Flower Winners for 2002

AAS is a non-profit organization for evaluating new seed-grown flowers and vegetables from around the world for home garden performance. All of this new year's winners will be available this coming garden season in seed or already-started transplant form. To buy seedlings, ask for them by variety name.

This week I'll be covering the eight flower winners; next week, we'll review the vegetable winners.

"Sparkler Blush" cleome. This new cleome was profiled in last week's column. It was hybridized by Goldsmith Seeds' plant breeder Todd Perkins. It is a breeding breakthrough for a cleome in that it is much shorter at 3.5 to 4 feet than other cleomes. Plants are perfect for back of the border or as centerpieces in large containers. The pinkish flowers are 5 to 6 inches and bloom like fireworks. "Sparkler" is very free flowering, and is heat and drought-tolerant during the summer.

"Chilly Chili" ornamental pepper. This ornamental pepper blooms numerous colorful chilis. The color changes from yellow to orange and matures at red. Plants are extremely heat tolerant. The pepper plants grow about a foot tall and spread 6 to 10 inches. The petite, 2-inch peppers can be used as clever ornamental garnishes on salads or with ethnic entrees.

"Cherokee Sunset" rudbeckia. This sunflower family contains a blend of sunset colors: yellow, orange, bronze, mahogany and shades of all these colors. The 3 to 4-inch, daisy-like flowers come in double and semi-double forms, and are long lasting as cut flowers. Plants grow 24 to 30 inches tall and spread about a foot.

"Jaio Scarlet Eye" vinca rosea. No other vinca has this distinctive color, which is a rose-scarlet with a white eye. The 2-inch flowers bloom on foot-high plants. Vincas are heat and drought-tolerant.

"Black Magic Rose" geranium. Distinctive dark leaves are the difference here. Leaves are almost entirely black with a slight green edge. The dark foliage really helps the rose-colored flowers stand out.

"Ultima Morpho" pansy. Bright lemon yellow lower petals and rays or whiskers radiate from the center. "Ultima Morpho" is named after the Morpho butterfly, which is blue and yellow. Plants are 5 to 8 inches high and spread 8 to 10 inches.

"Lavender Wave" and "Tidal Wave Silver" petunias. Both of these winners are offshoots of the famous "Purple Wave" petunias. They trail 3 to 4 feet and only grow 4 to 6 inches high. "Lavender Wave" is obviously a lavender color. "Tidal Wave Silver" sports silvery white flowers with dark purple centers.

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