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Proven Winners Plants

© Diana Pederson

This past summer I tested a collection of 32 proven winners plants sent me by the producers. I was pleasantly surprised at the wide variety in colors and leaf textures. The plants were tested in flower boxes outside and indoors under lights. The plants outside did well but the inside plants dried out too much regardless of how frequently I watered them. I would not recommend purchasing these plants hoping to turn them into houseplants.

Michigan's Four Star Greenhouse was kind enough to provide me with a collection of Proven Winner plants. I purchased additional varieties from Smith Floral in Lansing, Michigan. Following are some of the plants I trialed in containers.

Argyranthemum. I loved these daisy-like flowers. The plants sprawl a bit and looked good growing in both cement blocks and hanging baskets. They bloomed most of the summer and took the western sun as long as I remembered to keep them well watered.

Helichrysum thianschanicum. These grayish colored plants formed the center focus of hanging baskets. They stood up well to the hot southern sun and tolerated dry soil quite well. I absolutely loved the gray-fuzzy looking leaves and will continue to grow this plant each year. This plant absolutely fascinates me because it looks like it is all stem due its extremely narrow leaves. There are several oval-leaved varieties too.

Brachyscome hybrids, sometimes called Swan River Daisies, are plants with lacy looking leaves and daisy-like flowers. They flourish in hot, dry locations. I used these in hanging baskets and as edging plants in larger flower pots.

Osteopermums bloomed from early spring until the first hard frost. They were still producing flowers when other annuals had died. Due to their size, they make excellent edging plants.

Impatiens 'Infinity' is a new cultivar for Spring 2004. I love all the Proven Winners impatiens and would be very hard pressed to pick a favorite. Growing tip: If you want to grow these in a southern exposure container, use a self watering pot such as the Tomato success kit. Just use the tomato cage for some other plant. This kept my impatiens flowering straight through a hot, dry summer even with exposure to the southeastern sun. You may want to look for the new Proven Winners varieties to be introduced this spring. You can view them here.

This is just a sampling of the wonderful plants I tested last summer from this company. You can purchase them at many garden centers across the nation. Look for the distinctive white pot with "proven winners" printed on the side. You may also find special displays utilizing the informational signs provided by the company. I feel confident that a gardener will never go wrong using this brand plants.

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