Bulletin 654
October 2003
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
John Jensen,
Interim Director
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
| J. Raymond Kessler, Jr. and Arnold Caylor Kessler is a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, and Caylor is superintendent of the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bedding plant growers frequently choose cultivars based on pack performance and adaptability to their production conditions. A limited number of cultivars may also be popular in the minds of consumers because of large flower size or unusual flower color. Garden performance of these cultivars within a marketing region is an important factor in customer satisfaction and repeat sales. However, information on garden performance of bedding plant cultivars for Alabama may be difficult to obtain.
Therefore, in the winter of 2002-2003, 61 cool-season bedding plant cultivars were evaluated on the North Alabama Horticultural Substation in Cullman, Alabama. The objective of this study was to determine overall garden performance of cool-season annual plant cultivars (bedding plants). Results generated from this study will assist Alabama horticultural professionals and consumers in bedding plant selection. However, landscape performance may vary from year to year because climatic conditions affect performance.
METHODS
Bedding plant transplants were received from Young’s Plant Farm, Inc. on October 3, 2002. Raised beds were prepared by tilling and the soil was amended and mulched with 3 inches of “amendment grade” (fine), aged pine bark. All beds were located in full sun. A commercially available fertilizer was pre-plant incorporated into the beds based on soil test recommendations. No additional fertilizer was applied during the season. A pre-emergent herbicide, Pendulum 2G, was applied at 2.3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Rainfall was supplemented by drip irrigation to provide an equivalent of 1 inch of water per week. No deadheading of spent flowers or other maintenance was performed on any of the plants with the exception of hand weeding. No pesticides were applied during the trial. Transplants were planted on October 4 and 5, 2002.
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Each bedding plant entry was randomly planted in three replications
of two to three plants (depending on expected plant size) in a rectangle
block occupying half the bed width (2 feet). The beds were 4 feet
wide and each plant block occupied 2 linear feet of bed space. Therefore,
each replication was 2 feet by 2 feet. |
 |
RESULTS
Performance ratings averaged across all evaluation dates for the species and cultivars in the trial are shown in the table. The top 12 best performing plants in the trial (those with a rating of 2.9 or higher) were pansy ‘Splendid Yellow’ (3.2), Viola ‘Sorbet Mix’ (3.1), pansy ‘Splendid White’ (3.1), Viola ‘Sorbet Coconut Duet’ (3.1), pansy ‘Supreme Sky Blue’ (3.1), pansy ‘Supreme Lavender Shades’ (3.0), Viola ‘Sorbet French Vanilla’ (3.0), Viola ‘Sorbet Lemon Swirl’ (2.9), Viola ‘Sorbet Coconut Swirl’ (2.9), Viola ‘Sorbet Orange Mix’ (2.9), pansy ‘Tiger Eye’ (2.9), and pansy ‘Fama Purple’ (2.9). Among the three species, Viola performed the best with an average rating of 3.0 followed by pansy at 2.5 and Dianthus at 2.4.
Even though Dianthus as a group did not perform as well as Viola and pansy, all the cultivars tested performed equally well with the exception of ‘Corona Cherry’. The top performing Dianthus with ratings of 2.5 were ‘Floral Lace Mix’, ‘Floral Lace Violet Picotee’, and ‘Telestar White’. Graphs of performance ratings for Dianthus over time (Dianthus 1 and Dianthus 2) indicate there was a narrow time frame in April in which they performed well but performance dropped with increasing heat in early May.
Viola cultivars in the Sorbet series were star performers in the 2002-2003 trial. Six of the 12 best performers listed in the table were from the Sorbet series. Even though ‘Sorbet Mix’ and ‘Sorbet Coconut Duet’ shared the second best average ratings in the trial of 3.1 (beaten only by pansy ‘Splendid Yellow’ at 3.2), no differences were found among the cultivars within the series; all performed equally well. Graphs of performance ratings for Viola over time (Viola 1 and Viola 2) indicate that increasing performance began earlier and peak performance continued for longer than Dianthus.
The top best-performing pansies in the trial (those with a rating of 2.9 or higher) were ‘Splendid Yellow’ (3.2), ‘Splendid White’ (3.1), ‘Supreme Sky Blue’ (3.1), ‘Supreme Lavender Shades’ (3.0), ‘Tiger Eye’ (2.9), and ‘Fama Purple’ (2.9). In the yellow-flowered category, ‘Splendid Yellow’ was not only the best yellow pansy, but had the best performance in the trial. In addition, yellow-flowered pansies with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Baby Bingo Clear Yellow’, ‘Delta Yellow w/Blotch’, ‘Dynamite Yellow’, and ‘Delta Yellow w/Red Wing’. Graphs of performance ratings for yellow-flowered pansies over time are in Yellow Pansy 1 and Yellow Pansy 2. In all pansy flowering categories, increasing performance began in early March and declined in late April .
In the blue-flowered category, ‘Supreme Sky Blue’ was not only the best blue pansy, but was among the best performers in the trial. In addition, blue-flowered pansies with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Fama Blue Angel’, ‘Majestic Gaints Blue’, ‘Bingo Blue w/Blotch’, ‘Bingo Blur Blotch’, and ‘Dynamite Blue w/Blotch’. Graphs of performance ratings for blue-flowered pansies over time are in Blue Pansy 1 and Blue Pansy 2.
In the white-flowered category, ‘Splendid White’ was not only the best white pansy, but was among the best performers in the trial. In addition, white-flowered pansies with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Bingo Clear White’, ‘Bingo White w/Blotch’, and ‘Colossus White w/Blotch’. However, white-flowered pansies with ratings ranging from 2.3 to 2.6 were not different, all performed equally well. Graphs of performance ratings for white-flowered pansies over time are in White Pansy and White/Lavender Pansy.
None of the mixed flower-color category made the top 12 best performers. The best performer in the group was ‘Bingo Blotch Mix’ with a rating of 2.6. Other pansies in this category with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Imperial Antique Shades’, ‘Colossus Formula Mix’, ‘Delta Blotch Mix’, ‘Dynamite Clear Mix, and ‘Majestic Giants II Mix’. Graphs of performance ratings for white-flowered pansies over time are in Pansy, Mixed Colors 1 and Pansy, Mixed Colors 2.
In the purple-flowered category, ‘Fama Purple’ was not only the best purple pansy, but was among the best performers in the trial. In addition, purple-flowered pansies with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Fama See-Me’, ‘Imperial Beaconsfield’, ‘Panola Deep Purple’, and ‘Majestic Gaints II Purple w/Blotch’. Graphs of performance ratings for purple-flowered pansies over time are in Purple Pansy and Purple/Orange Pansy.
None of the red-scarlet flower-color category made the top 12 best performers. The best performer in the group was ‘Dynamite Scarlet’ with a rating of 2.8. Other pansies in this category with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Bingo Red & Yellow’, ‘Delta Red w/Blotch’, and ‘Majestic Giants Red & Yellow Bicolor’. Graphs of performance ratings for red-scarlet flowered pansies over time are in Red Pansy 1 and Red Pansy 2.
Two entries in the trial were in the lavender-flowered category (White/Lavender Pansy graph). ‘Supreme Lavender Shades’ was among the best performers in the trial, while ‘Dynamite Lavender’ received a respectable 2.8 rating. There were also two entries in the trial in the orange-flowered category (Purple/Orange Pansy graph). ‘Tiger Eye’ was among the best performers in the trial. None of the rose flower-color category made the top 12 best performers. Pansies in this category with average ratings of 2.5 or greater were ‘Bingo Light Rose’, ‘Supreme Rose’, and ‘Colossus Rose w/Blotch’ (Rose Pansy graph).
The authors gratefully acknowledge the substantial donations of plant material from Young’s Plant Farm in Auburn, Alabama, as well as the time and effort of Arnold Caylor and his crew at the North Alabama Horticultural Substation in Cullman, Alabama.