Last month, the California Spring Trials were held. Right after, we published the Photo Report and in the weeks after, we've looked back at the highlight varieties of each of the participating companies in a series of articles. This is the last edition, and in this article we will highlight the varieties of American Takii and HilverdaKooij at the American Takii site in Salinas, Hem Genetics, Vista Farms and Plant Source International at Speedling in San Juan Bautista, Terra Nova Nurseries, Pacific Plug and Liner, Quality Cuttings Team, Sunset Western Garden Collection and Southern Living Plant Collection at Pacific Plug and Liner in Watsonville.
American Takii. At this location, besides American Takki, HilverdaKooij and OHP also presented their varieties and products.
American Takii
Mike Huggett of American Takii presenting new hybrid Digitalis Pink Panther. Besides its striking Panther pattern, more habits make it an interesting crop for the grower, retailer and consumer. “It is a first year flowering digitalis and is easy to grow for the grower. In the garden, it will get a height of 18-24 inch and gives secondary blooms when the first matures, it flushes throughout the season.”
Preciosa is a new Zinna of double flowered Zinnas. The series consists of 8 varieties and is available in 3 mixes; Topical Blend, Standard Mix and Straight colors. "They are true self branching types, compact and very uniform."
One of the new introductions to the petunia Trilogy series is Purple Vein. The other color is white and together creates a current series of 11 varieties.
Floris Tas, the new Sales Manager USA and Canada at HilverdaKooij presenting their new Salvia. "It grows fast and both the stems and flowers have vivid colors. On top of that humming birds are fond of this plant."
Rebel is a pot dahlia with large flowers and a bright color. Additionally, the plants require no to little PGR and are more mildew tolerant; "We select on these characteristics."
New to the Echinacea Mooodz series from tissue culture, is Mediation. "It has more flowers and is continuously flowering, also stays nice and compact." In order to grow this series, no cold vernalization is needed. 
To the location of Speedling in San Juan Bautista. At this location, Hem Genetics, Plant Source International, Vista Farms and Lambert were presenting their varieties and products.
Hem Genetics
Marco Laan of Hem Genetics presenting Vinca F1 hybrid Solar Avalanche Blueberry. It is one of the trialing varieties and according to Marco, the color of this new variety makes it unique. It is a variety for the warmer areas as it needs warm temperatures and light.
Supra Scarlet is new in the F1 Dianthus interspecific Supra series. It is a first year flowering perennial and its siblings won several AAS awards. "This shows that it has a great garden value."
Diana Loving white is a new Dianthus with a color changing flower - it changes from Purple to lighter purple to white.
Jerome O’Neill of Vista Farms presenting Sunstone Red (introduced in 2017) and Sunstone Red (introduced 2018). This year, the production of the crop was very good, so Jerome is enthusiastic about the quality and result. “Now we can show good samples to the visitors.”
End of 2017, Vista Farms signed a license to propagate the J.Berry Hollywood hibiscus and for the first time, they were showcasing them at their booth. In the picture: Chaty Katy.
Vera White (a Dümmen Orange variety) is an improved version of the one they had. "It is more compact."
Plant Source International
Troy Lucht of Plant Source International in front of the Heugera varieties they grow. They grow unrooted cuttings to the North American market and have production sites in Mexico and in the U.S. This year, they will add the Suntory breeder line to their list.
As the CAST took place earlier this year, at the Pacific Plug & Liner site, it could not be held inside their greenhouse - like they usually do. The CAST week overlapped with their biggest week of shipping and they therefore set up a large tent on the parking area. In this tent, Terra Nova Nurseries, Pacific Plug and Liner, Quality Cuttings Team, Sunset Western Garden Collection and Southern Living Plant Collection and Klasmann-Deilmann showcased their varieties and products.
Larry Finley of Terra Nova Nurseries presenting their Heuchera Little Cuties Shimmers, a new variety to the Little Cuties series. "It has a nice silver shade on the leaves and coral rose flowers. On top of that, it is compact and has multiple crowns."
The new perennial Geum Tempo Rose. "Blooming" might be the word that characterizes this variety. "It blooms early, for a long time and even re-blooms." Read the following article to learn more about this new Geum variety.
Heucherella Indigo Frost. "It is the first mini ever. In one year, the plant is 8 inch. So, it doesn't overtake in mixes in containers."
Marlon Carrera of Pacific Plug and Liner presenting the Hellebores Winters Angel Charmer. The best thing about this variety is that you can program it for Christmas bloom as it is a really programmable variety. Besides, it is also compact and full of flowers and flowering continues up to five months. The flower color is raspberry pink and has leaf variegation, explains Marlon.
Miner's Merlot is a new Euphorbia with dark leaves which get even darker in warmer temperatures. It has lime green flowers, gets 24 inch tall and is drought and heat tolerant.
Senecio Angel Wings is a new Senecio. It has silky, silvery white foliage and is a good plant for indoors as well as outdoors. This fast growing Senecio is drought and salt tolerant.
Quality Cuttings Team
Jacqueline Azbill and Carlos Martinez of Quality Cuttings Team presenting the impacio impatiens of Westhoff. This variety is, according to Azbill, more tolerant to the sun.
New in their assortment is the Catharanthus Soiree series of Suntory. In the picture three varieties; Lavender, Light Purple and Pink.
Sunset Western Garden Collection and Southern Living Plant Collection
Janet Sluis of Sunset Western Garden Collection and Kip McConnell of Southern Living Plant Collection presenting the vertical growing gardania named: Diamond Spire. “It works well in containers and landscape and continues to re-bloom and also blooms under cooler conditions than the regular gardenia. Unique about this variety is that it grows vertical”, explains Kip.
Skyscraper (In Europe called Mound Everest) is a 5-6 feet tall landscape senecio that stays vertical, without staking or support.
Ever Amethyst is an Agapanthus that has become quite popular over the last years, according to Sluis. It has several blooms, re-blooms and is good for producing cut flowers. These cut flowers will last 3 weeks in the vase.
All highlights
Eager to see all the highlights? Below the overview:
- ABZ Seeds, Suntory Flowers, Florist Breeding, Vivero International, Schoneveld, Royal Van Zanten and Prudac
- Kieft Seed, PanAmerican Seed, Darwin Perennials, Ball FloraPlant, Selecta One, Burpee, Ball Ingenuity, Morel Diffusion and Star Roses and Plants.
- Beekenkamp, Monrovia, Kientzler, J. Berry Nursery, Skagit, 2Plant International, Danziger and Varinova.
- Hishtil, Cohen, Jaldety and Nir Nursery, Greenfuse Botanicals, Elsner PAC and Westhoff.
- Dümmen, Sakata, Benary, Syngenta, Proven Winners