New Flowers for 2010

Published: March 1, 2010

The upcoming growing season brings with it the anticipation of trying new varieties of flowers and vegetables. For those who look forward to something new in the garden, 2010 should be quite a treat in that seed and plant companies released a total of 55 new flowers alone. Listed below are a selection of new releases; all should perform well in Missouri conditions.

Begonia F1 ‘Illumination Peaches ‘n Cream’ – ‘Peaches ‘n Cream’ has an abundance of large 2 to 3 inch double flowers in a soft spectrum of peaches and cream color shades, creating a spectacular display in hanging baskets and large containers. Plants cascade throughout the summer, creating a waterfall of color. Plants will trail up to 36 inches and spread 12 to 15 inches. It is a perfect selection for showy hanging baskets that “glow” in the shade. Company: Benary.

Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous™ Double Lemon’ – ‘MiniFamous™ Double Lemon’ not only has a stunning yellow color but also has a ground-breaking flower display. This new calibrachoa series features full double flowers, early and rich free-flowering at the same time. The habit and branching is great, and it fits any format from baskets to mixed containers of any kind. Compact easy to grow annual for full to part sun. Company: Selecta First Class, Inc.

Coleus F1 ‘Versa Crimson Gold’ – This coleus variety can be grown in either sun or shade. The striking foliage, a bright shade of crimson narrowly edged in gold, will create a bold landscape accent and add color to mixed containers and garden borders. Because ‘Versa’ is late-flowering you will enjoy extended garden performance all summer. Its low maintenance, wellbranched plants reach 20 to 24 inches tall and spread 18 to 22 inches. Company: Park Seed Co.

Dahlia ‘Dahlinova® California’ – The new yellow/red bicolor dahlia is an outstanding variety and one of a uniform series with a complete color range. This dahlia will flower constantly throughout the summer. Its flowers have a very distinct color combination; its upright plants reach 11 inches tall, and are heat, cold, wind and rain tolerant. Grow this beauty in any garden location from sun to shade. ‘Dahlinova Hypnotica® Bronze Bicolor’ is a related new release from the same company in a new, unique bronze color. Company: Fides North America.

Fuchsia ‘Stand-Up Red/Purple’ – Stand-Up is a semi-upright fuchsia. It grows 9 inches tall with a spread of 9 inches. Unlike other fuchsias, ‘Stand-Up’ is heat tolerant. The attractive bicolor blooms are red and purple. In the home garden this annual is perfect for containers, baskets and garden beds in a full sun location. Company: Oro Farms, Inc.

Gaillardia F1 ‘Mesa Yellow’ – The first F1 gaillardia from seed, ‘Mesa Yellow’ delivers better plant uniformity with more flowers than other varieties. Its drought, wind and rain resistant plants are neatly mounded plants and reach 16 to 18 inches tall and spread 20 to 22 inches in full sun. Bright yellow 3-inch daisy -ike flowers do not fade. Company: PanAmerican Seed Co.

Gazania F1 ‘Big Kiss™ White Flame’ – This new gazania bears large, brightly colored 4.5-inch blooms that really pop as they are held high above the foliage by strong stems. Its full, bushy plants grow 8 to 10 inches tall and wide. It loves the heat and adapts to water stress. Grow this annual in your sunny garden or container. Company: Goldsmith Seeds.

Geranium F1 ‘Horizon Violet Picotee Shades’ – Bright violet flowers with a white eye is a new color in the world leading ‘Horizon’ series of F1 hybrid geranium. It displays super garden performance from a compact, well-branched plant 12 inches tall with small neat foliage and large flowers borne on uniform flower stems. ‘Horizon’ is early to flower with sustained flowering throughout the season. Plant this annual in full to part-sun. Company: Floranova.

Geranium ‘Master Idols® Red’ – Red is one color in this new series of extra vigorous plants. The upright green plants 15 to 19 inches tall have a fantastic branching habit. Each plant can easily fill out a patio pot. Due to the abundance of large flowers the appearance is unique and because of its heat tolerance it works well in the landscape. Company: Fides North America.

Ipomoea ‘Bright Ideas Rusty Red’ – Bred for an extra compact habit, ‘Bright Ideas’ grows 6 inches tall with a spread of 12 inches. Grow this heat tolerant annual in a full to part-sun locations. ‘Bright Ideas’ can be used in mixed containers and will not take over the combination. The series includes ‘Bright Ideas Lime’ and ‘Bright Ideas Black.’ Company: Oro Farms, Inc.

Marigold, African F1 ‘Taishan Yellow’ – ‘Taishan’ produces fully-branched, dwarf plants that bloom all season with excellent, high-impact color. This full sun annual is heat, wind and rain tolerant. Mature plants are 10 to 12 inches tall with an 8 to 10 inch spread. ‘Taishan’ marigold is available in three colors: yellow, gold, orange and also a mixture. An outstanding performer, this new flower was featured at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing! Company: Ball Horticultural Co.

Ornamental Millet F1 ‘Jade Princess’ – ‘Jade Princess’ has intense lime green leaves in a controlled, mounded shape. It can be used in the landscape and is beautiful in a mixed container. Mature plant height is 24 to 30 inches with a spread of 18 to 24 inches. ‘Jade Princess’ produces brown/bronze 8 to 10 inch showy spikes 12 weeks from sowing seed. Company: Ball Hort. Co.

Petunia F1 ‘Debonair Lime Green’ – ‘Debonair’ is a striking designer petunia that combines beautiful flowers painted in special one-of-a-kind colors. It will add lots of pizzazz to your gardens, containers, combination planters and baskets. When grown in full sun, this compact, upright multiflora petunia reaches 10 to 15 inches and spreads 10 to 12 inches. Heat, wind and rain tolerant, ‘Debonair’ is also available in Dusty Rose. Company: Ball Horticultural Co.

Petunia F1 ‘Easy Wave™ Burgundy Star’ – This new introduction is the first spreading petunia with a star pattern! A large white star decorates each 2 to 3 inch burgundy bloom. Abundantly flowering 6 to 12 inch mounded annual plants generously spread 30 to 39 inches in a sunny landscape and fill a garden with blooms all season long. The ‘Easy Wave™’ series is known for its floriferous plants that require minimal care. Company: PanAmerican Seed.

Petunia F1 ‘Mambo Burgundy’ – Burgundy is a new color in the naturally dwarf ‘Mambo’ multiflora petunia series. Extra compact and upright non-stretching plants grow 8 to 9 inches tall and will spread 9 to 10 inches in full to part-sun gardens. ‘Mambo’ starts flowering early and has significantly larger sized 2 to 3 inch blooms. Heat, wind and rain tolerant plants provide a long garden life. ‘Mambo’ is available in 12 colors and a formula mixture. Company: Hem Genetics.

Petunia ‘Soleil™ Purple’ – ‘Soleil™’is a drought tolerant petunia that can be grown dry. This makes it a real convenience plant for consumers and a great landscaping variety. Sun and heat tolerant, it grows when watered and flowers when drought stressed. A great plant because it requires less water, but more importantly because it will recover after days without watering. It bears abundant small, semi-double purple flowers. Company: Selecta First Class, Inc.

Petunia F1 ‘Sophistica Lime Bicolor’ – This grandiflora petunia has an abundance of large blooms and gives a great garden display and new decoration opportunities. The unique lime and rose flower colors change based on light, heat and age of flowers. ‘Sophistica’ is a compact mounded petunia 10 to 15 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide. Large 3.5 inch one-of-akind blooms add drama to a sunny pot, combination planter or garden. Company: PanAmerican Seed.

Rudbeckia ‘Denver Daisy’ – ‘Denver Daisy’ is an annual Rudbeckia that offers extreme heat tolerance, summer-long flower power, and an ability to stand up under extreme weather variations. Not only is it strong, but it is pretty too. The attractive large 3 to 4 inch blooms are bright yellow with a dark red ring. At 18 to 20 inches tall, ‘Denver Daisy’ is ideal for combination planters or landscape beds. Plant in full sun. Company: Benary.

Vinca F1 ‘Boa Peach’ – ‘Boa’ is a fabulous new series of trailing F1 vinca. The trailing habit makes ‘Boa’ an excellent choice for baskets and containers. The 6-inch tall plants will spread and trail a generous 24 inches. Huge 2-inch flowers add “wow” to any garden. Grow ‘Boa’ in full to part-sun. Heat, drought and disease tolerance keep ‘Boa’ blooming all season. Available in peach, red yellow eye, rose, white yellow eye, and a mix. Company: Floranova.

Vinca F1 ‘Cobra Apricot’ – Large soft apricot 2-inch blooms with an intense pink center make ‘Cobra Apricot’ a real eye catcher. The ‘Cobra’ series has an upright and compact branching habit suitable for pots and containers. The good branching habit provides a super color display in the garden. The heat and drought tolerant annual plants reach 10 inches tall with a 12-inch spread. ‘Cobra’ is available in 10 colors. Grow in full to part-sun. Company: Floranova.

Vinca F1 ‘Cora® Cascade™ Lilac’ – The Cora® series has a patented resistance to aerial Phytophthora. Independent trials confirm that ‘Cora® Cascade™’ is a survivor. This vigorous trailing plant fills large beds and landscapes. Super large blooms cover the plant with no bald spots. Heat and humidity loving plants 6 to 8 inches tall spread 32 to 36 inches and bloom from late spring to frost. A full sun annual, the series comes in 5 colors. Company: Goldsmith Seeds.

Zinnia F1 ‘Profusion Yellow’– Sunny yellow is a new color in the popular ‘Profusion’ series. ‘Profusion’ combines season-long garden performance with humidity, drought, and heat tolerance. Large 2-inch bright yellow daisy-like flowers contrast with the deep green foliage. Plants reach 12 to 15 inches in a full sun garden. Easy to grow from seed, this zinnia has proven disease resistance resulting in continuous bloom. Company: Park Seed Company.

Zinnia ‘Summer Solstice’ – Petite, 1-inch daisy-like orange and yellow flowers cover this mounding zinnias are a sunny addition to containers, hanging baskets, window boxes or garden beds. Also called Narrowleaf Zinnia, it is rarely bothered by mildew like common zinnias. Extra compact plants reach 12 inches tall and wide. It flourishes in hot, sunny conditions and attracts butterflies. Blooms 90 days from sowing seed. Company: Botanical Interests, Inc.

Zinnia ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ – Stunning white flowers with rose stripes are a new bicolor for zinnias. Superior disease resistance to leaf spot and mildew result in long lasting plants where other zinnias have failed. Enjoy this easy-growing, heat and drought tolerant zinnia in your sunny garden or container. Mature plants reaching 12 to 14 inches tall abound with large colorful 2.5-inch blooms all season long with minimum care. Company: PanAmerican Seed Co.

Credit: National Garden Bureau