2018 new varieties: Jelitto Perennial Seeds

Editor's note: We're highlighting the plants from our 2018 New Plant Pavilion. Check out the whole list here or in our February issue!

Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Yellows’

‘Mellow Yellows’ is the newest in Jelitto’s long, successful line of seed-grown echinacea strains. Jelitto took decades to establish this yellow strain. The breeding and trialing process cannot be rushed. There are twists, turns anddisappointments, but we are focused on quality, uniqueness and affordability. ‘Mellow Yellows’ array includes colorful shades from creamy yellow, lemon yellow to dark yellow. Plants are variable in color and height, and there are no pinks whatsoever. The cost of tissue-cultured plugs, subsequent production losses, patent royalties and trademark registrations only increase your costs. It needn’t be a tough decision. ‘Mellow Yellows’ joins ’Magnus’, ’Magnus Superior’, ’Happy Star’, ’Green Twister’ and five other wild species as the sensible, seed-grown alternative to expensive, patented clones. 

Gaura lindheimeri ’Cool Breeze’

The origin of ’Cool Breeze’ began with a keen eye and a single offspring from a production field of 3,000 typical gauras. This selection was used as the starting point for our breeding work. The stems and buds were greenish-white instead of the pinkish-red coloring on the common gaura. ’Cool Breeze’ has graceful blooms as pure and white as the wind-driven snow. The wild species, gaura lindheimeri, has come a long way from its roots in Texas and Louisiana, but its prospects for garden glory across the temperate world were recognized early. The Greek name gauros means somehow superb. We wouldn’t argue otherwise. Pure white, vegetatively-grown gauras exist in the trade, but ’Cool Breeze’ is the first seed-grown strain available. 

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra ‘Bleeding Hearts’

‘Bleeding Hearts’ continues a parade of Jelitto breakthroughs that began as little more than a dream on a hot summer day in 2004. The foliage of heliopsis ‘Bleeding Hearts’ emerges almost entirely black before settling down to a dark purple. The sturdy stems are black. Excellent for cut flowers. The orange-red blooms contrast magnificently with the dark stems and leaves. ‘Bleeding Hearts’ is the first heliopsis without a hint of yellow! Flowers start out scarlet before maturing to a bright orange-red, and then to lingering washed tones of bronze. This fabulous introduction took a long time to come to the market, but will soon be gracing sunny summer borders and meadows everywhere. 

For more: www.jelitto.com