Each growing season, the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, Minnesota conducts trials of hundreds of annual flower cultivars sourced from global plant breeding companies. These cultivars are either grown from seed or vegetatively propagated in the greenhouse.
The flowers undergo rigorous evaluation, with their performance rated on a scale of 1-5, where 5 signifies excellence and 1 indicates poor performance. The assessments consider various traits, including the uniformity of habit and flowering, flower abundance relative to other varieties, resistance to insects and diseases, as well as uniqueness. These evaluations are carried out by certified trial judges throughout the months of July, August and September, with results published at the end of the season.
In the 2023 trials, we’ve identified these top ten performing annuals:
- Begonia BIG® Deep Pink Green Leaf
- This robust begonia features large, waxy petals supported by sturdy stems, resulting in an upright and branching habit.
- Its bright Pink blooms stood out throughout the season, even in fluctuating temperatures.
- The striking green foliage provided a uniform and compact appearance, making it ideal for shady container gardening.
- Begonia Viking® Explorer Rose on Green & Celosia Flamma Rose (combination)
- A stunning display resulted from the unique combination of these two plants.
- Flamma Rose provided height at the containers center and delivered an eye-catching, non-fading color.
- Viking Explorer featured striking rose-colored flowers against glossy green foliage
- This combination showcased outstanding garden performance in a large container.
- Calibrachoa Bumble Bee™ Hot Pink
- This semi-trailing Calibrachoa showcases a hot pink hue encircling a bright yellow eye.
- It displayed excellent garden performance, growing uniformly in a large hanging basket.
- Coleus Talavera™ Pink Tricolor
- With a lime green edge and a vibrant raspberry and maroon center, this shade plant thrived in semi-shaded garden beds.
- It complements other shade plants and can make a dramatic impact in large pots or garden landscapes, growing up to 36 inches.
- Petunia Itsy™ Pink
- Itsy™ Pink impressed with its petite size and uniform growth, featuring delicate light pink flowers that covered the foliage.
- This spreading petunia thrived throughout the season, maintaining its foliage even in changing weather conditions.
- Ideal for ground planting in full sun, it forms an attractive border.
- Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista® Hot Pink
- This Supertunia offers continuous blooming throughout the season and is resilient to changes in weather. Its vibrant pink color contrasts beautifully with the foliage,
- It spreads evenly, reaching up to 24 inches in width, maintaining fullness at its center.
- Ideal for border planting, it thrives in full sun when placed in the ground.
- Salvia Plum Crazy
- Attracting pollinators like hummingbirds, bees and butterflies all season, Salvia Plum Crazy boasts deep purple flowers against healthy green foliage.
- Its height, exceeding 36 inches, makes it an excellent choice for a garden backdrop.
- Snapdragon DoubleShot™ Crimson Red
- The DoubleShot Crimson Red snapdragon defied expectations by delivering remarkable performance in July and August.
- Its deep red, open faced flowers on tall, sturdy stems remained abundant throughout the season, ideal for sunny locations at a height of 18-20 inches.
- Sunflower Desert Sun
- The Sunflower Desert Sun was a standout in the garden, reaching a towering height of nearly 6 feet.
- Its unique flower head features a burnt orange center with a bright yellow ring, requiring minimal staking to withstand West Central Minnesota’s varying weather conditions.
- Zinnia Zydeco™ White
- This Zinnia flaunts a true clean white color and demonstrates excellent disease resistance, ensuring a clean appearance for both foliage and flowers
- Large white flowers stand above the foliage and its branching habit maintains compact growth despite its size of 18 inches wide and 12 inches tall, thriving best in full sun.
For more information about the annual plant trials, visit: https://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/research/horticulture