CSU Perennial Trials yield top performers
There’s an easy way to eliminate the trial and error method of growing perennial plants. Let someone else do the trial part for you.
It can take time to find perennials that survive cold winters and thrive in hot summers, year after year. That’s where Colorado State University’s Perennial Trials come in. New perennial cultivars are put to the test over three summers and two winters.
While most perennials might survive the trialing process, only the best are selected as “top performers” by a panel of industry experts. These experts take their time to rate each cultivar on its reliability, flowers and foliage.
“The Perennial Trials continue to grow,” according to Jim Klett, professor and extension landscape horticulturist at CSU in Fort Collins. New perennials from around the globe get tested to see how they perform in conditions of intense sunlight, low humidity and even hail.
One of the top performers for this season, Kahori Border Pink dianthus, bounced back quickly after the city’s destructive hail-
storm on May 22. “It came through the winter well and even after the hailstorm it came back with flowers in about two weeks,” Klett said.
Besides being extremely hardy, this dianthus has attractive pink flowers that made it a standout in the trial garden. Because of it heat tolerance and exceptionally long bloom time, it could be planted along hot driveways and sidewalks, as well as in containers and window boxes.
All the Top Performers selected for 2018 are from the 2015 planting season. In addition to the dianthus, the lineup includes these winners:
Winterbells helleborus is made for the shade and fills in like a groundcover. It may need a little moisture through the winter, but gardeners will be rewarded with classic white flowers that start blooming in February and continue into spring.
Phenomenal lavender won a top spot for its ability to attract bees and other pollinators to the xeriscape or dry garden. This coldhardy lavender gets tall and wide, so it needs room to grow.
Flame Blue phlox won over judges because it resists powdery mildew. The light blue-to-white blooms make for a good cutting flower, and plants stay full.
Ronica Dark Pink veronica features eye-catching pink flowers that form in upright spikes for a long season of bloom. This top performer also makes a good cut flower.
One perennial from the 2016 planting season also made this year’s list. The color of Kismet Intense Orange coneflower helped secure its spot as “too good to wait” for another season. The mass of bright Broncos orange flowers could light up the garden right when football season gets underway.
For the first time, gardeners will get the chance to vote on their favorite plants during Consumer Day at CSU’s Flower Trial Garden this summer. Gardeners are invited to visit the morning of Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon, and vote for their favorite plants.
The party-like atmosphere will include refreshments, giveaways, a special kids program, and a chance to get plant questions answered by professionals. (Free admission, 1401 Remington St. in Fort Collins.)