April 2019 - 38

VAUGHN'S VIEW
white ray flowers and a striking yellow center. It is low growing,
maturing at 6 to 8 inches with a strong upright compact habit.
Excellent in quart and gallon production, it can be used as
an annual in northern regions because of continuous flowering
potential. The photo shown here was taken in the container
trial at Mast Greenhouses in late August. This variety has
overwintered in the St. Louis area and is listed as hardy to
Zone 6.
6. SCABIOSA 'GIGA SILVER'
We have seen significant advances in scabiosa breeding since
the introduction of 'Butterfly Blue' in the 1960s. As a broker
sales representative, I sold 'Butterfly Blue' for many years
beginning in the mid 70s, and at that time it was the only variety
commercially available. There are more than 80 species of
scabiosa, but very few have made it to the market.
The Giga series consists of four varieties: Blue, Purple, Pink
and the new Silver, which was part of the First Look Program for
2018. I have seen this series in trials and production the past
few years, and I have been impressed with its large flower heads,
earliness and programmability for wholesale and retail sales. I
saw Silver multiple times throughout the spring and summer,
and what was striking was the tight branching, enduring
flowering period and the floriferousness. The series matures at
16 to 20 inches and is hardy to Zone 4. This variety is part of the
First Light program and is a first-year flowering perennial.
I will now describe some of Green Fuse's annuals in last
summer's trials that were top performers. This list includes
current and new varieties that were available this spring.
7. CALIBRACHOA CRUZE CONTROL SERIES
When I wrote about Raker's calibrachoa trial two years ago
there were more than 260 varieties competing for best of show,
and the list continues to expand every year with new and unique
colors, day-length neutrality and increased flower sizes. The
Cruze Control series, comprised of 16 colors, manifests many of
the qualities we look for in calibrachoa today including earliness,
heat tolerance, short internodes, uniformity, large flowers and
varied color palette. This series includes three new colors:
White, Lemon and Giant Rose. The series was in regional trials
with excellent flower stability and retention from spring through
autumn. The Compatible recipe mixes are comprised of many
Cruze Control varieties and 'Cruze Control Piñata' was one of my
top ten selections from the Metrolina trial in late August last year.
8. RUDBECKIA 'RISING SUN CHESTNUT GOLD'
This annual variety was introduced in 2017, and has been
in trials for two years as well as in annual spring production
programs throughout the country. When I am asked about some
of the most dramatic and stunning plants in the trials in the past
10 years, this rudbeckia is on that list.
The large bicolor ray flowers in multiple shades are vibrant
and, most importantly, are prodigious and long lasting. Last
year, it was blooming profusely in Florida in early spring, and
in Colorado and Michigan in September. It has been first in its
class in many trials since its introduction. This variety will bloom
under short days without supplemental lighting and is applicable
for year around production. The habit is durable and compact,
and it is hardy to Zone 7.
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April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2019
