New Varieties Digital Guide 2024 - 42

VARIETIES
DEMAND
Drought
for
Tolerance
Two perennial and shrub experts weigh in on the
increasing call for varieties that can withstand
prolonged dry periods.
Double Recognition:
BY ABBY McGARRY
D
rought-tolerant plants have
been a hot topic for years, and
rising average temperatures
and extreme weather throughout the
country have only driven consumer
interest in these crops.
We caught up with two industry
authorities: Joey Wiseman, director of
ThinkPlants, and Katie Tamony, chief
marketing officer of Monrovia, to talk
all about drought-tolerant breeding,
increasing grower interest and some
of their favorite rock-star varieties.
BEYOND THE SOUTHWEST
In recent consumer research,
Monrovia found 22% of respondents
nationwide say drought is their
No. 1 gardening challenge, and the
most read blog on Monrovia's website
is about drought-tolerant plants for
all zones.
" In certain parts of the country,
drought tolerance has become more
of a relevant conversation, " Wiseman
says. " There's no denying that water
usage and management are an
increasingly big deal.
One series that made both Joey's and Katie's short
list is helianthus SunBelievable from Monrovia.
" At the same time, we have all these
consumers who love plants and who
want to have something cool in their
yards and on their patios. "
Enter drought-tolerant options.
Wiseman says that in addition to their
drought-tolerant attributes, a lot of
the breeding and plants originally
intended for California or the
Southwest now have a much wider
appeal for aesthetic reasons, even if
it means homeowners bringing these
plants inside for much of the year.
" Design demand is drawing some
cool drought-tolerant plants across
the country, " she says. " People want
to have something nice; they want to
use plants for decoration. "
Most of the areas that typically
experience drought-like conditions
are also very hot, but Monrovia finds
that even this seems to be shifting.
" For a lot of people living in
the northern Midwest, they have
experienced a lack of moisture, a lack
of rain, and so they have been writing
to us - consumers have been writing
in - can you recommend a cold42
NEW VARIETIES 2024 DIGITAL GUIDE GPNMAG.COM
tolerant, drought-tolerant plant? "
Tamony says. " The drought interest
has expanded into the Midwest and
into the central U.S. "
This isn't to say that California,
Texas and the Southwest aren't still
the main drivers for drought-tolerant
varieties. Tamony adds that with
continued pressure on the Colorado
River, people in the Southwest are
becoming more aware that drought
conditions are not going to go away.
GROWER INTEREST
Many growers who have
traditionally focused on annuals
are expanding their offerings to
become more of a one-stop shop for
their retail customers, and droughttolerant
perennials are often part of
this evolution.
" Some of this is due to the breeding
work being done by a company like
Danziger because their perennials
are what I call annualized, " Wiseman
says. " [Growers] can program
the perennials and grow them
like an annual. They don't have
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