All-America Selection Winners 2003
During late fall and early winter, many colorful garden catalogs come
my way. These catalogs are teeming with new and old varieties of vegetables
and flowers. So many choices! How can you be sure to pick the best variety
available? One way is to get tested and proven flowers and vegetables
called All-America Selections (AAS) winners.
AAS trials have been conducted at trial gardens every year since 1932.
New varieties of flowers and vegetables are grown and evaluated at 200
trial gardens throughout the U.S. and Canada. Since 1933 about 595 AAS
award winners have been announced. Only those flower and vegetable winners
scored as superior receive the coveted AAS designation.
The 2003 All-American Selections include the following:
Ornamental Millet F1 ‘Purple Majesty’
GOLD MEDAL Flower Award Winner
“Tall, dark and handsome” describes this purple-leaved
millet. Young plants are green-leaved, direct sunlight induces the purple
leaf color. Capable of growing 3 to 5 feet tall, the plants are embellished
with 8 to 12 inch flower spikes. The immature spikes can be cut and
used dramatically in floral arrangements. Left on the plant, the millet
seed spike attracts birds that snack on seed. ‘Purple Majesty’
is very easy to grow and is very tolerant of heat and low moisture.
The purple leaf blades and spike are distinctly different from all other
ornamentals.
Carnation F1 ‘Can Can Scarlet’
Flower Award Winner
This is one of the most fragrant garden carnations. The spicy fragrance
will almost fill a room when the double 2 inch blooms are cut and used
in a bouquet. ‘Can Can Scarlet’ is heat tolerant, producing
flowers throughout the growing season into the fall. This variety is
perfect for a cut flower garden, the grey-green foliage contrasts with
the bright scarlet blooms. Mature plants will reach 12 to 14 inches
tall. Flowering pot plants will be available from garden centers in
the spring or fall.
Rudbeckia Hirta ‘Prairie Sun’
Flower Award Winner
This robust rudbeckia has distinctive blooms. The light green central
cone blends beautifully with the golden-yellow petals, which are tipped
primrose yellow. The 5 inch blooms on branching plants that mature at
about 3 feet tall make a strong statement in any full sun garden. Easy
to grow and maintain, ‘Prairie Sun’ is a memorable plant
in any perennial, annual or cut flower garden. Flower stems are sufficiently
long for quality cut flowers. ‘Prairie Sun’ plants become
a forceful focal point in any large container.
Petunia F1 ‘Merlin Blue Morn’
Flower Award Winner
A distinctly different blue and white petunia, the 2 1/2 inch blooms
are pure white in the center with a soft transition to velvety blue
on the petal edge. The bicolor pattern is highly visible from a distance.
Best garden performance will occur in full sun. The branching plants
will spread 18 to 30 inches and attain a mature height of 15 to 20 inches.
‘Merlin Blue Morn’ is highly recommended for use in hanging
baskets or patio containers. ‘Merlin Blue Morn’ bedding
plants will be available from retail stores.
Vinca ‘Jaio Dark Red’
Bedding Plant Award Winner
A really red vinca with a small white center sets this summer flowering
vinca apart from all others. The large 2 1/2 inch blooms can cover the
basal branching plant throughout the growing season. The glossy green
foliage is not attractive to insects or larger mammals such as deer.
When grown in a full-sun garden location, ‘Jaio Dark Red’
plants can attain a mature plant height of 15 inches, spreading up to
20 inches. Extremely heat and drought tolerant, ‘Jaio Dark Red’
provides constant garden color with minimal care.
Dianthus F1 ‘Corona Cherry Magic’
Bedding Plant Award Winner
This is the first dianthus with a capricious bicolor pattern. The
flower color can be entirely cherry red, entirely lavender or a mosaic
of both colors. The unpredictable design is whimsical. Best performance
will occur in a full-sun location. Expect large, 2 inch blooms. ‘Corona
Cherry Magic’ plants will reach 7 to 9 inches tall when mature
and spread 8 to 10 inches. This annual provides flower color throughout
the growing season. ‘Corona Cherry Magic’ bedding plants
will be available from garden centers.
Agastache Foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’
Flower Award Winner
This golden-leaved aromatic herb thrives in a full-sun garden or a
partial shade garden location. The symmetrical, branching plants reach
a mature height of 20 inches and spread 10 to 15 inches. The heat loving
plants will produce dense spikes of lavender-blue florets that crown
the plants in mid to late summer. The attractive serrated leaves release
an alluring mint fragrance when lightly crushed. ‘Golden Jubilee’
is an easily grown undemanding annual. Named ‘Golden Jubilee’
to commemorate the 50 years’ reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Petunia F1 ‘Blue Wave’
Flower Award Winner
The velvety, dark blue two inch blooms cover this trailing plant for
the growing season. The plants are capable of spreading 3 to 4 feet
like a ground cover. Mature plant height can be 4 to 7 inches. The ‘Wave’
improvement is little garden toil. No pinching or pruning is needed
for ‘Blue Wave’ to flower all season. The plants need moderately
fertile soil to maintain the freedom of bloom. ‘Blue Wave’
is adaptable to any container. Flowering pot plants will be available
at retail stores this spring.
Gaillardia Pulchella ‘Sundance Bicolor’
Gaillardia pulchella ‘Sundance Bicolor’ Bedding Plant Award
Winner
The first consistent mahogany red and yellow bicolor gaillardia flower.
The globe-shaped blooms are primarily double and can cover the plant
hroughout the growing season. Exhibiting heat and drought tolerance.
‘Sundance Bicolor’ is carefree in the garden. The spreading
plants need 15 to 16 inches of garden space, preferably in full sun.
This annual needs moderately fertile soil and moisture to flower abundantly
during the summer. The spreading habit is desirable for hanging baskets
or patio containers.
Eustoma F1 ‘Forever White’
Bedding Plant Award Winner
Simply the best white flowering eustoma for your garden. The large,
2 1/2 inch ivory-white blooms cover the plant at various times throughout
the growing season. ‘Forever White’ exhibited heat and low
moisture tolerance in trials across North America. The compact, branching
plant lends itself to container culture. Attaining a mature height of
12 inches. ‘Forever White’ plants fit perfectly into patio
containers where the blooms can be appreciated with close contact. ‘Forever
White’ flowering potted plants will be available from garden centers.
Melon F1 ‘Angel’
Vegetable Award Winner
An early Mediterranean-type melon, ‘Angel’ has a heavenly
flavor. All melon sugars are scientifically measured as a brix count.
‘Angel’ measured 16% to 19% which indicates a very sweet
flavor. The 2 to 3 pound melons have a white interior with a crisp texture.
‘Angel’ helps the gardener know when to harvest. The lightly
netted melon skin turns creamy yellow when mature; about 60 days from
planting young ‘Angel’ plants into the garden. ‘Angel’
vines will spread 6 to 7 feet and are resistant to fusarium wilt races
0 and 2.
Summer Squash F1 ‘Papaya Pear’
Vegetable Award Winner
The firsts summer squash with a shape similar to a tropical papaya
fruit. The bright yellow squash looks like a light bulb with the widest
section near the blossom end. One of the earliest varieties, ‘Papaya
Pear’ fruit can be harvested in about 40 days from sowing seed.
The semi-bush plant requires less garden space. For plants that yield
squash continuously, pick ‘Papaya Pear’ at a young stage
when about 3 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Easy to grow in any
garden with full sun.
Source: All American Selections
November-December
2002
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