2014 winners announced!
April 4th, 2014
Hummingbird Trumpet Mint
Each year, new plants are chosen as winning plants from official trials at Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens. This year’s winners include:
Hummingbird trumpet mint (Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’): Brilliant scarlet-orange trumpets cover this aromatic herb from late spring through summer. Grows 4-6″ tall x 8-12″ wide, in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in USDA zones 5b-9.
Carolyn’s Hope pink penstemon
Carolyn’s Hope pink penstemon (Penstemon x mexicali ‘Carolyn’s Hope’ PPAF) is a hybrid between Mexican and American wild penstemons. Developed by Brian Core in honor of his wife, a portion of the proceeds from all sales benefit breast cancer research. Grows 14-18″ tall x 12-14″ wide in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in USDA zones 4b-8.
UNDAUNTED® ruby muhly grass
UNDAUNTED® ruby muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S’): Graceful, gray-green mounds are topped by clouds of tiny ruby flowers that glow brilliantly when backlit in autumn. Brought from the southern Great Plains by Laren & Scott Ogden. Grows 16-20″ tall x 18-24″ wide in moderate to dry conditions in full sun. Hardy in USDA zones 5-10.
WINDWALKER® garnet penstemon
WINDWALKER® garnet penstemon (Penstemon x mexicali ‘PWIN02S’): An exciting new hybrid between Mexican and American wild penstemons with rub-red or garnet-colored flowers developed by Kelly Grummons. Grows 14-18″ tall and 12-14″ wide in moderate conditions in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in USDA zones 4b-8.
Smoky Hills Skullcap
Smoky Hills Skullcap (Scutellaria resinosa ‘Smoky Hills’): A tough little beauty that comes to us from the short grass prairie of the Smoky Hills of north central Kansas. Covered with bright purple-blue flowers in early summer, it thrives in hot, sunny locations with well-drained soil. Grows 8-10″ tall x 10-14″ wide. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9.
Golden Flowered Prarie Zinnia
Golden Flowered Prarie Zinnia (Zinnia grandiflora ‘Gold on Blue’): An outstanding selection of native prairie zinnia chosen for its vigor, blue-green foliage and large golden flowers. Excellent for hot, dry sites. Grows 8-10″ tall x 18-30″ wide. Hardy in USDA zones 4-8.
Autumn Amber Sumac
Autumn Amber Sumac (Rhus trilobata ‘Autumn Amber’): A perfect groundcover shrub that can serve as a living mulch and bring life to sunny, wide open spaces. Fall color will vary from yellow to deep amber depending on the season. Grows 10-14″ tall x 6-8′ wide. Hardy in USDA zones 4-8.
Plant Select® Petites winners include:
Dalmation Pink Cranesbill (Geranium dalmaticum): A low-growing diminutive perennial geranium with clear pink flowers in late spring to early summer. Read more here.
Dwarf Beach-Head Iris (Iris hookeri, I. setosa ssp. canadensis): A compact, tidy iris with porcelain-blue flowers in late spring and early summer. Read more here.
Dwarf pinon pine (Pinus edulis selections): Dwarf selections of native pinon pine that grow extremely slow, forming tight mounds over many years. Read more here.
