Fashionable Spring Plants E
very year new plants are introduced. Research and development continues year round and produces new and better plant varieties. Some are more cold tolerant, more disease resistant, or have a longer bloom time. Some plants are brand new, or they are just new varieties of existing plants. Some of the new varities to try this year are the Redhead Coleus, Voltage Yellow Osteospermum, Breathless Blush and Diamond Frost Euphorbias, Blue Orchidsunpatiens, black petunia, and Early Bird crape myrtles. I first saw the Redhead Coleus in a trial garden. From a distance, I thought it was a bed of new red flowers; the color is so brilliant. When I got closer, I realized it was red foliage. The coleus is an annual and hardy to 32 degrees. It grows in a mounded upright habit, from 18 to 24 inches high, 16 to 28 inches wide, and takes full to partial sun. It is the truest red color coleus I have seen. Beautiful in mass, by itself, or mixed in a bed partial with other foliage colors. While I am on the topic of foliage colors, it is a good time to realize that color does not always need to come from flowers. Many great landscapes benefit from the colors and textures provided by evergreens and foliage plants. Silver is a great addition to a landscape. Artenesia, dusty miller, and silver falls are excellent examples of silver foliage plants, each readily available at your local garden center. Of the flowering plants, nothing brightens the day like the Voltage Yellow osteospermum (also known as African Daisy or Cape Daisy), an early flowering, bright yellow flower, with a spreading habit. Osteospermums look like little daisies but are 10
Grand Living Magazine
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by Valery Cordrey
early bloomers. This Voltage Yellow is the first to bloom and last to go out of bloom in the osteospormum category. It likes full sun and grows 10 to 16 inches high, 24 to 28 inches wide, and is a perfect choice for a hanging basket of sunshine. Two interesting flowering plants that are relatively new are the Breathless Blush euphorbia and Diamond Frost euphorbia. I mention these because they have so many uses. Euphoriba are pretty on their own, but I like to use them as a filler plant, too. They are heat tolerant, have fine leaves and a showy mass of self-cleaning pink or white flowers all season long. They’re also pretty mixed with impatiens or sun-loving annuals, and also can be great mix with poinsettias at Christmas time. These new euphorbia are light and airy, and resemble baby’s breath. Another flower that is typically a conversation piece is the Blue Orchid. This is the first blue phalaenopsis orchid. Orchids have been gaining in popularity recently, as people realize that they are long bloomers (for several months) and relatively easy to care for. This orchid likes low to medium light and makes a great house or office plant. Sunpatiens are a practical, great new plant. They are easy to grow and easy to care for. Sunpatiens love the heat and will grow and flower right away from late spring to first frost. They’re great for landscapes, hanging baskets and containers, and come in many colors: coral, lavender, magenta, orange, red, white, and pink. Sunpatients are available in several series; the vigorous series for the landscape, the compact series for small areas and containers, and the spreading series for hanging baskets, edges, and containers. I have always loved impatiens,