Note: Information for this trials report was provided by Krystal Snyder, Commercial Horticulture Educator at Penn State University.
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Penn State Flower Trials are located in Manheim, PA, USDA Zone 7b. We have been trialing since 1936. We trial both annuals in containers and perennials as a three-year overwintering trial. This year we had 613 annual entries and 223 entries from more than 30 worldwide breeders.
I think this year was an excellent year for our trials. From planting week (May 21) to September 15, we experienced just over 10 inches of rain and an average temperature of 83°F, which was about 2 degrees warmer than the previous summer
The dry and hot weather were our biggest challenges. We moved to two irrigation cycles a day, and as a result we struggled with keeping enough fertilizer available to the plants, even with a controlled release fertilizer (CRF) and water-soluble fertilizer (WSF) program. To overcome this challenge, we started to feed WSF more often, and did an additional mid-season application of CRF. It also made us re-evaluate our fertility program for the next year. This change will benefit our trials moving forward.
In terms of which varieties impressed me the most this year, here are four: two annuals and two perennials:
- Begonia ‘Birthday Bash Chocolate Cherry’ (Syngenta Flowers): A superb double begonia for shade, part of the excellent Birthday Bash series.
- Ageratum ‘Monarch Magic’ (BallFloraPlant): This variety flowers continuously from summer through Halloween. It also lives up to to the hype regarding attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Ornamental Grass Muhlenbergia ‘Ruby’ (Benary): Features stunning pink/ruby plumes in late summer and early fall.
- Summerbird Raspberry and Blue Imp. Varieties from Benary: Offer extended bloom times, a tidy, compact habit, and no unwanted seedlings
Mid-Atlantic growers should mark their calendars for our annual Greenhouse Grower Day on Ja. 22, 2025 and for our annual field day on July 24, 2025.
Find more 2024 field trials information here.
