

Other New Annuals
AHS Staff

• Abutilon hybridum "Bella Mix". Three-inch-wide, bell-shaped flowers on compact 14- to 16-inch plants. Pastel colors include apricot, coral, red, peach, rose, pink, ivory, and lemon yellow. (Ball)
• Begonia "Dragon Wing". Hanging clusters of red, bell-shaped flowers. Waxy, dark green wing shaped foliage. (Ball)
• Digitalis purpurea "Primrose Carousel". Primrose-yellow flowers circile stem. Dwarf, only 30 inches high. (Thompson & Morgan)
• Impatiens Java New Guinea series. "Java Pearl", white with pink blush; "Java Lilac Flame", lavender with scarlet star pattern; "Java Pink", light pink with darker pink stripes. Bronze foliage. (Ball)
• Pelargonium "Disco". Large hot magenta flowers. Compact zoned foliage. (Fischer USA)
• Torenia Summer Wave series. Light and dark blue snapdragonlike bicolor flowers. Creeping/trailing habit. (Proven Winners)
• Verbena Temari series. "Temari Violet". Baseball-sized flowers, rich burgundy with hint of magenta. Resists powdery mildew. Trailing habit. (Proven Winners)

New Vegetables
AHS Staff

• Capsicum "Early Sunsation". 41/2-by-41/2-inch green bell peppers mature to a sweet golden-yellow. Resists bacterial spot. 70 days to green bell; 2 extra weeks to golden yellow. (Seminis)
• Cucumis "Early Crisp". Honeydew melons bear 7- to 8-pound fruits. Firm crispy flesh. 80 days. (Seminis)
• Lactuca "Crispy Frills". Texture and crispness similar to head lettuce, but leaves are loosly packed and all-green. Bolt resistant. 80 days. (Burpee)
• Lycopersicon "Bucks County". Deep red, 8-ounce beef-steak. Crack-free skin and high tomato yield. Disease resistant. 74 days. (Burpee)
• Phaseolus "Shade". Dark green, slim 51/2-inch bean pods. Tender and flavorful. Disease resistant. 54 days. (Harris)
• Zea "Sweet Riser" Three different types of sweet corn on one ear. 65 days. (Harris)

Perennial Plant Association Winner
AHS Staff

An old favorite, the "Goldsturm" cultivar of the orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivanti), has been chosen as the 1999 perennial plant of the year by the Perennial Plant Association (PPA), a professional organization whose membership includes wholesale and retail nursery owners, garden communicators, and other horticulture industry professionals.

As is the case with quite a number of popular cultivars of species native to North America, "Goldsturm" actually originated overseas, in Foerster's Nursery in Germany in 1937. The cultivar was selected because it was more free-flowering and compact than the standard variety, which still has much to offer in the attractive contrast between its dark green leaves and golden yellow flowers.

"The intent of the award is not just to introduce a brand new plant," notes Steven Still, president of the PPA. "It's a promotional effort that brings awareness of worthy plants to the gardening public."

Under ideal conditions (full sun and evenly moist soil) flowering in this clump-forming perennial begins in midsummer and lasts into September or October. The slighty drooping ray flowers, which radiate out from a dark brown central cone, are up to four inches in diameter and stand 18 to 30 inches tall. "Goldsturm" is hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 8 and heat tolerant in AHS Zones 9 to 4. It is not known to be susceptible to serious pests or diseases, offers nectar for butterflies and seeds for birds, and looks great when massed.

Sources
AHS Staff

Wholesale growers

• Ball Horticultural Company. Ball is constructing a Web site to direct consumers to retail sources for its plants. In the meantime, ask your local nursery for Ball plants by name.
• Goldsmith Seeds, Inc. Visit www.goldsmithseeds.com for a list of retail mail-order sources.
• Monrovia. Monrovia plants are offered in nurseries nationwide. Call (888) PLANT-IT for locations.
• Proven Winners. Visit www.provenwinners.com" for retail mail-order sources.
• Seminis Garden. One retail source is T&T Seeds, Ltd., P.O. Box 1710, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3P6 Canada. (204) 895-9962. Catalog $3.
• EuroAmerican Propagators, Fisher USA, and Oglesby Plants International do not have mail-order retail contacts. Ask your local supplier for plants by name.

Retail nurseries

• Fairweather Gardens, P.O. Box 330, Greenwich, NJ 08323, (609) 451-6261. Catalog $3.
• Heronswood Nursery Ltd., 7530 NE 288th, Kingston, WA 98346, (360) 297-4172. Catalog $5 for a two-year subscription.
• Niche Gardens, Dept. AG, 1111 Dawson Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, (919) 967-0078. Visit www.nichegdn.com Catalog $3.

Seed companies

• W. Atlee Burpee Co., 300 Park Avenue, Warminster, PA 18974, (800) 888-1447. www.burpee.com Catalog free.
• Harris Seeds, P.O. Box 22960, Rochester, NY 14692, (800) 514-4441. www.harrisseeds.com Catalog free.
• J.W. Jung Seed Co., 335 S. High Street, Randolph, WI 53956, (800) 297-3123. Catalog free.
• Thompson & Morgan, Inc., P.O. Box 1308, Jackson, NJ 08527. (800) 274-7333. http://www.seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en?RA=ahs

  Catalog free.