Strike Up the Band: The New Plants Are Coming

By / / Home & Garden / 5 minutes of reading


I am so fortunate to write, travel, garden, and stay healthy. There must be someone up there (or wherever) looking down on me. Not only do I get to do all those things, but I am also a small part of the evolution of ornamental plants that keep this business healthy. And even better, I get to share them with you. So, here is my first column reveal of the wonderful plants that caught my eye at California Spring Trials 2025 (CAST).

Catching this old guy’s eye is not such an easy thing anymore. It has seen hundreds of new plants, each year purporting to be better than the one before. However, hope springs eternal.

Here is what I saw and what I was told. Only time shall tell if all the claims come true.

Digitalis LaBella Series at Hem Genetics

There were a number of new foxgloves on display at CAST but for me, this won the blue ribbon. Offering a series of digitalis that does not require a specific vernalization period, this is a breakthrough for this genus. The stalks are strong, the colors good, and the height more garden-center friendly than some of the older series. And even more good news — they flower at almost the same time, so a bench run is possible with the entire series. There is a ton of demand in the landscape/garden trade for spike-like plants and an equal amount of interest as a cut flower.

Petunia ‘Firefly’ at Green Fuse Botanicals

Everyone is talking about this bioluminescent plant. Some think it will explode in popularity; others think it will simply explode. As for me, I have seen many interesting newcomers from the breeding bench, so the idea of a plant glowing in the dark seems perfectly normal to me. Of course, whether people would buy it will depend on the “glow factor” and the marketing program. So, when I was invited to enter a black tent to see the show, I took off my skeptic blanket and was prepared to be impressed. And I was.

Learning Opportunity: Demystifying Certifications in Floriculture

Being greeted by Susie Raker of Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants is always a trip, and when we entered the ink-black area, this fellow was blind as a bat. I felt so much better when she said, “Don’t worry, you’re old. Old eyes take longer to acclimate to the dark. Soon, the petunias will start their performance.” And they did.

In a few minutes, the “northern lights” became visible all around the tent and I must say, it was pretty darn cool. I went in a 100% non-believer; I came out less so. But as Susie and others in charge of this program freely stated, “We know we have a long way to go. The plant itself needs improvement, and the glow needs to be brighter. The gene expression for brighter fluorescence is available, just give us a little time.”

These old eyes were fascinated, so, if nothing else, let’s all of us keep our eyes open to the possibilities. Stranger things have happened in this business.

Osteospermum ‘Pink Lemonade’ at Selecta One

Speaking of being a non-believer, I readily admit that I have been in the camp that believes Osteos are fabulous on the bench but are fabulously disappointing in the landscape — at least in the non-California landscape. I have been admonished that I am oversimplifying their performance, so I remain vigilant for the next great Osteo.

I admit total ignorance if ‘Pink Lemonade’ will fare well in the marketplace, but it certainly is handsome and caught many an eye. The pink and yellow daisy flowers were clean-looking and the stems appeared to be strong enough to withstand a bit more abuse in challenging environments.

Pentas ‘Phenom Star Red’ at Green Fuse Botanicals

There were, as would be expected, many wonderful pentas on display. Pentas has become a mainstay for good reasons — heat tolerance, persistent flowering, and excellent performance in the pot and in the field. I rounded a corner and there was a display of ‘Star Red’, and I was captivated. The colors were vivid, and the star pattern was sharp. Another great choice for long summer colors.

Euphorbia ‘Sahara Tiny Treasure’ at PlantHaven

Ho hum, another euphorb — but not this time. Without sounding too over the top, I am over the top about this plant. I realize that plants were in their display mode, but I have never seen a euphorbia with such flower power.

The flowers were so bright and numerous that the pot was hardly visible. If this can be achieved at the grower level, these plants will literally fly off the retail shelf.



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