Farwest New Varieties Showcase winners announced

[Portland, Ore.] - Three judges representing garden centers, garden media/gardeners and landscape designers awarded five coveted ribbons at this year's New Varieties Showcase, a 20x50-foot professionally-designed display garden on the Farwest Show exhibit floor.

Best in Show: Golden Ruby™ Variegated Dwarf Pygmy Barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Goruzam' PP#16,203) introduced through Lake County New Plants and discovered by Jim Zampini.

Best Tree or Conifer: Little Twist® Flowering Cherry (Prunus incisa 'Little Twist') introduced and grown by Carlton Plants LLC.

Best Shrub: 'Pink Lemonade' Blueberry (Vaccinium 'Pink lemonade') offered by Briggs Nursery.

Best Perennial or Grass: 'River Mist' Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium 'River Mist' PPAF) introduced by ItSaul Plants and grown by Skagit Gardens.

Best Annual or Tender Perennial: Breathless™ Blush Euphorbia (Euphorbia hypericifolia 'Balbreblus' PPAF) from a controlled breeding program at Ball Horticultural Company.

Deliberations by the judges was insightful, according to Ann Murphy, marketing director for the Oregon Association of Nurseries. "Golden Ruby won because it was such a show stopper—literally—and it was hands-down the people's favorite plant in the showcase as well," she said.

"Little Twist provides year-round interest in the garden and the garden center with its zigzagging branch structure and diminutive size. Blueberries add excitement in the ornamental garden and fly off the garden center shelf, so the possibility of adding a different colored berry thrilled judges. River Mist's variegated foliage and delicate seed heads won over the judges," said Murphy.

In the 'Best Annual or Tender Perennial' category, judges were split between Petunia x 'Pretty Much Picasso'™ and Breathless Blush. However, the three-season sales opportunity at the garden center—and the insistence by one judge that the plant is deer resistant—helped make the Euphorbia their selection.

Show attendees were asked to vote for their favorites. Golden Ruby Barberry received by far the most votes for any plant in the showcase. Three annuals/tender perennials received the same number of votes: 'Jubilee' New Zealand Flax (Phormium 'Jubilee' PP#19,059) introduced by Foxtail Farms Inc., Ptilotus x 'Platinum Wallaby' PPAF introduced by EuroAmerican Propagators, and 'Denver Daisy' Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy') introduced by Benary. 'River Mist' Northern Sea Oats was the leading vote-catcher for favorite perennial or grass.

Three new introductions vied for favorite tree or conifer with Pacific Purple® Vine Maple (Acer circinatum 'JFS-Purple') from J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. slightly edging out Little Twist Flowing Cherry and Baby Blue™ Spruce (Picea pungens 'Glauca') offered by A&R Spada Farms. "Many of our Farwest Show guests come from colder climates," said Murphy, "and hardiness was important to their selections."

With more than 850 exhibitors and over 1,250 booth spaces, the annual Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon, is the top nursery and greenhouse show in the western United States. Nearly 60 percent of exhibiting companies are wholesale nurseries – more green goods exhibitors than any other show in North America.

New Varieties Showcase entry requirements state that the plant must be either new to the market or previously available only in limited quantities, offer unique characteristics that distinguish it from other introductions, and be offered for sale by a Farwest Show exhibitor. Entries are vetted by a selection committee comprised of garden center managers, garden media, growers and landscape designers.

To see all 39 plants accepted into the Showcase, visit www.farwestshow.com/nvs. Submission deadline for the 2010 showcase is March 1, 2010.

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The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 1,300 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon’s ornamental horticulture industry is the state’s largest agricultural commodity, with annual sales of more than $988 million. For information visit our Web site at www.oan.org or call 503.682.5089.

CONTACT: Elizabeth Peters, Director of Communications
503-682-5089 (main)
503-250-2235 (cell)
epeters@oan.org