February 2022 - 47

VAUGHN'S VIEW
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genera. The 'Vermillion Hot Pink' is a worthy
companion to Red. Pink is not generally an
intense color in nature, but this is a unique
color and offers vibrancy and intensity with
eye-catching prolific double flowers. It is
free flowering with a dense rounded habit,
and it demonstrated excellent summer
performance in containers and baskets in
multiple summer trials. The photograph was
from the shaded Metrolina basket trial in
mid August.
4. 'GRACE PINK'
Syngenta Flowers
The three colors in this series, Dark Red,
Pink and Orange, are characterized by a
pendulous habit, outward facing double
flowers, dense branching and excellent
heat tolerance. The series was displayed
in multiple trials, and I was impressed by
the medium vigorous habit of the series,
which will improve shippability and offer
versatility in assorted container programs.
The accompanying photograph is from the
Plantpeddler trial. Liners are offered by
Lucas Greenhouses and Plantpeddler for
this spring.
5. 'RIVULET RED'
Ball Ingenuity
The word rivulet describes the
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characteristics of this new boliviensis
begonia series. It manifested a stream of
medium-sized single and double flowers
that were on display in multiple trials last
summer. I was impressed with the vigor,
uniformity, heat tolerance, semi trailing habit
and free flowering of the entire series. The
five colors for 2022 are Blush, Deep Rose,
Orange, Pink and Double Red. The series
received excellent performance ratings at
UGA and Penn State, and I thought the most
impressive display of the series was
in the Metrolina shade trial where all
the colors demonstrated uniformity,
tight branching and floriferousness.
The vibrancy, flower size and color
saturation of Double Red was
particularly eye catching. The
photograph is from that visit in mid
August. We have a wide assortment
of boliviensis varieties available
from multiple breeders, and this
series is deserving of consideration
based on its attributes and summer
performance.
6. 'SHINE BRIGHT YELLOW'
Westhoff
Westhoff offers an impressive
array of boliviensis collections and series
for 2022. The Shine Bright boliviensis series
consists of seven varieties and one mix for
this spring. It was at multiple southern and
northern trials last summer in containers and
baskets. The habit, structure, floriferousness
and summer performance in sun or shade
was consistent; what stood out was the
upward facing flowers, dense branching
and prolific flower canopy. The photograph
is from the Plantpeddler container trial,
where 'Shine Bright Yellow' was striking
and colorful. This series has production
application in quarts and baskets.
7. 'NONSTOP JOY RED'
Benary
The Benary portfolio of seed varieties is the
most extensive and diverse in the industry,
and the introduction of 'Nonstop Joy Yellow'
at CAST in 2015 expanded the range
and applicability of this series. 'Nonstop
Joy Yellow', with vivid and intense large
double flowers, excellent basal branching,
a semi-trailing habit, and earliness, was
extraordinary in summer trials that year and
in subsequent years and, most importantly,
in spring production programs. This series
is expanding for 2022 with the introduction
of three new colors, Orange, Rose Picotee
and Red, as well as a mix. These new colors
manifested the attributes of the Yellow in
multiple summer trials with dense branching
and a prolific semi trailing flower canopy. I
grew the Rose Picotee in my container trial in
filtered shade and it flowered all summer. The
photograph of 'Nostop Joy Red' was from
the Plantpeddler trial and it demonstrated
the outstanding architecture and branching
of the series. The Nonstop Joy Yellow was
utilized in quarts, mixed containers and
basket production last year and, based on
performance and the vibrant flower colors,
GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 47
February 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2022
