Award-Winning Flower Varieties (and a leftover veggie or two) for 2022
These Gold Medal-Winning Ornamental Bedding Plants are a Hit Across the Country
In this column recently, we have been talking about award-winning vegetables for your garden in 2022. How about some gold medal-winning flowers to go along with your veggies?
Recently, the All-America Selections committee chose three bedding plants that wowed the judges. Not only are these three plants AAS national winners, they have also been awarded the coveted Gold Medal for their unique qualities.
“We went 17 years without having a Gold Medal winner,” says Diane Blazek, executive director for the National Garden Bureau, the parent company for All-America Selections. “And what that means is these plants are a breeding breakthrough. There's something about that plant, not only does it have awesome garden performance, but it's something we have not seen anything like it before. It's the best of the best. You've got the AAS winners, the national winners, which are fantastic. But then these are a cut above, earning the Gold Medal Award.”
The three winners include the zinnia variety, “Profusion Red and Yellow Bicolor”; the “Viking Explorer” begonia; and the “Bee’s Knees” petunia.
“What I love about the ‘Profusion Red and Yellow Bicolor’ zinnia, you have a typical Profusion Zinnia,” explains Blazek. “It's yellow on the outside, red in the middle, and then as it progresses and the season goes on, it also starts to morph to different shades, of rose and salmon color. So, it's like you're getting multiple plants all in one, which is just wonderful.”
It was that color-changing quality of this plant that wowed the judges. Some of the outstanding traits of this zinnia that should appeal to valley gardeners include its tolerance to heat and wind. Comparatively shorter in height to some other zinnia varieties, the “Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor” zinnia maxes out at about 14 inches tall, with a bloom season that extends from late spring all the way through fall.
“Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor” zinnia is also the recipient of the Fleuroselect Gold Medal award for performance in European trials.
The second gold medal winner is the begonia variety, “Viking Explorer.” And true to its name, this begonia, with deep, rose-colored flowers, will thrive cascading over the sides of a container. “The ‘Viking’ begonias are a new series of begonias,” says Blazek. “I just love that they called it ‘Explorer.’ It means that it's trailing. So, it will spread out, hanging over a basket or container.”
What impressed the judges about this begonia? “It is the number of flowers and the fact that it was a trailing plant,” comments Blazek. “It is just amazing in the garden, really outperforming the competitors.”
The “Viking Explorer” begonia has a strong tolerance to heat as well as many diseases, in both wet and dry conditions. “Stellar performance for containers” stated one AAS Judge. “Good plant with season-long integrity,” said another.
Unlike most AAS and Gold Medal winners which are available as seed, the third gold medalist can only be purchased as plants: the Bee’s Knees Petunia.
“This is a very vibrant yellow Petunia that will not fade,” praises Blazek. “What is so special about this one is the number of flowers and how they keep their color, that nice, vibrant yellow color. However, it's a vegetative variety. You won't find it from seed.”
It’s been a long gold medal drought for petunias. “Bee’s Knees” is the first Gold Medal-winning petunia since 1950. One judge exclaimed, “The yellow color of this petunia didn’t fade, plants were a solid mound of yellow blooms all season. No disease, no breakage from the wind. Great plant!”
For more information, including vendors that stock the seeds or the plants, visit the All-America Selections website, aaswinners.com.
Gold Medal Award-Winning Flowers
Begonia Viking™ Explorer Rose on Green F1 2022 AAS Ornamental Winner
This trailing begonia “explores” the garden by spreading and spilling its branches over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. Prolific rose-colored flowers stand out against the glossy green foliage and do so all season long. It has a strong tolerance to heat & many diseases, as well as both wet & dry conditions. “Stellar performance for containers” states one AAS Judge.
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Petunia - Bee’s Knees 2022 AAS Ornamental Winner
This yellow petunia was so outstanding and eye-catching in the AAS trials that the judges deemed it a Gold Medal Winner! The first petunia to win a gold medal distinction since 1950. Each Bee’s Knees petunia is filled with lush blooms that put on a colorful show of deep yellow, non-fading flowers all season long. The intense yellow petunia color contrasts beautifully against the deep green leaves. Bee’s Knees offers great garden performance in a variety of conditions and requires very little maintenance. Works great as an element in mixed containers or as a hanging basket but also thrives as a long-blooming groundcover.
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Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor 2021 AAS Flower Winner
“JUST SO CUTE! WOW, WOW WOW!” When multiple judges write comments like that, it’s no surprise that it’s a Gold Medal Winner! Introducing…a beautiful new bicolor addition to the popular Profusion series of zinnias. This gorgeous zinnia starts the season with a bold vibrant red center ring surrounded by golden-yellow outer petals. As the season progresses, the aging flowers morph into soft, beautiful shades of apricot, salmon, and dusty rose to bring a plethora of color to the garden, all from one variety. Trial garden visitors clamored over this floriferous and compact plant during the summer trials noting how well the plant continued to bloom new flowers over old so there was never a decline in the beauty presented by Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor.
Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor is also the recipient of the Fleuroselect Gold Medal award for performance in European trials.
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And Yes, We Still Have More AAS-Winning Vegetable Leftovers from the Podcasts
We covered dozens of AAS-winning vegetables in Episodes 168 and 169 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast. The last three newsletters covered most, but not all of those varieties. Finally, from the back of the vegetable bin, we present:
Icicle F1 Eggplant 2022 AAS Vegetable Winner – Available Soon
This cylindrical white eggplant earned the prestigious AAS award for several reasons. The Icicle plant has fewer spines than most eggplants, making for a less painful harvest! With larger fruits than other white eggplants, it produces a nice yield while also providing fewer seeds. The pure white skin does not tend to yellow like many other white varieties of eggplant. The improved taste and texture has universal appeal (whether fresh or cooked), one judge served it to his children: “Even my 11-year-old asked for seconds when I breaded and fried them at home.” That’s a culinary testimonial!
https://all-americaselections.org/product/eggplant-icicle/
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Hansel, Gretel, Fairy Tale Eggplant
Gretel eggplant: 2009 AAS Vegetable Winner
Petite fruit, petite plant, perfect for containers. Gretel has clusters of pure white, elongated teardrop shaped fruit that can be harvested in 55 days from transplanting. It is the earliest white eggplant and offers gardeners a high yield of 3-4 inch fruit with tender skin, few seeds, and the sweetest flavor. Mature plants are about 36 to 52 inches tall and spread 2- to -3 feet. Gretel is easy to grow in containers or garden soil. Plants prefer warm growing conditions. For maximum fruit set, harvest the clusters of eggplant regularly.
https://all-americaselections.org/product/eggplant-gretel/
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Hansel eggplant: 2008 AAS Vegetable Winner
Hansel was bred by an eggplant lover. Young Hansel eggplants have very few seeds. Bitterness is another problem. With most eggplants, the cook must remove the glossy purple skin to dispose of the bad taste. Not so with Hansel; the fruit is tender and non-bitter. Another advantage is the harvest window. Gardeners can harvest the finger-like clusters of fruit when they’re 3 inches in length. If the fruit stays on the plant until about 10 inches, they remain tender and so sweet. This trait offers gardeners a long harvest time for Hansel. The plant size is small, no taller than three feet, which is perfect for container growing. Small eggplants can be harvested only 55 days after planting into containers.
https://all-americaselections.org/product/eggplant-hansel/
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Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County.