It takes a hardy plant to perform well in the windy and unpredictable upper Midwest states. Take a look at the plants that rose to the top of the pack in trail settings in North Dakota, western Minnesota and northern Iowa.
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Dahlia Dalaya Series (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
Three varieties from Selecta's alaya Series from Selecta were chosen: ‘Dalaya Pink+Yellow Eye’, ‘Dalaya Red+White' (shown here), and ‘Dalaya Yellow’
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Dianthus 'Jolt Cherry' (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
Dianthus 'Jolt Cherry' from PanAmerican Seed was also a 2015 AAS Bedding Plant Winner.
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Hibiscus 'Little Zin' from Ball Floraplant (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Ipomoea 'SolarPower Lime' from Ball Horticulture (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Calibrachoa x hybrida 'Kabloom Yellow' from PanAmerican Seed (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Tomato 'Chocolate Sprinkles' from PanAmerican Seed (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Celosia 'Arrabona Red' from PanAmerican Seed (2015 North Dakota State University)
This is the second year 'Arrobona Red' has won the honor of Best In Show.
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Celosia ‘China Town’ from FleuroSelect (2015 North Dakota State University)
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Amaranthus 'Pony Tails' from Thompson & Morgan (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Angelonia 'Serena White' from PanAmerican Seed (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Begonia 'Babywing Pink Bicolor' (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
Begonia 'Babywing Pink Bicolor' (2015 Pike Creek Horticulture Center Field Trials)
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Euphorbia 'Glamour' from PanAmerican Seed (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Gaura 'Sparkle White' from Kieft Seed (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Gomphrena haagena 'Strawberry Fields' (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Spreading Petunias, like the EasyWave Series (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
Several of the spreading variety of petunias made the cut at the North Dakota State Field Trials. Shown here: Petunia 'EasyWave Pink Passion'
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Dahlia Hypnotica Lavender (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Begonia x benariensis 'BIG Red Green Leaf' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Jolt Pink interspecific dianthus (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Geranium 'Pinto Premium Lavender Rose' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Impatiens walleriana 'Lollipop Fruit Punch Rose' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Petunia 'Surfinia Sumo Pink' from Suntory Flowers (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Portulaca 'Mojave Tangerine' from Proven Winners (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Begonia 'Solenia Apricot' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Calibrachoa 'Superbells Garden Rose' from Proven Winners (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Coleus 'Broad Street' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Dahlia Dalaya Series (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Dianthus 'Jolt Cherry' (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Hibiscus 'Little Zin' from Ball Floraplant (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Ipomoea 'SolarPower Lime' from Ball Horticulture (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Calibrachoa x hybrida 'Kabloom Yellow' from PanAmerican Seed (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Tomato 'Chocolate Sprinkles' from PanAmerican Seed (2015 Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University Field Trials)
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Celosia 'Arrabona Red' from PanAmerican Seed (2015 North Dakota State University)
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Celosia ‘China Town’ from FleuroSelect (2015 North Dakota State University)
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Amaranthus 'Pony Tails' from Thompson & Morgan (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Angelonia 'Serena White' from PanAmerican Seed (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Begonia 'Babywing Pink Bicolor' (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Euphorbia 'Glamour' from PanAmerican Seed (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Gaura 'Sparkle White' from Kieft Seed (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Gomphrena haagena 'Strawberry Fields' (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Spreading Petunias, like the EasyWave Series (Best Performing Plant, 2015 North Dakota State Field Trials)
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Dahlia Hypnotica Lavender (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Begonia x benariensis 'BIG Red Green Leaf' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Jolt Pink interspecific dianthus (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Geranium 'Pinto Premium Lavender Rose' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Impatiens walleriana 'Lollipop Fruit Punch Rose' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Petunia 'Surfinia Sumo Pink' from Suntory Flowers (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Portulaca 'Mojave Tangerine' from Proven Winners (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Begonia 'Solenia Apricot' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Calibrachoa 'Superbells Garden Rose' from Proven Winners (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
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Coleus 'Broad Street' (2015 Top 10 Performing Annuals at the University of Minnesota Field Trials)
Reiman Gardens is the botanic gardens of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. This year, it trialed over 200 varieties of annuals, edibles, and roses. The summer was cooler than average, with above-average rainfalls into the late summer. Each year, the summer employees, mostly ISU students from a diverse range of majors, weed and maintain the beds, sample the edible entries, and collect materials for drying, pressing, and bouquets. These students off a great deal of feedback, as do the garden’s summer visitors.
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Weather at the site was about average for temperature, but a bit below average for moisture. The plants received drip irrigation, using city water, which is high in salts, so rain water is always preferred. NDSU’s trial gardens had 230 cultivars in full sun and 24 in shade. New this year was a bed exclusively for the recent All-America Selections winners. Previously they were worked into the trials, but this year they were in their new bed and the trials. There was no unusual disease or insect problems this year.
University of Minnesota
The Horticulture Display Garden in Morris, MN, spans over nearly three acres of public land, and featured 458 annual flower varieties in 2015. These included seed and vegetative plant material from breeder sponsored trials and All-America Selections (AAS) display, ornamental seed and vegetative ornamental trial. Steve Poppe, Horticulture Scientist, says spring weather conditions were excellent for planting trial plants. Precipitation for April through September was 21.99 inches, which is 3.75 inches above average.