3/15/2013

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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

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Site and Conditions

•USDA zone 4b (air)

•Zone 5a in 2012-13

•Varies with snow cover

•2013: 3-4 days <28F soil, 2”

•23-29F soil minimum 2013

•+2-5F at 6” depth

•+2-5F straw, 2” snow/mulch

*Burlington

•Stony loam soil

•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

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pollinatorgardens.org

pollinatorgardens.org

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Riverberry Farm, Fairfax VT

Achillea millefolium

Achillea millefolium

‘Strawberry Seduction’

Photo courtesy Rocky Dale Gardens

Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens

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Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens

Aquilegia canadensis

‘Corbett’

Aquilegia canadensis

Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens

Geranium maculatum

‘Espresso’

Geranium maculatum

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Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens

Veronicastum virginicum

‘Lavender Towers’

Veronicastrum virginicum

Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens

Penstemon digitalis

‘Husker Red’

Penstemon digitalis

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National Ornamental Grass Trials

Switchgrass (Panicum)

18 cultivars

One of 17 U.S. sites, 2012-2016

Little Bluestem

(Schizachyrium)

5 cultivars

Panicum virgatum, Switchgrass

‘Blue Tower’ Ruby Ribbons (‘RR1’)

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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’

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E. ‘Sombrero Salsa

Red’

E. ‘Sombrero Sandy

Yellow’

E. ‘Southern Belle’

E. ‘Raspberry Truffle’

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E. ‘Hot Papaya’

E. ‘Fatal Attraction’

E. ‘PowWow Wild Berry’

E. ‘Mama Mia’

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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’

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28F 23F 18F 12F 7F

28F 23F 18F 12F 7F

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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’

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Heuchera

‘Silver Lode’

Heuchera

‘Frosted Violet’

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Heuchera ‘Dark Secret’

Heuchera ‘Blackout’

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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

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28F 23F 18F 12F 7F

Species/cultivar hardiness

field trials

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Global Warming

mums

Zones (5)6-8

Sinclair Adam, Jr.

VOR nursery, St. Albans VT

28F 23F 18F 12F 7F

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Tiarella cordifolia ‘Oakleaf’

foamflower (stoloniferous species)

Tiarella River series (spreading)

‘Lehigh’

‘Susquehana’

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Tiarella Diva series (clumping)

‘Stephanie Cohen’

‘F.M. Mooberry’

28F 23F 18F 12F 7F

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12F

7F

Mukdenia rossii ‘Karasuba’, Crimson Fans

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Amsonia tabernaemontana

blue stars

Amsonia hubrichtii

Ozark, Arkansas,

threadleaf blue stars

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Symphytum x

uplandicum

‘Axminster Gold’

Russian comfrey

Achillea millefolium Tutti Frutti series – yarrow

‘Apricot Delight’, ‘Pineapple Mango’, ‘Pink Grapefruit’,

‘Pomegranate’, ‘Wonderful Wampee’

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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’

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Baptisia

‘Twilight Prairie Blues’

‘Purple Smoke’

‘Starlight Prairie Blues’

B. sphaerocarpa

‘Screamin Yellow’

‘Carolina Moonlight’

Photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens

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Geranium x ‘Rozanne’

perennial geranium

Geum

Totally Tangerine

(‘Tim’s Tangerine’)

Avens

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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

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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.

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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

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Leaflets and articles

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