The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Cumberland County conducted trials of annual plants donated and purchased from area garden centers in 2020 to increase public awareness of exceptional plants that perform well in our area.
Trial Garden; Photo Credit: Pat Welfley
Plant Sources
The 2020 Trial Garden plants were from local garden centers. Some plants were purchased but most were donated to the Trial Garden from Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses. Considering the start of this season, we had little expectations going in to collect the plants but ended up coming out with 1½ cart loads of donated trial plants for the garden. Many plants were from our wish list; others were chosen along the way. We were overwhelmed with Ashcombe's generosity and are very grateful to them.
Even though we started late, we ended with some great plants and results. This was a challenging year in many ways; the record-breaking heat was one. Since we were 'stuck' at home, many were grateful to get out into the gardens and happy for our maintenance weeks. As you will see in the results, the groundhogs also heeded the 'stay-at-home' orders, happily settled into our gardens, and they became even more of a challenge to us.
Methods
Each year we search for new cultivars of old plants to trial, trying to find as many as we can to fill the gardens. We like to have five of each plant to trial, but sometimes we have just three and we find that works just as well.
Each year Ashcombe will provide what we call 'true trials' which are new annuals sent to them by growers meant to be trialed. The growers are looking to determine if the plants do well in the environment for which they were meant to be grown. We always look forward to receiving these new plants.
We are a 'tough love' garden. There is full sun all day. We do not fertilize, but we do add compost from our own compost bins whenever it's available. Each week during the growing season, three members of the committee are assigned maintenance duty. This equates to approximately one week per month. Maintenance includes weeding, watering, deadheading, and pruning; all as deemed necessary by whoever is working that week.
The plants are rated on a scale of 1-4 (4 being the best) under the categories of flower, foliage, uniformity, and overall appearance. The plants are evaluated every two weeks starting in mid-June through mid-October. Sometimes plants are given a quick value; other times it requires a lengthy discussion and an arbitrator to come up with a decision. One day is selected for the season when the plants are measured, and the number of blooms counted on that day. Sometimes, we must give our best estimate due to the sheer quantity of flowers; other plants may only have a few that day. We get the job done, and we have a lot of fun and laughs during the process.
The numbers you see in parenthesis will depict:
- the percentage earned;
- the height x width;
- the number of blooms counted; and
- a 'tt' if the plant was a true trial plant.
The results are based on percentages because flowering plants have a potential score of 144 while non-flowering plants will only have a potential score of 108.
Please do not let a low score deter you from trying a plant in your own gardens. Instead, learn from our mistakes: the full sun exposure, the groundhog population, and the desire of most of us 'not to take time to deadhead'. These were all great plants; some just did not work out for us this year.
Results
We start from the bottom up. We hope you enjoy our results this year!
Caladium hybrid - Angel Wings, Sun Caladium (34%, 7" x 10") - The sun caladiums started with a whole lot of hope and ended in a whole lot of disappointment. They were under the sign marked 'Sun Caladiums' so we confidently chose 3 different colors just to see if one would fare better in the sun than another. We had nice big plants to start, which might have been what attracted the groundhogs - they had them down to the ground within days. Each one did their best to come back but it just did not happen. They preferred lighter colors to darker ones but eventually devoured them all until all that was left were stalks with an occasional leaf attached. They seemed to survive the sun with flying colors, but they could not withstand the continued groundhog attacks.
Brachyscome iberidifolia Outback Plants™ Jumbo Mauve - Swan River Daisy (47%, 5" x 11" w/ 7 'tt') - They were sweet little plants with delicate leaves and dainty pink flowers. For the first two weeks they met our expectations; unfortunately for the rest of the season they did not. They went from 4's in June, through a steady decline to 2's, gradually working all the way down to 1's and 0's. The leaves burned out, the flowers became sporadic, and the plants were in constant need of deadheading.
Isotoma axillaris Fizz N Pop™ 'Pretty In Pink' - Laurentia (52%, 14" x 18" w/ 25) - They had spiky lime green leaves on rigid stems topped with dainty pink daisy-like flowers. We thought this would be an excellent summer annual choice, but we were wrong! The stems were so rigid that many broke off while transplanting while others broke during routine maintenance. Even before the first evaluation, one plant was left with only 6 stems, and we found that broken stems do not regenerate. The foliage that started out green and full ended up sad and sparse two weeks later with way too many dried brown leaves. The dainty pink flowers did not score well; no other category did much better with 2's dominating their scores. We were only able to get one good picture out of three plants the entire season. It declined so early we do not have much to report other than 'Fizz N Pop' needs to add a lot more of both to dazzle us.
Acalypha wilkesiana 'Bronze Pink' - Copper Plant or Jacobs Coat (61%, 23" x 18") - When planted they were about a foot high with larger leaves at the top, and smaller deeper copper bronze-colored leaves at the base. We knew from the beginning that their flowers were not going to be significant, so we chose not to evaluate in that category. The foliage more than made up for the lack of flowers; the new heart-shaped leaves emerged in a show of burgundy variegation changing to flushes of hot pink throughout the season. It was another plant consistently (but not as much as the Caladiums) picked on by critters. This one was hardier and kept coming back, each time bigger and better. It lost most of its points due to uniformity, but very rarely in the foliage category. When it flowered, the flowers resembled those of the coleus, interesting but insignificant. It took a hit with the first light frost, tinging the tips, but the bulk of the plant remained intact. This is a great plant that would add 'wow' color to summer pots and then remain for 'frost free' fall planters.
Didelta hybrid FanciFillers™ Silver Strand (66%, 6" x 16" 'tt') - This foliage plant had a low growth habit with thick silver strands that stuck out in all directions. By the looks and texture, you could tell it was a succulent plant. Not all of them fared well in our gardens; within four weeks one died out and we were down to only two to evaluate. We think this also became a victim of groundhogs. Within two more weeks, another was gone, leaving just one. For some reason, this lone plant was allowed to live through August and most of September earning 4's. It had a good growth habit with abundant thick stems full of silvery spiky leaves that was an excellent summer trailing plant.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - Tropical Hibiscus (66%, 7" x 16" w/ 1) - 
Cosmos sulphureus 'Mandarin Orange' - Cosmos (71.5%, 11" x 15" w/ 29) - Uniformity was not a strong point from the beginning and sadly that did not change. From early on, the foliage was not consistently good, never earning high scores. When the stems were green and growing, they were beautiful; when they were dead and dying, not so much. The flowers were its strength; they earned mainly 3½'s and 4s throughout, with a color so deep you could almost 'smell the orange and see the juice dripping.' It requires a lot of deadheading and if that is not done, the overall appearance suffers. It is a pretty little plant for sure but definitely a lot of work.
Pachystachys lutea - Golden Shrimp Plant (79.2%, 18" x 16" w/ 8) - We started with five plants and they earned 4's in all categories for the first evaluation, then only averaged 2½'s for the next month and a half. One was totally eaten while the others were only occasionally chewed. Uniformity was not good with the remaining four; one thrived and the others grew intermittently. However, the plants finished strong earning high 3's and 4's. The flowers are deep golden yellow and quite unique. The overlapping yellow petals are bracts and the white two-lipped petals that protrude out are the flowers. The conical inflorescence supposedly resembles a shrimp and that is how it got its common name. The leaves are large and deep green and lend support to the flowers aesthetically. It did well right up until the first frost. This is a tropical plant that will survive and bloom indoors as a houseplant in winter. This was one of our 'committee favorite' plants.
Petunia F1 hybrid Espresso Frappé® Ruby (79.3%, 3½" x 2½" w/ 22) - The vibrant purple color drew you into the flowers and straight down into the deep dark centers … and you were happy. Frappé® is a new variety of the Espresso series and comes in two colors, either Ruby or Rose. They have a dwarf habit with whimsical little flowers that just make you smile. They earned 4s and high 3s until the middle of August when they started to decline. They went downhill and unfortunately never came back up. Both the flowers and the foliage became sparser and the plants started to die out in the centers. Surprisingly, deadheading was never a negative issue, either the spent flowers fell off or we just did not notice them. This was a pretty petunia that just made you smile each time you saw it.
Bidens ferulifolia Goldilocks Rocks® - Fernleaf Beggarticks (83.5%, 6" x 24" w/ 55 'tt') - They had the look of green crocheted doilies with intermittent golden yellow flowers. Proven Winners described them as 'vigorous, heat and drought tolerant, the largest flowered Bidens we've ever seen'. They also said, 'deadheading not necessary'. Well, guess they can't always get it right! Its uniformity was good, and the foliage received high scores. The flowers were not always so good. Though the flowers were delightful, the plants were not prolific bloomers, and there was the deadheading issue. The overall appearance also suffered because of the spent blooms. It stood up amazingly well to the sun and heat and finished strong in all categories. Of all the Bidens we have trialed over the years, this one was the hardiest.
Rudbeckia hirta - Gloriosa Daisy (84%, 27" x 20" w/ 22) - The plant was appropriately named; the flowers were huge and daisy-like. It was a glorious plant. The flowers were large, golden yellow with deep brown centers that stood so tall they made the foliage almost look basal. The towering stalks and low growing leaves made deadheading an easy task, though it was not a constant issue. The plants started to bend toward the end of the season but too late by then to worry about staking. They were beautiful, earned mainly 4's and did quite well through the majority of the summer. The positive comments were abundant throughout the season. It was a great find and a stunning addition to the gardens this year.
Salvia hybrid Rockin'® Blue Suede Shoes™ (85.6%, 36"x40" w/ 38) - While the flowers were pretty, they were never a 'Wow'. They were always blooming, but they were small and got lost in the foliage. The foliage consistently earned higher points. Uniformity started with 4's but ended much lower. Overall appearance was okay, but rarely earned 4's. The plants were full, but many stems fell over while others died out. What was most important was the bees still loved and covered the flowers from beginning to end; not giving a 'hoot' about our scoring system or our opinions. This salvia hybrid just did not measure up to others we have trialed in the past, so we will be 'Laying off of these Blue Suede Shoes' until further notice.
Petunia x hybrida Shock Wave® Purple Tie Dye - Spreading Petunia (88%, 11" x 28" w/ 60 'tt') - The description is: 'having a variable purple-blue and white bicolor pattern that changes with the temperature', and as confusing as it might sound, this is the perfect description. The flowers were a variation of white with deep purple centers and veins, purple with white splotches, all white, all purple, or any combination of all of the above. There might be all of these on one plant or just one variation; all were different and unique. All three plants did very well for the first two months, earning high points in all categories. Then they went downhill as most petunias do. While the flowers remained beautiful yet sporadic, unfortunately the foliage did not. Foliage and uniformity were the two lowest scoring categories.
Zinnia elegans Zesty™ Purple (88.5%, 16" x 26" w/ 38) - This robust, double flower Zesty™ series come in five vibrant colors - the purple showing 'extraordinary garden appeal' just as the ads promised. Zesty™ Purple earned 4's until the end of August when it slowly started to decline. Deadheading was not mentioned in our notes and was not even an issue until suddenly it was. If we had kept up with this chore from the beginning, the overall appearance might not have suffered as much late in the season. The purple color was so striking and so 'eye-catching' that it overshadowed all other aspects of the plants. Zinnias are always welcome both by us and pollinators; this one maybe more by us because of its strong growth habit and amazing color, but they sure did enjoy it also.
Catharanthus roseus Tattoo™ Blueberry - Flowering Vinca (89%, 10"x14" w/ 115 'tt') - This record-breaking hot summer was exactly what a vinca wants and it worked out well for them. They performed just the way you would expect a vinca to, and they were steady growers all summer. Every category did well with scores of 3s and 4s until almost the end of the season. The name suggested beautiful color to come; unfortunately, it rarely did. Growers state that the higher the temperatures, the less deep blue it shows, and that was certainly true for us this year - looking more purple and lavender than blue. Even though it performed well throughout the season and earned more high than low scores, for us it just never 'popped'. The comment most often heard was, 'It looks faded.'
Lobularia maritima 'White Stream' - Sweet Alyssum (90.3%, 10" x 30" w/ 2500) - It grew and flowered beautifully from June through August, earning 4's in all categories. They all grew together giving the appearance of one huge white mass splotched with green. Some parts of the plants started to die out in spots, which affected the uniformity and overall appearance, but not the flowers. This dieback caused the plants to lose some of their appeal to us but not to the bees who continued to cover the entire mass. If we had cut out the dead part it would have maintained the good looks, but true to our purpose, we tend to let a plant show exactly how it performs, both the good and the bad. Even with the dieback, it was a welcome addition.
Capsicum annuum 'Calico' - Ornamental Pepper (92.4%, 10" x 23") - The hard-to-see flowers were small and under-whelming. Since an ornamental pepper is grown for its foliage and fruits, we chose not to rate in the flower category. In all other categories it earned mainly high 3's and 4's throughout the season. The leaves were variegated green and white with tints of purple running through. The edible (but hot and seedy) peppers started out red then turned black, and both colors covered the plants at the same time. If we could have rated the fruits, they would have had 4's the entire season. The subtle color of the foliage got lost out in our garden setting but was actually very appealing. 'Calico' is very colorful to say the least and rated a 'thumbs up' from the entire committee.
Celosia argentea Sol™ 'Gekko Green' - Cockscomb (93.1%, 16" x 26" w/ 75 'tt') - Oh my goodness what fun this was! The unique bicolor green/burgundy foliage was only out ranked by their sweet, even more unique pink, spiky flowers. The foliage always scored high. The uniformity and overall appearance received high points the majority of the time too. The plant habit is moundy and full, wider than high. The flowers consisted of one tiny spike in the center surrounded by about six even tinier pink spikes around them. They were borne in the tips of the leaves and for a while became buried in the faster growing foliage. Because of this, the flowers lost points for a few weeks. When they reemerged, they came back displaying a fan-like cockscomb in the center spike. They were lovely and delightful, another committee favorite. A potful of these would make anyone happy.
Gaillardia hybrid Heat it Up® Scarlet - Blanket Flower (94%, 21" x 26" w/ 200) - We found this on many 'new plant' lists, and it looked so pretty we were determined to have it. It came in both yellow and scarlet, but we could only find the scarlet. They were in 6-inch pots and so overgrown they had to be staked. Even though the plants were tall, lanky, and with more leaves than flowers, they were still beautiful. It did not take long for them to grow strong and stand on their own. The flowers had golden yellow centers fringed in burnt orange. The center ray flowers were burnt orange haloed with a touch of gold; stunning to say the least. The spent flowers were the same golden yellow minus the ray flowers; they were soft, spiky, and not unattractive. They never looked out of place, and in fact, added to the charm of the entire plant. They earned nothing less than a '3' the entire season and even finished up with 4's in each category through September and into October. The points lost were in fractions in all categories at various times throughout the season. This plant survived several light frosts, much to the delight of late season pollinators. In fact, bees covered this Gaillardia all summer long. Next year, we hope to find the yellow ones. It did not rate high as a committee favorite, but it did rate 'honorable mention'!
Euphorbia hybrid Diamond Snow® (94.4%, 9½" x 20" w/ 10,000 'tt') - This is another Proven Winners release described as 'heat and drought-tolerant plants, dense clouds of white flowers grace dense, mounded plants all season, low maintenance'. There is not much more to add; it lived up to all that was promised. It had one bad week early on and then it took off earning only 4's till the end of the season. It was hearty; it was strong, very lovely, and consistently showed more flowers than foliage. It did not get as large as previous euphorbias we have trialed but was no less spectacular. A new euphorbia is always desirable, and this one was certainly a welcome addition, enjoyed not only by us but also the many bees that visited it regularly.
Salvia farinacea Unplugged® So Blue™ (96%, 23" x 24" w/ 30) - What a lovely new cultivar of salvia that earned nothing less than a 3.5 at any time. The color was striking, a true-blue flower on a mid-sized plant that was about as tall as it was wide. It always had tons of buds, with prolific flowering and beautiful foliage. And bees! They loved it, covering it all season long. This salvia did everything you expect from salvia - it was strong, hearty, and durable with abundant blooms all summer. It is a true workhorse and would be a welcome addition to any garden. It just did everything right for us.
Celosia argentea 'New Look' - Feather Celosia (98%, 26" x 32" w/ 50) - It lost 2¾ points the entire season, 2¼ for uniformity, and only ½ for overall appearance. The comments were 'beautiful, wonderful, strong, striking, and amazing'. Looking back, we are now not sure why it lost points at all. The flowers towered high in bright scarlet-red plumes amongst the purple/bronze foliage. The tallest and fullest plumes sat on top with many smaller ones throughout the plants. Remembering there were at least 50 blooms on each plant, you can imagine how spectacular this was. All plums hold their color a long time before browning. They are also called 'feathered amaranth' due to the feather-like appearance of the flowers. 'New Look' is not new; it was originally introduced in 1988, but it is new to us and we are certainly glad we found it!
Ficinia truncata 'Ice Crystal' - Frosty Sedge (98.2%, 7" x 8") - Small but mighty, they powered through the season losing only 2½ points the entire time. This is a short plant in the sedge family. If protected from snow and cold rain, it has a good chance of surviving through the winter. The dark green leaves have 'membranous white edges that give the plant a frosted variegated look. Leaves are 3-4" long, narrow and flat. These are very small plants and almost got lost under its neighbors. Once they got to mature size, they just sat there doing pretty much nothing the rest of the season. They would do well in a fairy garden or tucked into tight areas in small rock gardens. The comment most heard was 'cute', and they were.
2020 Trial Garden Plants of the Year, received a perfect score
Lantana camara Hot Blooded™ Red Lantana (100%, 7" x 16" w/ 160) - At 100%, this is another new lantana that did not disappoint. It was bred to be better branched and have more vigor than the Bandana® series. It is a dense mound of green foliage with 'hot red' flowers that fade to orange/gold as you get closer to the center. It did not end being one of the largest lantanas we have trialed, but it was every bit as hearty and beautiful. And as with past lantanas, the bees and butterflies loved it every bit as much. It started with 4's and ended with 4's; there is not much more to add. Of course, this was another committee favorite!
Cuphea llavea - Bat-faced Cuphea (100%, 10" x 26" w/ 500) - It got its name because the flowers resemble a bat face. Each flower has a one-inch-long hairy purple calyx to form the face and two upward facing red petals at the end forming the "ears". But you must look at it just right to be able to see the resemblance, and even then, bring your imagination game with you! The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It bloomed prolifically in the leaf axils and was just fun and delightful. It rated a perfect score, earning 4's in every category the entire season, and was hands down the committee favorite of 2020!
Comments
We had several surprises this year with our plants: the Bat-faced Cuphea was one; the way the Gaillardia grew, bloomed, and became a bee magnet; and certainly the 'Gekko Green' Celosia. The stunning color of the Glorioso Daisy, 'New Look' Celosia, and Zesty™ Purple Zinnias wowed us all. We also cannot forget the smiles Espresso Frappé® Ruby brought to us or the fun we had in trying to actually see a shrimp in the Shrimp Plant. This was a year many of us would like to forget for many reasons, but these plants are not among them. They will stay with us for many years to come!
Content and Photos Courtesy of Patricia Welfley, PCH, Penn State Extension Master Gardener
