Topics on this page:
- Participating companies
- Season
- Top performers (biweekly ratings)
- Field Day favorites
- Consumer favorites
- Complete list of cultivars trialed
2019 Trial Participants
- American Takii
- Ameriseed
- Ball FloraPlant
- Ball Ingenuity
- Beekenkamp
- PanAmerican Seed
- Proven Winners
- Selecta
2019 Trial Season
We are pleased to announce that our inaugural year at the Cornell Botanic Gardens was a great success. Showcased just outside the Nevin Welcome Center, this year’s trials were viewed by thousands of visitors; we even got reports that they were “the most selfied spot” in the Gardens! Hundreds of visitors took the opportunity to vote on their favorites of the approximately 150 cultivars trialed in in-ground beds.
Spring weather conditions were excellent for planting trial cultivars in early June and most plants got off to a good start. We had below average temps and above average precipitation in June and August, while July was warmer than usual with about average rainfall. A heat wave in July followed by frequent heavy rains and cooler temps in August created issues with Rhizoctonia in some cultivars (most notably Callistephus) and with powdery mildew in many cultivars. That said, we had a stellar showing by many varieties, which delighted the public throughout the growing season.
Our list of top performers, based on bi-weekly ratings, is below. We’ve also included field day favorites, chosen by the growers and educators who attended our annual Floriculture Field Day on July 30. Finally, our list of consumer favorites was compiled from the hundreds of ballots Cornell Botanic Gardens visitors submitted over the course of the growing season; many thanks to all who participated!
Top performers, based on our biweekly ratings:
Field Day favorites, based on ratings by attendees at our July 30 Floriculture Field Day:
Consumer favorites, based on ratings by Cornell Botanic Gardens visitors:
Complete List of Cultivars Trialed
Angelonia Serena Blue, PanAmerican Seed
Angelonia Serena Rose, PanAmerican Seed
Angelonia Serena White Improved, PanAmerican Seed
Basil Everleaf Emerald Towers, PanAmerican Seed
Basil Newton, PanAmerican Seed
Begonia Beauvilia BEBE 3855, Beekenkamp
Begonia Beauvilia BEBE 3907, Beekenkamp
Begonia Beauvilia Red, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection BEEL 0958, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection BEEL 3632, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection BEEL 4022, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection Carmen Red, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection Chloe, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection Evi Bright Pink, Beekenkamp
Begonia BK Collection Vermillion Red, Beekenkamp
Begonia Solenia Apricot, Beekenkamp
Begonia Solenia Chocolate Orange, Beekenkamp
Begonia Solenia Scarlet, Beekenkamp
Begonia Solenia Yellow, Beekenkamp
Bidens Bidy Gonzales Confetti, Dümmen Orange
Bidens Campfire Flame, Proven Winners
Bidens Goldilocks Rocks Improved, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Blackcurrant Punch, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Double Amber, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Double Blue, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Double Orange, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Dreamsicle Improved, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Honeyberry, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Tabletop Blue, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Tabletop Red, Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Tabletop White , Proven Winners
Calibrachoa Superbells Watermelon Punch, Proven Winners
Callistephus Daylight Type Red, American Takii
Callistephus Nina Type Red, American Takii
Callistephus Nina Type White, American Takii
Capsicum Fire Away Hot and Heavy, Proven Winners
Celosia Kelos Atomic Neon Pink, Beekenkamp
Celosia Kelos Atomic Violet, Beekenkamp
Celosia Kelos Fire Orange, Beekenkamp
Celosia Kelos Fire Purple, Beekenkamp
Celosia Kelos Fire Red, Beekenkamp
Celosia Kelos Fire Scarlet, Beekenkamp
Celosia Kelos Fire Yellow, Beekenkamp
Coleus Heartbreaker, Ball FloraPlant
Coleus Stained Glassworks Tilt-a-Whirl, Dümmen Orange
Coleus Stained Glassworks Trailing Monarch, Dümmen Orange
Cuphea Honeybells, Ball FloraPlant
Dahlia Maggiore Purple, Beekenkamp
Dahlia Maggiore Rose Bicolor, Beekenkamp
Dahlia Maggiore Yellow Improved, Beekenkamp
Dahlia Venti Passion Fruit, Selecta
Dahlia Venti Pink+White Eye, Selecta
Dahlia Venti Red+White, Selecta
Dahlia Venti Royal Purple, Selecta
Dahlia Venti Tequila Sunrise, Selecta
Euphorbia Diamond Snow, Proven Winners
Euphorbia Glamour Improved, PanAmerican Seed
Gaillardia Heat it Up Scarlet, Proven Winners
Gaillardia Heat it Up Yellow, Proven Winners
Helianthus Suncredible Yellow, Proven Winners
Ipomoea Blackie, Dümmen Orange
Ipomoea Sweet Caroline Red Hawk, Proven Winners
Isotoma Patti’s Pink, Proven Winners
Lantana Bloomify Mango, Ball FloraPlant
Lantana Luscious Goldengate, Proven Winners
Lantanan Havana Sunset, Dümmen Orange
Lycopersicon Goodhearted, Proven Winners
Marigold Little Duck Orange, Ameriseed
Nemesia Aromance Pink, Proven Winners
Nemesia Sunsatia Cranberry Red, Proven Winners
Osteospermum Bright Lights Berry Rose, Proven Winners
Osteospermum Bright Lights Purple, Proven Winners
Osteospermum Bright Lights White , Proven Winners
Osteospermum Sunny Harmony, Beekenkamp
Osteospermum Sunny Harry, Beekenkamp
Osteospermum Sunny Haylie, Beekenkamp
Osteospermum Sunny Hazel, Beekenkamp
Osteospermum Sunny Heike, Beekenkamp
Pentas Sunstar Lavender, Proven Winners
Pentas Sunstar Pink, Proven Winners
Pentas Sunstar Red, Proven Winners
Pentas Sunstar Rose, Proven Winners
Pepper Orange Marmalade, PanAmerican Seed
Petunia ColorRush Pink, Ball FloraPlant
Petunia ColorRush Purple, Ball FloraPlant
Petunia ColorRush Watermelon Red, Ball FloraPlant
Petunia ColorRush White, Ball FloraPlant
Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista Indigo Improved, Proven Winners
Petunia Supertunia Raspberry Rush, Proven Winners
Petunia Supertunia Sharon, Proven Winners
Petunia Supertunia Vista Snowdrift, Proven Winners
Petunia Tea Blue, Beekenkamp
Petunia Tea Light Violet, Beekenkamp
Petunia Tea Purple Vein, Beekenkamp
Petunia Tea Purple White Edge, Beekenkamp
Petunia Tea Red, Beekenkamp
Petunia Tea Rose Morn, Beekenkamp
Petunia Tea White, Beekenkamp
Portulaca Cupcake Grape Jelly, Dümmen Orange
Portulaca Mojave Red Improved, Proven Winners
Salvia Purple & Bloom, Ball FloraPlant
Salvia Rockin’ Blue Suede Shoes, Proven Winners
Salvia Unplugged So Blue, Proven Winners
Sanvitalia Sunvy Super Gold, Dümmen Orange
Scaevola Whirlwind Blue Improved, Proven Winners
Solenostemon ColorBlaze Wicked Hot, Proven Winners
Solenostemon ColorBlaze Wicked Witch, Proven Winners
Spreading Petunia Easy Wave Lavender Sky Blue, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Easy Wave Pink Passion, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Easy Wave Red Improved, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Easy Wave Violet Improved, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Easy Wave Yellow, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Wave Carmine Velour, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Wave Misty Lilac, PanAmerican Seed
Spreading Petunia Wave Purple, PanAmerican Seed
Squash Lemon Sun, PanAmerican Seed
Sunflower Sunrich Gold Summer Improved, American Takii
Sunflower Sunrich Orange DMR, American Takii
Sutera Snowstorm Blue, Proven Winners
Sutera Snowstorm Glacier Blue, Proven Winners
Sutera Snowstorm Pink, Proven Winners
Sutera Snowstorm Rose, Proven Winners
Sutera Snowstorm Snow Globe , Proven Winners
Tomato Artemis, PanAmerican Seed
Tomato Helix, PanAmerican Seed
Verbena Firehouse Lavender, Ball FloraPlant
Verbena Firehouse Purple, Ball FloraPlant
Verbena Firehouse Red, Ball FloraPlant
Verbena Superbena Sparkling Amethyst Improved, Proven Winners
Verbena Superbena Sparkling Rosé, Proven Winners
Vinca Mega Bloom Dark Red, Ameriseed
Zinnia Holi Ivory White, Ameriseed
Zinnia Holi Pink, Ameriseed
Zinnia Zesty Fuchsia, Ball Ingenuity
Zinnia Zesty Pink, Ball Ingenuity
Zinnia Zesty Purple, Ball Ingenuity
Zinnia Zesty Scarlet, Ball Ingenuity
Zinnia Zesty White, Ball Ingenuity
Zonal Geranium Galaxy Dark Red, Ball FloraPlant
Zonal Geranium Galaxy Pink, Ball FloraPlant
Zonal Geranium Galaxy Violet, Ball FloraPlant
Zonal Geranium Galaxy White, Ball FloraPlant