Nursery Market Report: All-America Selections

For the past 70 years, All-America Selections (AAS) has strived to take the guesswork out of finding varieties that will be reliable, vigorous and show marked improvements over others currently available.

Plant breeders worldwide enter unsold varieties into the AAS trials, and professional horticulturists evaluate these entries in field trials. The new cultivars, labeled only with coded numbers, are grown side by side with the most similar varieties. There are 47 trial sites in 30 states and provinces of the United States and Canada. Testing in a variety of sites ensures that plants are suitable for growing in multiple zones.

Once test results are tabulated, the most outstanding varieties are nominated to receive provisional awards – within three years, the plant breeder or contracted seed company must be able to produce enough seed to supply the public.

AAS winners are one of a kind and recognized for their value internationally as plants with outstanding vigor, quality and productivity under a wide range of environmental conditions. Here are the latest AAS selections, which may be found through nursery and seed suppliers.

Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee.’ Golden foliage gently modulates to lime green on the lower leaves. Dense spikes of lavender blue florets crown the plants and provide contrast to the gold foliage for a striking display. ‘Golden Jubilee’ performs well in full sun or partial shade and initiates buds during the long days of summer. When leaves are crushed, they emit a mint fragrance.

Carnation ‘Can Can Scarlet.’ The 2-inch, scarlet blooms have a heady spice fragrance and are long lasting. Plants will produce flowers from the dog days of summer through fall. Performing best in full sun, Can Can Scarlet’ will reach 12 to 14 inches tall and spread about the same distance. Gray-green foliage is attractive in the landscape.

Dianthus ‘Corona Cherry Magic.’ This bedding plant has 2-inch flowers with a bicolor pattern in cherry red and lavender. ‘Corona Cherry Magic’ flowers freely throughout the growing season, and mature plants reach 7 to 9 inches tall with an 8- to 10-inch spread in full-sun locations.

Gaillardia ‘Sundance Bicolor.’ Globe-shaped, double flowers are an unusual bicolor containing mahogany red and yellow. ‘Sundance Bicolor’ is heat and drought tolerant and may bloom nonstop throughout the growing season. Mature plants are 10 to 11 inches tall, spreading 15 to 16 inches. They are recommended for use in mass plantings.

Ornamental Millet ‘Purple Majesty.’ Tall, dark and handsome, this plant reaches 3 to 5 feet and has wide, purple leaf blades. ‘Purple Majesty’ is embellished with 8- to 12-inch flower spikes that mature to reddish-purple seed spikes. Left on the plant, the spikes attract birds that snack on the seed. Plants tolerate heat and low moisture.

Petunia ‘Blue Wave.’ From planting to frost, ‘Blue Wave’ provides a steady stream of color with dark blue, 2-inch blooms. This petunia thrives in full sun and offers a spreading habit. In fact, ‘Blue Wave’ may spread 3 to 4 feet in one growing season, and mature plant height can be 4 to 7 inches. ‘Blue Wave’ plants are perfect for patriotic red, white and blue plantings.

Petunia ‘Merlin Blue Morn.’ The 2½-inch, single blooms feature a bicolor pattern with white that transitions to blue. For best performance, plant in full sun. ‘Merlin Blue Morn’ also performs well when grown with other annuals in a container. Mature plant height is 15 to 20 inches and spread is 18 to 30 inches.

Rudbeckia Hirta ‘Prairie Sun.’ Large, 5-inch flowers decorate the lush, green foliage of this plant, which reaches 3 feet at maturity. The light green central cone of each flower blends well with the golden yellow petals that end in a primrose yellow.

Vinca ‘Jaio Dark Red.’ The deep red, 2-inch blooms have contrasting white centers. With a compact, branching habit, ‘Jaio Dark Red’ exhibited heat and low moisture tolerance in trials. Best performance occurs in full sun. Mature plants reach 12 to 15 inches tall and spread 15 to 20 inches. – Ali Cybulski

The author is Contributing Editor to Lawn & Landscape magazine.

For more information:
All-America Selections (AAS) can provide a complete list of AAS presidents, all AAS judges, the AAS trialing locations, AAS display gardens and recent AAS winners. See www.all-americaselections.org, or write:

All-America Selections
1311 Butterfield Rd., Suite 310
Downers Grove, Ill. 60515
Ph: 630/963-0770
Fax: 630/963-8864