October 2021 - 24

2021
CAST
'Mirage Rose Bicolor'
big, bold, beautiful flowers and because
of their fast growth, they still work great
as summer annuals in areas where they
are not hardy. Species included in this
category include guaranitica, splendens
and several hybrids.
All the tender varieties were colorful
and definitely big. The main takeaway
here is to make sure to give these
varieties plenty of space and room to
grow, especially in a pot; probably a
little PGR would be in order as well.
These were all very tall and often would
fall over in the wind; of course we were
growing them to maturity, which is
unlikely to happen when growing them
for retail sales.
'Black & Blue', while an older
'Vibe Ignition Purple'
variety, looked very nice when
in bloom and still had the bluest
flowers in this group. However, it did
have issues with yellowing foliage
throughout the growing cycle.
'So Cool Pale Blue'
'Amistad' is also holding strong as a
great variety with deep green foliage
and purple flowers with a black calyx;
the habit is a bit aggressive, though.
A favorite in this category is the sister
to 'Amistad', 'Amante' with deep
fuchsia flowers on a green/black calyx,
which is a new and unique color in the
guarantica lineup.
For growers looking for a slightly
less aggressive guarantica hybrid,
'Bodacious Rhythm & Blues' is a bit bluer
colored over 'Amistad' and slightly smaller
in habit. The Wish series is a completely
different species from the guarantica types;
these are fast growing and large plants.
We found 'Love & Wishes' to be the best
behaved in a pot.
'Royal Bumble'
WOODY STEM SALVIA
Woody stem types of salvia are classified
as shrubs and subshrubs in warmer
climates, as they never die back and form
a woody base. These are generally hardier
than the tender perennial types but still
not hardy in all areas of the country.
Species in this category are: greggii,
microphylla, jamensis, leucantha and
various crosses of these species.
On these types of salvia, we often
hear breeders talk about improved stem
flexibility and less breakage at shipping.
What we found is all woody stem varieties
were brittle to some degree; in fact, they
were hard to move around without breaking
some piece off the plant. Again, this could
be because plants were very mature in the
pots, which we would not see at retail.
24 OCTOBER 2021 GPNMAG.COM
Of all the woody varieties tested,
we did find one that truly lived up
to the hype of being flexible: 'Killer
Cranberry' in the Sunset Plant
Collection. The Mirage series also
really stood out, first because there
are so many colors and, second,
the habit was very rounded and
mounded, and for the most part it
is a very uniform series. We really
enjoyed the new 'Mirage Rose
Bicolor', definitely a unique color in
this class of salvia. We also found
the Cherry Red, White and Blue
to be great matches - perhaps
something to think about for a
Fourth of July holiday program?
As far as colors were concerned
in the woody types, there was a
wide range, but only a few stood out
from the rest. 'Pink Pong' is a bright,
almost neon pink, and what really
WE SUPPLY EVERYTHING
YOU NEED. SO YOU HAVE
ONLY ONE THING TO DO.
PLANT & SHIP PROGRAM
What do you get? Healthy Proven Winners®
rooted plants in
4.25 Grande™ containers with tags and trays. With a low
minimum order and wide selection of in-demand varieties, our
Plant & Ship™ Program is your formula for success. Which leaves
you just one task: Grow. Give these plants a little more growth
time and they'll be ready to sell. And you'll be ready to succeed.
Visit the link below to learn more.
PWPVG.COM/PLANT-AND-SHIP
10.5x7_2021_Plant&Ship_.indd 1
'Blue By You'
'Sensation Compact Deep Blue'
http://www.PWPVG.COM/PLANT-AND-SHIP http://www.GPNMAG.COM
October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2021
