2006 All-America Selections Winners Part 1: Flower Winners

I am a bit late in getting this out, but you know I wouldn't let a year go by without a preview of the new 2006 All-America Selections! This year's selections include seven in the floral category and four vegetable winners. There are more winners this year than last. All will make great additions to gardens everywhere.

The All-America Selections are plants that have proven durable and disease resistant throughout a diverse variety of climates, soils, and other growing conditions across the United States. After gathering the data from various test gardens throughout the country, candidates are evaluated, and those meeting the highest criteria are given the AAS endorsement as proven winners. Many go on to become classics in their own right and favorites of gardeners everywhere, and they all are always a pleasure to grow. So, without further fanfare, let's start with the flower winners for 2006:

Zinnia F1 ‘Zowie! Yellow Flame’
Flower Award Winner

'Zowie! Yellow Flame' is unique in that it is a medium tall zinnia with its 'Zowie Yellow Flame' Zinnia. Image Courtesy of All-America Selections.org. consistent bicolor pattern of a rosy scarlet center and bright yellow edges. Good in the sunny border or as a container plant, 'Zowie! Yellow Flame' will make a bold statement in the garden. Its long season of bloom is another desirable trait of this plant. Great for the xeriscape garden, it tolerates heat and drought. As a cutting plant, this zinnia has a long vase life in bouquets, up to two weeks cut. Plant height is about 28 inches, width is about 26 inches.

Ornamental Pepper ‘Black Pearl’
Flower Award Winner

'Black Pearl' is a new ornamental pepper sporting deep black foliage. Another low-maintenance plant, it requires little pinching or pruning and will branch vigorously. It is heat tolerant and can thrive with a minimum amount of fertilizer or water. It is very productive with fruit sets in clusters of small round and glossy black peppers. As the season progresses, 'Black Pearl' will grow wider and taller, making it a wonderful accent plant for the border or as a large-container plant. The fruits are edible but extremely hot. As they mature, they turn from black to red, contrasting very nicely with the foliage..But the standout quality is that 'Black Pearl' looks better as the summer season progresses. Height is about 20 inches with a width of about 19 inches.

Diascia F1 ‘Diamonte Coral Rose’
Cool Season Bedding Plant Award Winner

'Diamonte Coral Rose' is a new diascia to add to the annual collection. It is superb as a potted plant that blooms early and freely. Frost-tolerant, it displays a long growing and blooming season. As with other diascias, it will perform well from the early summer into the fall in our region. 'Diamonte Coral Rose' is a low grower and spreader, and will perform well in a container or hanging basket. It does require full sun to shine. The flowers sport five petals with the lower petals being larger and wider than the upper. The flowers are spurred and tubular and a rosy coral in color. It will grow about 10 inches tall by 18 inches wide. In addition to making a superb container plant, this plant would be wonderful as an edging plant in the garden or added as an accent plant in the rock garden. Height and width are right around 11 inches.

Nicotiana F1 ‘Perfume Deep Purple’
Bedding Plant Award Winner

'Perfume Deep Purple' have deep purple flowers on a low-maintenance plant. It will bloom profusely and requires little deadheading or pinching to maintain its shape and growth habit. Unlike many shorter flowering tobaccos, this nicotiana is more kin to its taller growing cousins with its strong fragrance, noticeable as the sun sets. Plant height is about 18 to 20 inches and width is about 18 inches which makes this plant ideal for containers. Plant a few in a medium-sized pot and locate it near an entranceway or window to enjoy its heady fragrance on a warm summer's evening! It will bloom heavily throughout the season, making it an ideal addition to the annual garden or as a bridge in the perennial garden.

VIOLA F1 ‘Skippy XL Red-Gold’
Cool Season Bedding Plant Award Winner

'Skippy XL Red-Gold' is a cute little addition to the garden. It is a viola that is a tad smaller than a typical pansy in its form, yet larger than that of other violas. The color of this Viola cornuta stands out: It sports a golden yellow face with rich red shading and a more violet red shading surrounding and below the face. It is more tolerant of temperature conditions than many other violas or pansies, which results in a longer season of bloom; it will be blooming when other of its kin have finished their bloom season. Great for flower beds, truogh gardens or containers, ‘Skippy XL Red-Gold’ has flowers that are about 1-1/2 inches across and the plant grows about 6 inches tall by about 8 inches wide.

Salvia farinacea ‘Evolution’
Flower Award Winner

'Evolution' breaks new ground in the world of annual salvias in that it is the first in its species, Salvia farinacea, that sports lilac-purple flowers. It is an easy to grow annual which will provide a cool-toned accent in the sunny summer garden until killing frost. It is a great addition to the xeriscape garden with its high drought tolerance and heat resistance. Wonderful in flower beds and as a potted plant, this salvia will grow about 18 inches tall and about 15 inches wide. The flowers can be cut for bouquets and they can be dried for long-lasting flower arrangements with other dried flowers. The key phrase this year is once again, "low maintenance". ‘Evolution’ requires no pruning or deadheading to maintain its wonderful form.

Dianthus F1 ‘Supra Purple’
Bedding Plant Award Winner

'Supra Purple' is an example of the fine art of plant breeding. This dianthus is the result of crosses between different species of dianthus which has produced a vigorous and long-blooming plant that shrugs off the heat of summer, unlike many other dianthus. 'Supra Purple' is a rosy pink-purple and compact in size, just about 12 inches high by 10 to 11 inches wide. This plant would be wonderful grown in containers and flower beds alike. It would also be a wonderful addition to perennial beds to help add interest and as a rock garden or as a trough plant, too.