Ohio State University Extension



2017 Herbaceous Ornamental Field Trial Results

Pamela J. Bennett, Associate Professor, Extension Educator, Horticulture, Clark County

Janet Myers, Program Assistant, Horticulture, Clark County

Introduction

Annual field trials have been conducted by Clark County Extension staff and Master Gardener volunteers (MGV) in Springfield, Ohio since 1995. MGVs Linda McCann and Cathy Zernechel were the 2017 project chairs and are responsible for growing the plants in the greenhouse. The trials are located in the Snyder Park Gardens and Arboretum (1900 Snyder Park Rd.) in Springfield, Ohio. More than 1,500 people visited this site in 2017. Approximately 40 MGVs work on this project, starting plugs and seeds in the greenhouse, planting the trials, and weeding the plots.

The plots have loamy, well-drained soil with a pH of 7.5. The current plots were established in the spring of 2015. The beds were tilled to a depth of 8"in the sun plots and 3" in the shade plots. There is approximately 5000 square feet of bed space in full sun and approximately 1000 square feet in shade, under a shade tree (moderate shade).

The selection of plants to be trialed in the garden varies from year to year. The selection is based on entries from seed companies, performance in prior years, on current trends, and on industry recommendations. The results of performance for the plants are based on the data collected at the plots. The data reflects the growing conditions of 2017. The purpose of the evaluation is to provide growers, landscapers, and homeowners a guide for plant selection for Ohio as well as to provide performance data to the breeders and seed companies.

Method

The plants were started from seeds or plugs, depending on the species, according to the recommended starting dates. They were planted in the plots on May 16, 2017. There were 6 plants of each variety in the blocks; blocks were spaced 2’ apart. Trailing or vining plants were planted in blocks that were 4’ apart with the plants in the block spaced 4’ apart.

Osmocote( (14-14-14) fertilizer was incorporated into the soil prior to planting at the labeled rate. No additional application of fertilizer was made. Irrigation was applied during dry periods in order to prevent wilting. See the weather information below for details. No mulch was used. Hand weeding was completed as needed. Treflan (e.g. trifluralin) was incorporated in between the rows 6 weeks after planting. All Calibrachoa cultivars were planted in 18" diameter containers, six plants per pot. All plants were grown in full sun, unless otherwise indicated with a shaded row in the chart below. Normally no insecticides or fungicides are applied; however the Japanese beetle pressure was extremely heavy on the Cannas. An insecticide was used on the Cannas one time. The plants were not deadheaded or pruned during the growing season.

Five people conducted visual evaluations in June, July, August, and September. The entire row was given a visual rating from 1 to 5. A rating of 5 was considered to be excellent and a rating of 1 was poor. The 5 individual evaluation ratings were averaged for the monthly rating figure. The monthly evaluations (June-September) were averaged for the final rating for each variety.

Weather Information

Precipitation at planting time in May was above normal ranges for the month; the trials received 2.5” of rain in May after planting. Temperatures were close to the historical average temperatures (HAT) for this time period. The annuals were planted under good soil conditions; plants were not irrigated in the first two weeks post-planting due to rainfall. Irrigation was supplied in June sparingly because rainfall amounts were close to normal and temperatures were normal. July average temperatures were below the normal average giving us a rather cool July. Rainfall was 3.34” above normal average rainfall; supplemental irrigation was minimal. August temperatures were slightly below the normal as was precipitation. In September, the average temperature was slightly below the HAT and rainfall was below the normal range. There were four days with temperatures above the 90F in the growing season; this compares to 17 days in 2016 that were above 90F. This growing season started out wet in May, average in June returning to wet in July and average in August and September, in terms of soil moisture. Figure 1 indicates temperature conditions and Figure 2 indicates rainfall amounts for this growing season.

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Results

Following are the varieties in the 2017 field trials and their monthly ratings and final rating. The plants listed that are shaded gray are those varieties that were grown in shade. The plants with an * after the Genus/Common Name were grown in containers, 6 plants per container.

The supplier for each variety is listed in the table; the supplier key is at the end. The plants are listed in order of Final Rating from highest to lowest. A rating of 5 is the highest; a rating of 1 is the lowest.

Genus/

Common Name |Series |Cultivar |Company |June |July |August |Sept |End of Season

Average | |Calibrachoa* |Superbells® |Rising Star |PW | 4.17 | 4.83 | 4.33 | 3.33 | 4.17 | |Calibrachoa* |Superbells® |Double Ruby |PW | 4.17 | 4.50 | 4.50 | 3.50 | 4.17 | |Calibrachoa* |Superbells® |Blue Moon Punch™ |PW | 4.00 | 4.67 | 4.33 | 3.83 | 4.21 | |Calibrachoa* |Superbells® |Plum Improved |PW | 3.50 | 4.50 | 4.67 | 4.17 | 4.21 | |Calibrachoa* |Superbells® |Over Easy™ |PW | 4.67 | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.00 | 4.42 | |Calibrachoa* |Superbells® |White Improved |PW | 4.67 | 4.83 | 5.00 | 3.50 | 4.50 | |Begonia |Megawatt |Pink Bronze Leaf |PAS | 4.17 | 4.00 | 4.17 | 4.00 | 4.08 | |Begonia |Whopper |Rose Bronze Leaf |PAS | 3.17 | 5.00 | 4.33 | 4.67 | 4.29 | |Begonia |Megawatt |Red Bronze Leaf |PAS | 4.33 | 4.50 | 4.17 | 4.17 | 4.29 | |Begonia |Megawatt |Rose Bronze Leaf |PAS | 4.33 | 4.67 | 4.67 | 5.00 | 4.67 | |New Guinea Impatiens |Divine™ |Red |PAS | 3.17 | 4.17 | 3.50 | 3.83 | 3.67 | |Hypoestes |Hypnotic™ |Red |PW | 3.67 | 3.67 | 3.83 | 4.17 | 3.83 | |New Guinea Impatiens |Divine™ |Orange |PAS | 3.67 | 4.50 | 3.50 | 4.17 | 3.96 | |New Guinea Impatiens |Divine™ |Lavender Improved |PAS | 3.50 | 4.83 | 4.00 | 4.33 | 4.17 | |Hypoestes |Hypnotic™ |Rose |PW | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.00 | 4.33 | 4.33 | |Thunbergia |A-Peel® |Orange |PW | 3.00 | 4.00 | 4.50 | 4.17 | 3.92 | |Thunbergia |A-Peel® |Tangerine Slice |PW | 3.33 | 3.83 | 4.33 | 4.33 | 3.96 | |Thunbergia |A-Peel® |Lemon |PW | 3.33 | 4.17 | 4.33 | 4.33 | 4.04 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Mulberry Charm |PW | 4.17 | 4.33 | 2.33 | 0.83 | 2.92 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Royal Magenta Improved |PW | 3.50 | 2.83 | 3.33 | 2.33 | 3.00 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Hot Pink Charm |PW | 4.17 | 4.33 | 4.67 | 4.83 | 4.50 | |Canna |Toucan® |Coral |PW | 2.33 | 3.50 | 3.83 | 3.67 | 3.33 | |Canna |Toucan® |Deep Orange |PW | 2.67 | 3.50 | 4.17 | 4.17 | 3.63 | |Canna |Toucan® |Red |PW | 2.67 | 3.67 | 4.33 | 4.00 | 3.67 | |Canna |Toucan® |Rose |PW | 2.83 | 3.67 | 4.17 | 4.17 | 3.71 | |Canna |Toucan® |Yellow |PW | 2.50 | 4.17 | 4.33 | 4.33 | 3.83 | |Canna |Toucan® |Scarlet |PW | 3.00 | 3.67 | 4.33 | 4.33 | 3.83 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Vista Fuchsia |PW | 3.33 | 4.50 | 4.83 | 5.00 | 4.42 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Vista Silverberry |PW | 4.00 | 5.00 | 4.83 | 5.00 | 4.71 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Bordeaux |PW | 3.67 | 3.83 | 3.83 | 4.33 | 3.92 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Lovie Dovie |PW | 3.83 | 3.83 | 4.17 | 4.50 | 4.08 | |Petunia |Supertunia® |Vista Bubblegum |PW | 4.17 | 4.83 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 4.75 | |Marigold |French Bonanza |Bolero Improved |PAS | 4.67 | 4.50 | 3.33 | 1.17 | 3.42 | |Marigold |French Bonanza |Yellow |PAS | 3.83 | 4.00 | 4.17 | 2.83 | 3.71 | |Marigold |French Bonanza |Orange |PAS | 4.83 | 4.50 | 3.83 | 2.17 | 3.83 | |Salvia |Rockin' |Deep Purple |PW | 3.17 | 4.17 | 4.33 | 4.67 | 4.08 | |Ornamental Millet | |Copper Prince |PAS | 3.83 | 5.00 | 4.83 | 4.33 | 4.50 | |Dianthus |Jolt™ |Pink Magic |PAS | 2.17 | 2.83 | 2.67 | 0.83 | 2.13 | |Verbena |Superbena® |Stormburst |PW | 3.00 | 3.17 | 2.00 | 2.67 | 2.71 | |Verbena |Superbena® |Cherryburst |PW | 3.50 | 2.67 | 2.33 | 2.33 | 2.71 | |Verbena |Superbena® |Violet Ice |PW | 3.50 | 3.17 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.92 | |VF Tomato |Midnight Snack | |PAS | 4.67 | 4.33 | 3.50 | 3.00 | 3.88 | |Osteospermum |Bright Lights® |Double Moonglow |PW | 3.50 | 4.33 | 4.17 | 4.17 | 4.04 | |Alternanthera | |Purple Prince |PAS | 4.33 | 5.00 | 4.50 | 4.67 | 4.63 | |Salvia | |Playin' the Blues™ Improved |PW | 4.50 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 4.88 | |Phlox |Intensia® |White Improved |PW | 3.50 | 3.67 | 2.17 | 0.17 | 2.38 | |Phlox |Intensia® |Red Hot |PW | 4.00 | 3.83 | 2.33 | 0.67 | 2.71 | |Gaura |Wanderful™ |Petite Pink |PW | 3.50 | 1.83 | 2.67 | 4.00 | 3.00 | |Phlox |Intensia® |Blueberry |PW | 3.83 | 3.67 | 3.50 | 2.17 | 3.29 | |Dahlia |Dahlightful® |Crushed Crimson |PW | 2.83 | 3.50 | 3.83 | 4.17 | 3.58 | |Dahlia |Dahlightful® |Tupelo Honey |PW | 2.83 | 3.67 | 4.50 | 4.17 | 3.79 | |Lantana |Luscious® |Royale Cosmo |PW | 3.50 | 4.17 | 3.83 | 4.33 | 3.96 | |Cuphea |Fairy Dust™ |Pink |PW | 3.17 | 2.33 | 2.17 | 2.17 | 2.46 | |Calendula |Lady Godiva |Orange |PW | 3.33 | 2.83 | 2.00 | 3.00 | 2.79 | |Argyranthemum |Butterfly® |Pure White |PW | 4.00 | 4.67 | 3.00 | 4.00 | 3.92 | |Bidens |Campfire® |Fireburst Improved |PW | 2.67 | 4.67 | 4.33 | 4.00 | 3.92 | |Argyranthemum |Butterfly® Improved |Vanilla |PW | 3.67 | 5.00 | 3.50 | 5.00 | 4.29 | |Zinnia |Double Zahara™ |Raspberry Ripple |PAS | 4.50 | 4.33 | 4.67 | 3.83 | 4.33 | |Argyranthemum |Butterfly™ |Golden |PW | 3.50 | 4.83 | 4.67 | 5.00 | 4.50 | |VF Pepper |Candy Cane |Red |PAS | 2.83 | 4.33 | 4.67 | 4.17 | 4.00 | |VF Pepper |Mad Hatter | |PAS | 2.83 | 4.67 | 4.67 | 4.33 | 4.13 | |Ornamental Pepper |Midnight Fire | |PAS | 4.50 | 4.83 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 4.83 | |

Seed Companies

PAS Company = PAS

PW = PW

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OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Figure 1

Figure 2

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