California Spring Trials day two recap

Sahin, a brand of Takii Europe B.V., showcased some wild and even wacky, but beautiful, new selections. Have you seen Ammobium grandiflora? It was a new-to-us plant that featured strong, twisty stems rising high above the foliage and topped with small yellow and white flowers. It’s used in cutting gardens but would make a cool perennial in Zone 8 or higher, tucked in with other tall perennials or in the back of the landscape for structure. If you’re looking for another cut flower, Sahin also introduced Centaurea moschata 'Imperialis The Bride', a scented white form with new colors in the pipeline: dark purple, light purple, rose and a mix.

OHP displayed side-by-side comparisons of some of its products, including an example of how Fortress herbicide is safe on many plants — even when those accidents occur, and the crew applies the wrong rate.

Another standout was Sakata’s new celosia, Burning Embers. This All-America Selections (AAS) award winner features tons of bright red plumes set against bronze foliage. We’ve seen a lot of dark leaves this year, but Burning Embers softens the contrast between bloom and leaf. The bronze foliage backdrop is dark enough to make the red pop, but it also compliments to create a fiery whole.

There was an explosion of color at Dümmen Orange, our final stop of the day.

Geranium Glory Days is a new Peltatum geranium series that provides the look of an ivy type but offers the zonal habit. Two colors kick off the new series: Pink Bicolor and Red Orange Bicolor. The single flowers are self-cleaning, and the habit is medium to vigorous. They’re heat tolerant and are best suited for 3-quart containers or baskets.

Another new series, Delosperma Solstice, debuts with six colors that have a shimmery sheen: Orange, Purple, Purple Bicolor, Red, Scarlet Red and Yellow. Small flowers dot the top of the compact foliage, which is an ideal form for a groundcover. In production, this series works best in small pots.

Check out our California Spring Trials day one recap for more.