3/15/2013
Coralbells, Coneflowers, and Cold Climate Perennial Trials
Dr. Leonard Perry Extension Professor University of Vermont
Field Trials and studies
• Pollinators on native species and nativars—Annie White, PhD student • National ornamental grass trial site • Coneflowers (Echinacea)-- 80+ cvs • Coralbells (Heuchera)-- 90 cvs • New or underused species, cultivars – Field trials – Controlled freezing studies
1 3/15/2013
Site and Conditions
•USDA zone 4b (air) •Zone 5a in 2012-13 *Burlington •Varies with snow cover •2013: 3-4 days <28F soil, 2” •23-29F soil minimum 2013 •+2-5F at 6” depth •Stony loam soil •+2-5F straw, 2” snow/mulch •Compost, 5-3-4 •At planting •Spring sidedress •Water only to establish
Pollinator Perennial Studies • Annie White, MLA • pollinatorgardens.org/ • NE-SARE funded • 3 VT grower sites: zones 5b,5a,4a – Replicate blocks within sites – 2 pollinator landscape displays • 16 species, 18 nativars (native cultivars) – One per species, 3 per Echinacea • Planted 2012, data 2013-14 – Main pollinators, nectar produced
2 3/15/2013
pollinatorgardens.org
pollinatorgardens.org
3 3/15/2013
Riverberry Farm, Fairfax VT
Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens
Achillea millefolium
Achillea millefolium ‘Strawberry Seduction’
Photo courtesy Rocky Dale Gardens
4 3/15/2013
Aquilegia canadensis
Aquilegia canadensis ‘Corbett’
Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens
Geranium maculatum
Geranium maculatum ‘Espresso’
Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens
5 3/15/2013
Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens Veronicastrum virginicum
Veronicastum virginicum ‘Lavender Towers’
Penstemon digitalis
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens
6 3/15/2013
National Ornamental Grass Trials One of 17 U.S. sites, 2012-2016 Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium) 5 cultivars
Switchgrass (Panicum) 18 cultivars
‘Blue Tower’ Ruby Ribbons (‘RR1’) Panicum virgatum, Switchgrass
7 3/15/2013
8 3/15/2013
Echinacea field trials
• 80+ cvs. as of fall 2012, since 2009 • 49 cvs. winter 2011-12, 14 died • 28 replanted 2 or more years
Observations •Hardiness •Habit (flops?) •longevity
Delaware Valley College display
Doylestown, PA
Echinacea ‘Purity’
9 3/15/2013
E. ‘Sombrero Salsa Red’
E. ‘Sombrero Sandy Yellow’
E. ‘Southern Belle’
E. ‘Raspberry Truffle’
10 3/15/2013
E. ‘Hot Papaya’
E. ‘Fatal Attraction’
E. ‘PowWow Wild Berry’
E. ‘Mama Mia’
11 3/15/2013
Echinacea freezing studies
• 3 cultivars 2011-12 – White Swan, Pixie Meadowbrite, Pica Bella • 2 cultivars 2012-13 – PowWow Wild Berry, Lucky Star
E. ‘Pica Bella’
E. ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’
12 3/15/2013
28F 23F 18F 12F 7F
28F 23F 18F 12F 7F
13 3/15/2013
Heuchera field trials
• 90 cvs. as of fall 2012, since 2008 • 32 cvs. survived and rated 3+ years • 18 died/replanted at least 2 years in field original current
Heuchera ‘Petite Pearl Fairy’
14 3/15/2013
Heuchera ‘Silver Lode’
Heuchera ‘Frosted Violet’
15 3/15/2013
Heuchera ‘Dark Secret’
Heuchera ‘Blackout’
16 3/15/2013
28F 23F 18F 12F 7F
Heuchera controlled freezing
• 10 villosa cvs. 2009-2011 • Jan. fully hardened—all survived • Feb. less hardened—cvs. varied • ‘Miracle’, ‘Tiramisu’ least hardy • ‘Caramel’ intermediate • ‘Blackout’, ‘Mocha’ among best • Perrysperennials.info>research
17 3/15/2013
28F 23F 18F 12F 7F
Species/cultivar hardiness field trials
18 3/15/2013
Global Warming mums
Zones (5)6-8
Sinclair Adam, Jr. VOR nursery, St. Albans VT
28F 23F 18F 12F 7F
19 3/15/2013
Tiarella cordifolia ‘Oakleaf’ foamflower (stoloniferous species)
‘Lehigh’
‘Susquehana’
Tiarella River series (spreading)
20 3/15/2013
‘Stephanie Cohen’
‘F.M. Mooberry’
Tiarella Diva series (clumping)
28F 23F 18F 12F 7F
21 3/15/2013
12F
7F
Mukdenia rossii ‘Karasuba’, Crimson Fans
22 3/15/2013
Amsonia tabernaemontana blue stars
Amsonia hubrichtii Ozark, Arkansas, threadleaf blue stars
23 3/15/2013
Symphytum x uplandicum ‘Axminster Gold’
Russian comfrey
Achillea millefolium Tutti Frutti series – yarrow ‘Apricot Delight’, ‘Pineapple Mango’, ‘Pink Grapefruit’, ‘Pomegranate’, ‘Wonderful Wampee’
24 3/15/2013
Achillea millefolium Seduction series – yarrow ‘Peachy Seduction’ , ‘Saucy Seduction’, ‘Strawberry Seduction’, ‘Sunny Seduction’
Coreopsis Big Bang series Darrell Probst
‘Redshift’
‘Cosmic Evolution’, ‘Cosmic Eye’, ‘Full Moon’, ‘Galaxy’, ‘Mercury Rising’, ‘Redshift’, ‘StarCluster’
25 3/15/2013
Baptisia ‘Twilight Prairie Blues’
‘Purple Smoke’
‘Starlight Prairie Blues’
B. sphaerocarpa ‘Screamin Yellow’
‘Carolina Moonlight’
Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens
26 3/15/2013
Geranium x ‘Rozanne’ perennial geranium
Geum Totally Tangerine (‘Tim’s Tangerine’) Avens
27 3/15/2013
Phlox paniculata ‘Peppermint Twist’ tall garden phlox
Appreciation is expressed to the following plant introduction firms
– Ball Horticulture – Blooms of Bressingham – Danzinger – McGregor Plants – Plant Haven – Plants Nouveau – Pleasant View Gardens (PW/PS) – Terra Nova
28 3/15/2013
Appreciation is expressed to many growers for support or plants, including:
– Aris Horticulture – Creek Hill – Dunvegan – Full Circle Gardens – North Creek – Quansett – Sunny Border
Appreciation is expressed to the following for assistance with funding
• New England Grows • Northeast Greenhouse Conference • New Hampshire Hort. Endowment • Northeast SARE program • USDA Risk Management Agency • Vt. Agr. Expmt. Station • Vt. Nursery and Landscape Assn.
29 3/15/2013
Other trial sites
• Delaware http://www.mtcubacenter.org
• Chicago Botanic Garden www.chicagobotanic.org/research/ plant_evaluation/#notes
for more information... Perry’s Perennial Pages perrysperennials.info Research Plants of the month Leaflets and articles Videos Wordpress blog Resources and more…
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