All-America Selections has been trialing edible and ornamental plants for over 90 years, presenting awards to entries that will impress home gardeners with their performance regionally or nationally. There have been plenty of exciting new winners that merit a place in your garden that will be highlighted in this series.
AAS Winners are grown and planted at nearly 200 Display Gardens all over the US and Canada, including nine gardens in Iowa. To see these winners and more, check out www.all-americaselections.org and search under the Display Gardens tab. For a sneak peek at potential future winners, plan a visit to Reiman Gardens, an All-America Selections Trial Garden.
Just announced in late November, there are six new winners for home gardeners to consider adding for 2023! Look for the other half in the last month’s archives!
Coleus scuterllarioides ‘Premium Sun Coral Candy’: This coleus, easily grown from seed, will make an impact in beds, hanging baskets, and containers, displaying a mounded habit between 10-16 inches. ‘Coral Candy’ shows an eye-catching blend of pinks and greens in both sun and shade and judges bragged that the variety holds up through fall and has very few flowers into the late season.
Colocasia esculenta ‘ROYAL HAWAIIANⓇ Waikiki’: Tricolor foliage on dramatic red stems, ‘ROYAL HAWAIIANⓇ Waikiki’ will wow any gardener in any space. This elephant ear is a “petite” 3 feet, so it will fit into many beds and make a big impression in entryway containers. Like most Colocasias, this cannot be grown from seed, but young plants are easily sourced online. This award winner is a MUST!
Solanum lycopersicum ‘Zenzei’: ‘Zenzei’ is a regional winner in both the Heartland and Great Lakes, so it’s a fantastic addition to any Midwest garden. ‘Zenzei’ is a Roma perfect for fresh sauces, canning, and freezing. This tomato comes with a great disease-resistance package, meaty, flavorful fruit, and a compact size great for smaller gardens and containers.
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