New Flower Varieties for Lasting Color, According to Our Test Garden

 The Best New Flower Varieties for Lasting Color

The new plants coming to market are growing. Why? So we can help gardeners figure out which varieties are truly the best, based on their real-world performance. And we mean real-world — we don’t grow these plants, except for weeding with a little more diligence than a home gardener might. Our plants have to contend with rabbits, insects, hail, heat, humidity, flooding, and other less-than-urban conditions. Of the new annual varieties hitting the market this spring, here are the ones that have stood out despite all the challenges, says Test Garden Manager Sandra Gerdes.

1. Potassic Smoky Jazz Salvia

New to the Southern Living Plant Collection, this hybrid salvia is actually a perennial in USDA hardiness zones 8-10, but it does well as a summer annual elsewhere. In the BHG Test Garden, we grew it as a “thriller” plant in large containers, either alone or with other flowers like petunias. “This tall salvia is definitely an eye-catcher with its magenta flowers, dark bracts, and stems that stand out against the bright green foliage,” says Gerdes. The flowers also attracted plenty of pollinators. This salvia can grow up to 3 feet tall and wide, though it stayed a little smaller than what we had in our containers.

2. Sweetsunshine Blueberry Vein Petunia

Blueberry Vein is a new color in Paul’s Sweetsunshine line of double-flowered petunias. These vibrant pink-purple petunias have dark veins, creating a striking two-tone effect on these petal-rich blooms. “This double petunia, with its elegant frills and ruffles, added a stylish element to our mixed containers,” says Gerdes. She paired it with ‘Potaceous Smoky Jazz’ salvia, which nicely contrasted the dark veins in the petals.

3. Sunfinity Double Yellow Sunflower

A newcomer to Syngenta’s Sunfinity line, ‘Double Yellow’ is a vigorous annual sunflower that grows to over 3 feet tall and about 2.5 feet wide. Its size works well in containers or garden beds, and the stems are long enough to make excellent cut flowers. “This well-branched sunflower was covered in cheerful blooms all summer, with little deadheading,” says Gerdes. “Pollinators had no trouble finding this multi-flowered beauty,” she adds.

4. Lake Como Salvia

Part of the Salcoon series of salvias, which offer highly branched plants with lots of blooms, 'Lake Como' is a standout. It produces clusters of bright blue flowers on compact plants that grow about 18 inches tall from early summer through fall. "If you're looking for a new blue for your garden, you'll love this bright, bushy salvia, just like hummingbirds. Give it full sun with good drainage, and you'll be smiling all summer long," says Gerdes.

5. Amore Pink Princess Petunia

The Amore series of petunias won the award for prettiest annual flowers on the market. The patterns on the petals create little hearts that add a touch of romance wherever you grow them. A new color in the 'Pink Princess' series, it produces candy pink and white flowers all summer long. “We grew these colorful charmers in hanging baskets,” says Gerdes. “The plants formed lush mounds that were constantly covered in flowers,” he adds.

6. Onega Lake Salvia

Another new color in the Salcoon series, ‘Onega Lake’ stands about 2 feet tall when in bloom, a perfect size for larger containers. Its wands of purple flowers are pollinator magnets, and will continue to bloom from mid-summer through fall. “For a dark, moody atmosphere, add this salvia to your landscape with its deep purple, almost black flowers. Deadheading will encourage blooms all summer, giving you plenty of dark additions to your bouquets,” says Gerdes.

7. Canova Gold Leopard Canna

The varieties in the Pauls Canova series of cannas are bred to bloom earlier than other canna lilies. 'Gold Leopard' is a new addition to the collection, offering yellow petals with orange spots. And the plants are very compact, growing 3-4 feet tall. "They're the perfect size for containers, where the strikingly spotted flowers will add some tropical charm," says Gerdes. He recommends keeping the plants well-watered and deadheading faded flowers to keep them blooming throughout the summer.