Each year Greenhouse Grower* magazine compiles a listing of the best annuals selected by field garden staff and garden visitors to 19 public and seed company trial gardens across the U.S. Talleying the resuts, thirty-five (35) varieties appeared more than once, with Salvia ‘Mystic Spires Improved’ and Alternanthera ‘Purple Prince’ appearing five times.
Before proceeding further, keep in mind that this a non-scientific poll as not every variety was planted or evaluated at each site. Climate and field conditions were major variables at each location.
See chart below: * Varieties appearing three times; ** Varieties appearing four times; *** Varieties five times or more
Varieties Appearing On Top Performer Lists More Than Once:
Alternanthera ‘Purple Prince’
Alternanthera ‘Purple Prince’***
Begonia ‘MegaWatt Pink Bronze Leaf’
Begonia ‘MegaWatt Red Bronze Leaf’*
Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Neo Orange + Red Eye’
Calibrachoa ‘Superbells Rising Star’
Canna ‘CannovaBronze Orange’
Coleus ‘Flame Thrower Salsa Verda’*
Coleus ‘Main Street Michigan Avenue’
Dianthus ‘Jolt Pink Magic’
Echinacea ‘Sombrero Granada Gold’
Echinacea ‘Sombrero Lemon Yellow Improved’
Echinacea ‘Sombrero Sangrita’
Echinacea ‘Sombrero Sangrita’
Ersyimum ‘Bowles Me Away’
Ersyimum ‘Cheers Florange’
Ersyimum ‘Cheers Sunkissed Amethyst’
Helianthus ‘Autumn Gold’
Lantana ‘Havana Sunset’
Miscanthus‘Bandwidth’
Pennisetum glaucum ‘Copper Prince’
Pentas ‘Lucky Star Deep Pink’
Pepper (Capsicum) ‘Midnight Fire’
Pentas ‘Lucky Star Lavender’
Pepper ‘Midnight Fire’*
Petunia ColorRush Pink’**
Petunia ‘Supertunia Bordeaux’*
Petunia ‘Supertunia Lovie Dovie’**
Petunia ‘Supertunia Mulberry Charm’
Petunia ‘Supertunia Vista Bubblegum’
Petunia ‘Supertunia Vista Fuchsia’
Salvia ‘Mystic Spires Improved’***
Salvia ‘Rockin’ Playin’ The Blues Improved’
Salvia ‘Rockin’ Deep Purple’
Thunbergia ‘Lemon A-Peel’*
Verbena ‘EnduraScape Pink Bicolor’
Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Raspberry Ripple’*
*Greenhouse Grower magazine (November 2017 issue), Meister Publications
Posted in 
