Perennial Garden Flower Trials – 1999-2002

University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm

Robert G. Anderson and Kirk Ranta, Department of Horticulture

Annual and perennial garden flowers have been evaluated for many years at the University of Kentucky. Trials have occurred at the University of Kentucky Arboretum since 1993. These trials were expanded at the Horticulture Research Farm in 1999 and 2000 with grants from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentuckiana Greenhouse Association. Grants from the USDA New Crop Opportunities Center allowed expansion of the trials to more than 20,000 square feet of trial gardens in Lexington. Additionally, demonstration gardens have been established at eight locations across the state (listed below).

The collection of perennials in our on-going trials continues to expand. We have nearly 1,000 individual plants in the perennial trials, with more than 150 species and cultivars in the plots at the Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington. Our trials include the Perennial Plants of the Year from the Perennial Plant Association and some native plants. We now have three years experience with some so our ratings have many observations. However, our ratings should be used only as a guide to determine which perennials you might sell or use in Kentucky landscapes. In general, those that have grown well for two or more seasons are marked (++) and those that have not done too well (-); those unmarked need more time to determine a rating.

Photos and details about plant performance are continually added to the Kentucky Garden Flowers web site: www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/gardenflowers. Also, going to the UK home page (www.uky.edu) and searching for a plant will direct the reader to the Kentucky Garden Flowers location.

Mexican Hyssop

Agastache ‘Tutti Frutti’ (‘01-‘02) ( - )

Arkansas Amsonia

Amsonia hubrectii (‘01-‘02) (+)

Artemisia

Artemisia absinthium ‘Huntington Gardens’ (‘01) ( - )

Aster

Aster apellus 'Triumph' (‘00-‘02) (-), Aster laevis 'Bluebird' (‘00-‘02) (++), Aster latiflorus 'Prince' (‘00-‘02), Aster novi-belgii ‘Celeste’ (‘01-‘02), Aster novi-belgii ‘Purple Monarch’ (‘01-‘02), Aster novi-belgii 'Snow Cushion' (‘00-‘02), Aster novi-belgii ‘White Swan’ (‘00-‘02) (++), Aster novi-belgii ‘Winston Churchill’ (‘01-‘02), Aster novi-belgii 'Woods Purple' (‘00-‘02), Aster x frikarti 'Monch' (‘00-‘02), Aster oblongifolius ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ (‘02), Kalimeris mongolica (‘01-‘02) (++), Kalimeris mongolica ‘Variegata’ (‘00-‘02) (++)

Astilbe

Astilbe 'Sprite' (‘00-‘02) (++)

Columbine

Aquilegia x hybrida ‘Rose w/White Edge’ (‘02), ‘Songbird Cardinal’ (‘02), ‘Winky Red & White’ (‘02)

Cream False Indigo

Baptisia pendula (‘01-‘02)

Willowleaf Oxeye

Buphthalum salicifolium 'Sun Wheels' (‘00-‘02) ( - )

English Daisy

Bellis perennis ‘Galaxy Rose’ (‘02), ‘Rose Border’ (‘02), ‘Tasso Strawberry & Cream’ (‘02)

Feather Reed Grass

Calamagrostis acutifolia ‘Karl Foerster’ (‘00-‘02) (++), Calamagrostis acutifolia ‘Overdam’, (‘02), Variegated Feather Reed Grass, Calamagrostis brachytricha, (‘02), Korean Feather Reed Grass

River Oats, Northern Sea Oats

Chasmanthium latifolium (++) (‘00-‘02)

Garden Mums

Ajania pacificum 'Pink Ice' (++) (‘00-‘02), Chrysanthemum ‘Hillside Pink’ (‘01-‘02), Chrysanthemum yezoense (‘00-‘02), Dendranthema rubellum 'Clara Curtis' (‘00-‘02), Dendranthema rubellum 'Mary Stoker' (‘00-‘02)

Shasta Daisy

Chrysanthemum (Leucanthemum) x superbum ‘Becky’ (‘02)

Cumberland Rosemary

Conradina verticillata

Coreopsis

Coreopsis ‘Tequila Sunrise’ (‘01-‘02), Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ (‘02), Coreopsis grandiflora ‘ Early Sunrise’ (‘02), Coreopsis lanceolata ‘Baby Sun’ (‘02) - Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis rosea ‘American Dream’ (‘01-‘02), Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' (‘00-‘02) (++)

Montbretia

Crocosmia crocosmiifolia 'Venus' (‘00-‘02)

Pinks

Dianthus allwoodii 'Doris' (‘02) - Allwood Pink, Dianthus allwoodii 'Frosty Fire' (‘02) - Allwood Pink, Dianthus deltoides ‘Brilliant’ (‘01-‘02) - Maiden Pink, Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath’s Pink' (‘02) (++) - Cheddar Pink

Cone Flower

Echinacea pallida (‘00-‘02), Echinacea paradoxa (‘00-‘02), Echinacea purpurea (‘00-‘02) (++), Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' (‘00-‘02) (++), Echinacea simulata (‘00-‘02), Echinacea tennessensis (‘00-‘02) (++)

Silver Prairie Grass

Erianthus alopecuroides (‘00-‘02)

Oregon Fleabane

Erigeron 'Azure Fairy' (‘00-‘02) ( - )

Hardy Ageratum

Eupatorium coelestinum (‘01-‘02) (++)

Joe Pye Weed

Eupatorium maculatum (‘00-‘02) (++), Eupatorium maculatum ‘Carin’ (‘02), Eupatorium maculatum ‘Gateway’ (‘02)

Hardy Fuchsia

Fuchsia magellanica ‘Ricartonii’ (‘02) ( - )

Wand Flower

Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskiyou Pink’ (‘01-‘02)

Cranesbill, Hardy Geranium

Geranium 'Dusky Rose' (‘00-‘02), Geranium cantabrigiense 'Blokova' (‘00-‘02), Geranium cantabrigiense 'Karmina' (‘00-‘02), Geranium cinereum 'Ballerina' (‘00-‘02), Geranium clarkei 'Kasmir Purple' (‘00-‘02), Geranium maculata 'Claridge Druce' (‘00-‘02), Geranium phaeum 'Samobor' (‘00-‘02)

Sneezeweed

Helenium 'Coppella' (+) (‘00-‘02)

Sun Rose

Helianthemum ‘Annabel’ (‘01-‘02) (++), Helianthemum nummularium ‘Double Red’ (‘01-‘02)

Sunflower

Helianthus angustifolius ‘Gold Lace’ (‘02), Swamp Sunflower, Helianthus mollis (‘00-‘02) - Downy Sunflower, Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' (‘00-‘02) (++) - False Sunflower

Daylily

Hemerocallis ‘Stella d’Oro’ (‘01-‘02) (++)

Alum Root, Coral Bells

Heuchera x brizoides 'Bressingham Hybrid’ (‘01-‘02), Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple' (++) (‘00-‘02)

Garden Hibiscus

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Disco Bell Pink' (‘00-‘02) (++), 'Disco White' (‘00-‘02) (++), ‘Kilimanjaro Red’ (‘01-‘02) (++), ‘Ranier Red’ (‘01-‘02) (++), ‘Mauna Kea’ (‘01-‘02) (++), ‘Etna Pink’ (‘01-‘02) (++), ‘Matterhorn’ (‘01-‘02) (++)

Crepe Myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica ‘Supersonic Mix’ (‘02)

Statice

Limonium latifolia (‘00-‘02)

Lobelia

Lobelia speciosa ‘Fan Burgundy’ (‘01-‘02)

Maltese Cross

Lychnis coronaria ‘Angel Blush’ (‘01-‘02), Lychnis flos-jovis nana ‘Peggy’ (‘01-‘02) ( - )

Marshallia

Marshallia grandiflora (‘02) - Barbara’s buttons, Marshallia mohrrii (‘02)

Maiden Grass

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ (‘01-‘02) (++)

Bee Balm

Monarda didyma ‘Fireball’ (‘02) - Petite Bee Balm, ‘Jacob Cline’ (‘01-‘02), ‘Marshall’s Delight’ (‘01-‘02), ‘Pink Supreme’ (‘02) - Petite Bee Balm

Catmint

Calamintha nepeta ‘White Cloud’ (‘02) - Savory Calamint, Nepeta 'Dawn to Dusk' (‘00-‘02) (++), Nepeta 'Subsessilis' (‘00-‘02) (++), Nepeta faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' (‘00-‘02) (++), ‘Walker’s Low’ (‘02)

Ornamental Oregano

Origanum laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’ (‘01-‘02) (++)

Wild Quinine

Parthenium integrifolium (‘00-‘02) (++)

Fountain Grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ (‘01-‘02) (++)

Beard Tongue

Penstemon barbatus ‘Prairie Dusk’ (‘01-‘02), Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (‘00-‘02) (++), Penstemon fruticosa ‘Purple Haze’ (‘01-‘02)

Russian Sage

Perovskia atriplicifolia (‘00-‘02) (++), ‘Little Spire’ (‘02)

Fleeceflower

Persicaria amplexicaule ‘Firetail’ (‘01-‘02), Persicaria bistorta ‘Superbum’ (‘01-‘02)

Garden Phlox

Phlox maculata 'Miss Lingard' (‘00-‘02) (++), 'Natasha' (‘00-‘02) (++)

Phlox paniculata ‘David’ (‘02), ‘Jill’ (‘02), ‘Margie’ (‘02), ‘Nicky’ (‘02), ‘Robert Poore’ (‘02), Phlox pilosa ‘Eco Happy Traveller’ (‘02) - Downy Phlox

Prairie Coneflower

Ratidiba columnifera 'Mexican Hat' (‘00-‘02) (++)

Black Eye Susan

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivanti 'Goldsturm' (‘00-‘02) (++) - Cone Flower, Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida (‘02) - Cone Flower, Rudbeckia hirta (‘02) - Black Eye Susan, ‘Autumn Colors’ (‘02), ‘Cordoba’ (‘02), ‘Goldilocks’ (‘02), ‘Indian Summer’ (‘02), ‘Prairie Sun’ (‘02), ‘Sonora’ (‘02), ‘Toto Gold’ (‘02), ‘Toto Lemon’ (‘02), ‘Toto Rustic’ (‘02), Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstonne’ (‘02) - Cutleaf Cone Flower, Rudbeckia occidentalis (‘02) ‘Black Beauty’, Rudbeckia subtomentosa (‘00-‘02) (++) - Sweet Black Eye Susan, Rudbeckia triloba (‘00-‘02) (++) - Brown Eye Susan

Meadow Sage

Salvia 'Blue Hill' (‘00-‘02) (+), 'Blue Queen' (‘00-‘02) (+), 'May Night' (‘00-‘02) (++), 'Blue Hill' (‘00-‘02) (+), 'Snow Hill' (‘00-‘02) (+), Salvia lyrata 'Burgundy Bliss' (‘00-‘02) ( - )

Pincushion Flower

Scabiosa caucasica ‘Perfecta Alba’ (‘00-‘02), Scabiosa columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’ (‘00-‘02), ‘Pink Mist (+)’ (‘00-‘02)

Kaffir Lily

Schizostylis coccinea (‘00-‘02)

Sedum

Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' (‘00-‘02) (++), 'Brilliant' (‘00-‘02), ‘Stardust’ (‘02), Sedum spurium 'Vera Jameson' (‘00-‘02) (++)

Goldenrod

Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ (‘02)

Meadowsweet

Spirea latifolia (‘00-‘02) (++)

Prairie Dropseed

Sporobolis heterolepis (‘02)

Stokes Aster

Stokesia laevis 'Blue Danube' (‘00-‘02) (-), 'Klaus Jellito' (‘00-‘02), 'Mary Gregory' (‘00-‘02) (-), ‘Omega Skyrocket’ (‘02), 'Purple Parasols' (‘00-‘02), 'Silver Moon' (-) (‘00-‘02)

Mulleins

Verbascum 'Helen Johnson' (‘00-‘02), Verbascum 'Jackie' (‘00-‘02)

Speedwells

Veronica 'Fascination' (‘00-‘02), Veronica 'Giles van Hess’ (‘00-‘02), Veronica 'Goodness Grows' (‘00-‘02), Veronica 'Spring Dew', Veronica ‘Waterperry’ (‘01-‘02), Veronica 'White Jolanda' (‘00-‘02) (++), Veronica alpinia ‘Alba’ (‘01-‘02) (++), Veronica austriaca 'Crater Lake Blue'(‘00-‘02), Veronica longifolia 'Sunny Border Blue' (‘00-‘02) (++), Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’ (‘01-‘02) (+), Veronica spicata 'Blue Carpet' (‘02), ‘Icicle’ (‘00-‘02) (+), 'Noah Williams' (‘00-‘02), 'Red Fox' (‘00-‘02), ‘Rose’ (‘02), ‘Sightseeing’ (‘02)

Current research •Greenhouse crops

University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm