January 2009

New Plant Varieties for 2009

Dianthus F1 'Diana Blueberry'
Information
and

Images courtesy
The National Garden Bureau



Gardeners love new varieties. They add excitement to your garden while “growing” your gardening experience. It’s fun to have something new.

Look for these new flowers and vegetables online at e-commerce seed sales websites, in mail order seed catalogs, as seed packets in retail stores, or as bedding plants at garden centers.


Achillea 'Flowerburst Red Shades'
Achillea 'Flowerburst Red Shades'
A. millefolium

A smashing blend of colors mostly reds, cerise, and violets with a dash of pastels for contrast. Enjoy the slight fragrance of large 8-inch blooms as cut flowers or in a sunny garden. Perennial zones 3-10.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.



Alyssum 'Allure Mix'
Alyssum 'Allure Mix'
A. maritimum

New series of seven unique colors and a mix, all flowering at the same time in the garden. Stays compact (3-4 inches tall) and flowers very early (20-25 days from sowing seed) in full to part sun gardens or pots.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Kieft Pro Seeds



Bacopa F1 'Copa® Double Blue'
Bacopa F1 'Copa® Double Blue'
B. sutera

World's first double flowering bacopa! Early flowering, big double flowers, thick strong growth habit, disease tolerant, and they flower through the whole summer. Full to part sun. Series of 9 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: GGG International



Begonia F1 'Big™ Rose with Bronze Leaf'
Begonia F1 'Big™ Rose with Bronze Leaf'
B. x benariensis

'Big' begonias are truly a big deal. Big flowers (2-3 inches), big habit (upright, arching), and big landscape performance. Bronze foliage adds vibrancy to rose-colored flowers in full sun to shade. Series of 3 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Benary



Begonia F1 'Scentsation Mixed'
Begonia F1 'Scentsation Mixed'
B. x tuberhybrida

Loads of exquisite fragrant double to semi-double 4.5-inch pastel blooms. Enjoy their delicious medley of fragrances from summer to frost. Grows 20-inches tall. Needs shade.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Thompson & Morgan Seedsmen, Inc.



Begonia 'Sole Survivor
Begonia 'Sole Survivor'
B. hybrida

Very sun and heat tolerant. Upright habit with pendulous 1-inch blooms having a red and white bicolor appearance with green foliage. These 14-inch plants are perfect for full sun gardens and containers.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Grimes Horticulture



Begonia F1 'Volumia™ Rose Bicolor'
Begonia F1 'Volumia™ Rose Bicolor'
B. x semperflorens

New series of green leafed begonias perfect for gardens and landscapes. Full, round plants 12-15 inches tall covered with large 1-inch flowers fill your shaded garden all season long. Series of 5 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Syngenta Flowers, Inc.



Cuphea F1 'Vienco™ Purple Red'
Cuphea F1 'Vienco™ Purple Red'
C. llavea

Stunning high impact variety. Perfect container plant for a hot summer, exhibits a decorative growth with tidy flower clumps. Sun to part sun annual 17-20 inches tall. Series of 7 powerful colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: GGG International




Cuphea 'Matchmaker Scarlet'
Cuphea 'Matchmaker Scarlet'
C. ignea

This tropical delights with colorful tubular blooms of orange-scarlet with a glowing purple-and-white tip. Compact plants 6-8 inches tall hold flowers up and out. Stands up well in heat and humidity. Series of 3 colors.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Park Seed Co.



Dianthus F1 'Diana Blueberry'
Dianthus F1 'Diana Blueberry'
D. chinensis

Unique color - first blue Dianthus chinensis. Large blue 2- to 3-inch blooms have slight fragrance. Compact, upright green plants reach 8-10 inches tall in part sun. Heat, wind and rain tolerant. Series of 13 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Hem Genetics



Geranium F1 'Horizon Rose Ice'
Geranium F1 'Horizon Rose Ice'
Pelargonium x hortorum

A world-class geranium. Unique bicolor flower composed of three lower petals in soft rose, and two upper petals with a rose picotee edge and an intense rose reverse. Full sun to shade. 12-inches tall. Series of 3 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Floranova


Geranium F1 'Inspire Salmon'
Geranium F1 'Inspire Salmon'
Pelargonium x hortorum

Ivy geranium with outstanding garden performance in full sun to shade. Green foliaged upright plant 10-12 inches tall is heat, cold, wind and rain tolerant. Additional new 'Inspire' colors 'Appleblossom,' 'White' and 'Rose.'

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Floranova



Heuchera 'Melting Fire'
Heuchera 'Melting Fire'
H. hybrida

Most colorful seed heuchera ever introduced. Foliage is highly serrated with ruffled margins. Leaf color turns reddish burgundy in high light. Small white flowers on red stems 8-12 inches tall. Perennial in zones 5-6.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Kieft Pro Seeds



Lavender 'Ellagance Dark Purple'
Lavender 'Ellagance Dark Purple'
Lavandula angustifolia

Fully first year flowering from seed if started in early spring. Blooms continuously throughout the season. Very fragrant flowers and foliage on compact upright plants 15-18 inches tall. Full sun. Perennial in zones 5-6.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Kieft Pro Seeds



Marigold F1 'Discovery™ Yellow'
Marigold F1 'Discovery™ Yellow'
Tagetes erecta

Dwarf African marigold with very large 3-inch flowers that bloom 45 days from sowing. Excellent choice for providing sunny borders or containers summer long color. Compact plant 6-8 inches tall.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Bodger Seeds, Ltd.


Morning Glory 'Flying Saucers Mix'
Morning Glory 'Flying Saucers Mix'
Ipomoea tricolor

A terrific mix of blue, white, and a bicolor patterned with stripes or stars. The 120- to 180-inch vines, which require a trellis, support large blooms with heart-shaped foliage. Grow in part sun.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Johnny's Selected Seeds



Ornamental Eggplant 'Pumpkin On A Stick'
Ornamental Eggplant 'Pumpkin On A Stick'
Solanum integrifolium

Intriguing clusters of 1-inch orange "pumpkins" are born on 3-foot tall plants. Unique in the garden and floral arrangements. Also called Red China eggplant, the bitter fruits can be used in Asian cooking.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Botanical Interests



Ornamental Pepper 'Purple Flash'
Ornamental Pepper 'Purple Flash'
Capsicum annuum

Gleaming purple marble-sized fruit peeks among near-black foliage streaked with bright purple and white. With its neatly layered 13- to 15-inch habit and superior drought resistance, it always looks fresh in a sunny pot or bed.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Park Seed Co.



Ornamental Purslane 'Toucan Hot Mix'
Ornamental Purslane 'Toucan Hot Mix'
Portulaca oleracea

This mix of bright fuchsia, scarlet and yellow 1-inch flowers abound on plants 3-4 inches tall that spread 14-16 inches. Grow in full sun containers, hanging baskets, as a festive groundcover or mass planting.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: PanAmerican Seed Co.



Osteospermum F1 'Asti™ Purple'
Osteospermum F1 'Asti™ Purple'
O. ecklonis

The fun, 2-inch daisy-like flowers will create loads of color during the spring and fall seasons. 'Asti' can handle drought, as well as light frost. Annual 17-20 inches tall for sunny pots and gardens. Series of 3 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Goldsmith Seeds



Pentas F1 'Starla™ Red'
Pentas F1 'Starla™ Red'
P. lanceolata

Big, bold 3-inch flowers are held nicely atop 14- to 18-inch tall foliage. This heat-lover is perfect for mixed containers or sunny plantings. Continues to bloom even in very hot conditions. Series of 6 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Goldsmith Seeds



Petunia F1 'Easy Wave™ Pink Marble Mix'
Petunia F1 'Easy Wave™ Pink Marble Mix'
P. x hybrida

Great in every sunny spot, this fast growing plant blooms all season through heat and cool and bounces back from rain quickly. Large 2-inch blooms on spreading plants 6-12 inches tall. Series of 14 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: PanAmerican Seed Co.



Petunia F1 'Limbo™ Red Veined'
Petunia F1 'Limbo™ Red Veined'
P. grandiflora

'Limbo' is the world's only natural dwarf petunia. Extra compact, full sun annual grows 6-8 inches tall and spreads 8-inches. The large 3- to 5-inch red-veined blooms bounce back in wind and rain. Series of 12 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Hem Genetics



Petunia F1 'Plush™ Rose'
Petunia F1 'Plush™ Rose'
P. pendula

Trailing habit and multitudes of brightly colored 2-inch flowers offer constant color from early spring to summer's end. Looks great in containers and fills sunny garden beds end to end. Series of 10 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Syngenta Flowers, Inc.



Petunia F1 'Symphony Deep Salmon'
Petunia F1 'Symphony Deep Salmon'
P. x hybrida

Excellent compact habit, strong stems, large flower count, and fast recovery from rains. Produces masses of 2-inch flowers for brilliant color in pots and garden. Full sun annual 10-12 inches tall. Series of 20 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: American Takii, Inc.




Poppy 'Jelly Beans'
Poppy 'Jelly Beans'
Eschscholzia californica

A mouthwatering mix of double flowered California poppies, with huge 2- to 2.5-inch flowers in orange, salmon, rose and gold. Heat and cold tolerant 10-inch tall poppy perfect for full sun spring or fall garden color.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.



Poppy 'Lauren's Grape'
Poppy 'Lauren's Grape'
Papaver somniferum

Unique poppy developed for its intriguing color and superb beauty. Seductive 2-inch dark purple-violet blooms on 2- to 3-foot tall plants are stunning in the garden. Attractive dried seed pods for flower arrangements.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Botanical Interests



Ptilotus F1 'Joey™'
Ptilotus F1 'Joey™'
P. exaltatus

Exceptional beauty with heat and drought tolerance. Large 3-to 4-inch conical spikes of feathery bottlebrush flowers top thick foliage 12-15 inches tall. Spikes are glistening silver with neon pink near the tips. Needs full sun.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Benary



Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'
Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'
R. x hirta

World's first red-flowered rudbeckia from seed. Robust, 24-inch tall bushy plants create a dramatic impact in borders, large containers, or as cut flowers with single rich cherry-red blooms.

Distribution Type: Retail

Company: Thompson & Morgan Seedsmen, Inc.



Rudbeckia 'Radiance'
Rudbeckia 'Radiance'
R. hirta

Compact, 18-inch upright plants display ball-shaped, fully double 4-inch flowers with distinctive, needle-shaped petals for a brilliant, truly radiant look. Durable, strong-stemmed performer for sunny beds and pots.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Ball Horticultural Company



Rudbeckia F1 'TigerEye™ Gold'
Rudbeckia F1 'TigerEye™ Gold'
R. hirta

The first F1 hybrid rudbeckia, which means it has never-before-seen strength and longevity in the garden. Absolutely covered with 3-inch flowers all summer. Heat-loving beauty perfect for big beds and containers.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Goldsmith Seeds



Salvia 'Fizz Raspberry'
Salvia 'Fizz Raspberry'
S. splendens

Early flowering, heavily branched and genetically dwarf. The dense placement of flowers on the spike gives more color show and excellent lasting ability. Full sun annual 8-12 inches tall. Series of 5 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: American Takii, Inc.



Snapdragon F1 'Arrow™ Yellow'

Snapdragon F1 'Arrow™ Yellow'
Antirrhinum majus

Strong stems stand up to wind and rain, and the vivid colors stand out in the garden, containers, or mass plantings. Sun loving upright plants reach 20-24 inches tall. Offers slight fragrance. New series of 4 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Syngenta Flowers, Inc.



Snapdragon F1 'Palette Orange and White'

Snapdragon F1 'Palette Orange and White'
Antirrhinum majus

Outstanding cold tolerance makes this an extreme garden performer in early spring and late fall. Takes frosts and occasional freezes. Full sun annual just 8-12 inches tall. Series of 14 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: American Takii, Inc.



Sunflower 'Garden Statement'
Sunflower 'Garden Statement'
Helianthus annuus

The first lemon yellow sunflower with super duplex flowers having 3 layers of petals. Branched stems on the upper third of the 3-foot tall plants prolong flowering and performance. Heat tolerant full sun annual.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.



Sunflower F1 'Zohar'
Sunflower F1 'Zohar'
Helianthus annuus

Single stem, pollenless sunflower of superior quality. Petals are rays of rich orange surrounding a dark center for 4- to 6-inch diameter. Stem height is 4-5 feet. Nice uniform foliage. Can be picked in 50-55 days.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Genesis Seeds



Verbena F1 'Velox™ Soft Pink'
Verbena F1 'Velox™ Soft Pink'
Verbena and Phlox interspecific cross

An absolute world novelty. Continuous flowering abundance, trailing growth habit, and very mildew tolerant. Roots easy like verbenas but flowers longer in heat like phlox. Sunny annual 6 inches tall.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: GGG International



Vinca F1 'HotliK™ Purple Eye'
Vinca F1 'HotliK™ Purple Eye'
Catharanthus roseus

Annual vinca with hybrid vigor for faster growing plants with larger flowers, improved cold and disease tolerance. Grow the 10-inch plants in a full sun garden or container. Purple 2-inch blooms. Series of 9 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Grimes Horticulture



Vinca F1 'Viper Orchid Halo'
Vinca F1 'Viper Orchid Halo'
Catharanthus roseus

Vigorous, robust plants are the ultimate garden performers. 'Viper' grows into a large 18-inch mounded plant covered in massive 2.5-inch flowers with overlapping petals. Grow in full to part sun. Series of 8 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Floranova



Viola F1 'Aero™ Marina'
Viola F1 'Aero™ Marina'
V. cornuta

Bred to have bright, well-formed flowers on compact plants. Perfect for cool spring or fall plantings where it will grace any garden with hundreds of flowers. Plants are 6-8 inches tall. Series of 10 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Bodger Seeds, Ltd.



Viola F1 'Rain Blue and Purple'
Viola F1 'Rain Blue and Purple'
V. cornuta

Pretty 1.25-inch blooms that naturally change from purple & white to purple & blue. Mounded cold and heat tolerant plants spread 10-14 inches producing colorful groundcovers or creating a big impact in containers.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: PanAmerican Seed Co.



Zinnia F1 'Distance™ Cherry'
Zinnia F1 'Distance™ Cherry'
Z. hybrida

An excellent choice for summer plantings, especially where summers are long and hot. Enjoy these beautiful 2-to 3-inch hot pink flowers all summer long in sunny beds, borders, or patio pots. Series of 7 colors.

Distribution Type: Wholesale

Company: Bodger Seeds, Ltd.


The South Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association has many experts who can assist you with choosing the right plant for the right spot. A list of these individuals who reside nearest to you can be found in the membership section on this web site. You may also view past articles here.