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
Plants of the month
Leaflets and articles
Videos
Wordpress blog
Resources and more…
