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University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center

The 2019 Top Ten

Performing Annual Flowers

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University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center

2019 Top Ten Performing Annual Flowers

Steve Poppe, Senior Horticulture Scientist Esther Jordan, Communications Specialist

Heidi Olson-Manska, Executive Office & Administrative Specialist

The climate in Minnesota can be unique, with wet and rainy spring months and dry hot summers. This can present challenging growing condi ons, especially for annual bedding plants.

We’ve been conduc ng hor culture research at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC), Morris, for nearly 100 years. With over four acres of impressive public display gardens including 400 annual cul vars, we offer an educa onal landscape for home owners, Master Gardeners, and flower enthusiasts alike to see just how annual flowers perform under our unique growing condi ons.

Annual flowers are though ully placed into aesthe cally pleasing landscapes, allowing visitors to take note of their favorite cul vars. All plants are labeled; flowers are located in garden beds, hanging baskets, and containers.

"Through the Hor culture Display Garden at the WCROC, we can teach others how to become good stewards of the land and challenge imagina ons to create beauty in our own backyards. The Garden offers numerous examples of innova ve design, use of color and adap ve plan ngs. It is essen al that flower research con nues to ensure that we have hardy, well‐suited plants for the next genera on of gardeners.” ‐ Sara Thronsedt, West O er Tail Master Gardener

In addi on to the annual flower trials, the WCROC Hor culture Display Garden also serves as an All‐America Selec ons (AAS) Display and Trial Garden. An AAS Display Garden introduces AAS Winners to the public, while an AAS Trial Ground has AAS entries planted side‐by‐side to comparisons for evalua on by an AAS Trial Judge.

Plant breeding companies from around the world par cipate in our annual flower trial, which is held each year. All annuals are evaluated mul ple mes throughout the growing season; cul vars are rated based on their unique characteris cs, excep onal performance, color and vigor under regional condi ons. Once the final evalua ons are completed, only the top‐rated annual flowers are considered for the dis nc on of being called a Top Ten Performing Annual.

The Hor culture Display Garden is open daily from dawn un l dusk; admission is free. Voted as the “Best Public Display Garden in Minnesota” by WCCO, the Hor culture Display Garden is truly a gem in the Upper Midwest. See our complete list of trial results at:

www.wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/flower‐research‐results

* On the front cover: Begonia x benariensis BIG® Pink Bronze Leaf (top le ), Petunia Supertunia® Mini Vista™ Indigo IMP (top center), Verbena EnduraScape™ Pink Bicolor (top right), Marigold Big Duck Orange (middle right) and Calibrachoa Superbells® Watermelon Punch™ (bo om).

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B egonia x benariensis BIG® Pink Bronze Leaf offers

striking, con nuous flowers which cover the plant with

vibrant color throughout the summer with no

deadheading. Has sturdy flower stems that hold flowers above

the lush foliage. Performed equally superior in the garden as well

as in a large container; well‐suited for sun or shade.

Begonia x benariensis BIG® Pink Bronze Leaf

Height = 28”

Spread = 24”

Bloom Time = Early summer to frost

Exposure = Sun or shade

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C alibrachoa Cabaret® Good Night Kiss has an a rac ve

eye‐catching flower pa ern featuring a star center. This

semi‐trailing Calibrachoa has excellent garden

performance and grows evenly and uniformly in a large hanging

basket.

Calibrachoa Cabaret® Good Night Kiss

Height = 6 ‐ 10”

Spread = 18”

Bloom Time = Late spring to frost

Exposure = Sun

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C alibrachoa Superbells® Watermelon Punch™ out of

the nearly 20 calibrachoa we trialed in 2019, this was

our favorite. Provides con nuous, abundant coral pink

with black eye flowers all season long. Watermelon Punch™

proves to have a higher tolerance to the fungal diseases that

o en can affect Calibrachoa.

Calibrachoa Superbells® Watermelon Punch™

Height = 12”

Spread = 18”

Bloom Time = Late spring to frost

Exposure = Part sun to sun

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C oleus Heartbreaker is outstanding in both a large

container and in the garden landscape. This low

maintenance yet vigorous coleus doesn’t fade; it’s

bright lime green and raspberry colored foliage stayed true

throughout the growing season. Heartbreaker is easy to grow,

very uniform in growth and performs equally well in sun or

shade. It’s also a perfect complement to other plants in the

landscape.

Height = 33”

Spread = 16”

Bloom Time = No flower

Exposure = Sun or shade

Coleus Heartbreaker

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I mpa ens Beacon™ Salmon Grown from seed, this

Impa ens thrived in a hanging basket in our semi‐shaded

area. Of the six Beacon™ series impa ens in our 2019 trial,

this variety has more vigor than the other five. These low‐

maintenance plants are perfect for gardeners looking for

impa ens that offer high resistance to downy mildew disease.

Impa ens Beacon™ Salmon

Height = 18”

Spread = 14”

Bloom Time = Spring to fall

Exposure = Sun or shade

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M arigold Big Duck Orange is an AAS winner that

bloomed throughout the en re growing season.

Four‐inch, full double orange blooms paired with

clean, deep‐green foliage provided a stunning display during the

summer. This marigold is perfect for the gardener looking for an

easy‐to‐grow annual from seed.

Height = 18”

Spread = 12”

Bloom Time = Summer to fall

Exposure = Full sun

Marigold Big Duck Orange

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P etunia ColorRush™ Pink produced a prolific number

of eye‐catching blooms all season‐long. Its leaves

remained clean and green in color throughout the

season. ColorRush™ Pink fills a three‐foot space with excep onal

no‐fade color, all without spreading out of control.

Height = 12”

Spread = 32”

Bloom Time = Spring to frost

Exposure = Sun

Petunia ColorRush™ Pink

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P etunia Supertunia® Mini Vista™ Indigo IMP is another

cul var that does very well in both a large container and

in a garden bed. Mini Vista™ Indigo was completely

covered in blue‐purple flowers all season long. Maintenance is

easy with this annual. They are self‐cleaning with no

deadheading necessary.

Petunia Supertunia® Mini Vista™ Indigo IMP

Height = 12”

Spread = 20”

Bloom Time = Spring to frost

Exposure = Full sun

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Verbena EnduraScape™ Pink Bicolor

Height = 12”

Spread = 20”

Bloom Time = Early summer to fall

Exposure = Full Sun

V erbena EnduraScape™ Pink Bicolor is a con nual

long‐blooming verbena that was named an AAS

winner in 2017. EnduraScape™ Pink Bicolor makes

for an excep onal edging along a walkway or border. Its so

pink blossoms are a real eye‐catcher.

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Z innia Magellan™ Pink is a vigorous variety that had

good disease tolerance during our we er than normal

2019 growing season. Magellan™ Pink is a compact

bushy plant, 12‐18 inches high and 15‐18 inches wide and is

smothered all season with daisy‐formed blooms. Plant in large

groupings for best effect. For op mum performance, plant

zinnias in a well‐drained garden soil .

Zinnia Magellan™ Pink

Height = 18”

Spread = 16”

Bloom Time = Spring to fall

Exposure = Full sun

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Honorable Men ons

Variety Name Height Spread Bloom Time Exposure

Begonia BK Collec on BEEL 3632

20” 14” Early summer to frost

Full sun

Begonia BK Collec on BEEL 0958

20” 14” Early summer to frost

Full sun

Begonia Viking™ XL Red on Chocolate

32” 16” Late spring to frost

Full to par al sun

Coleus ColorBlaze® Wicked Witch™

38” 22” No bloom Sun or shade

Geranium Zonal Galaxy™ Violet

18” 14” Late spring to frost

Full Sun

Impa ens Super Elfin® XP White

10” 14” Late spring to frost

Shade to par al sun

Petunia Dekko Sky Blue 10” 20” Early spring to fall

Full sun

Petunia grandiflora TriTunia™ Blue

12” 12” Early spring to fall

Full sun

Petunia Potunia Coral 10” 16” Early spring to fall

Full sun

Salvia Purple & Bloom 42” 32” Early summer to fall

Sun to par al sun

Salvia Unplugged™ So Blue™

24” 14” Early summer to fall

Sun to par al sun

Scaevola Whirlwind™ Blue (Imp)

10” 20” Early summer to frost

Full sun

Verbena bonariensis Purple Haze

40” 18” Early summer to frost

Full sun

Zinnia Magellan™ Yellow 16” 12” Spring to late summer

Full sun

Zinnia Zesty Pink 18” 12” Spring to late summer

Full sun

Zinnia Preciosa Red 18” 12” Spring to late summer

Full sun

Vinca Solar Avalanche Cherry

8” 12” Early summer to frost

Sun to par al sun

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Steve Poppe, Senior Hor culture Scien st University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center 46352 State Hwy. 329 Morris, MN 56267 Phone: (320) 589‐1711 ext. 2121 Email: poppesr@umn.edu

Esther Jordan, Communica ons Specialist University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center 46352 State Hwy. 329 Morris, MN 56267 Phone: (320) 589‐1711 ext. 2152 Email: ejordan@umn.edu

Heidi Olson‐Manska, Execu ve Office & Administra ve Specialist University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center 46352 State Hwy. 329 Morris, MN 56267 Phone: (320) 589‐1711 ext. 2130 Email: olsonh@umn.edu

Petunia Potunia Coral

Zinnia Preciosa Red Geranium Zonal Galaxy Violet

Begonia BK Collection BEEL 3632

Scaevola Whirlwind™ Blue (Imp)

Vinca Solar Avalanche Cherry