Savvy gardeners know to look for the blue diamond logo when picking out annual flowers for their garden. This logo identifies the Arkansas Diamonds -- good annuals for your garden that have been produced by Arkansas growers.
The Arkansas Diamonds program is a partnership with the Arkansas Green Industry Association, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service, area growers and more than 30 independent garden centers. The goal of the program is to educate gardeners about annual ornamental plants that consistently perform well in our state.
This is Year 3 for the program, and three more plants have been added, bringing the list of endorsed plants to 12.
The choices for 2017 are the "Big/Whopper" series of begonia, "White Christmas" caladium and "Vista Bubblegum" petunia.
BIG IS BEAUTIFUL
Begonias are great plants for our gardens. The new Diamond begonia is called "Big" or "Whopper" depending upon the grower. They are basically the same variety with different names.
These plants come in pink or red with either green or bronze foliage. They will do well in full sun to partial shade.
They do get large, growing up to more than 3 feet tall with a 2- to 3-foot spread. They rival a dragonwing begonia for size.
There are no pest problems, but as with any begonia, they prefer well-drained soil.
SHADE LOVER
"White Christmas" caladiums have been on the market for quite a while, but they are a tough caladium that won't stop all summer.
This caladium will brighten a dark, shady spot in the landscape. It will grow in partial sun to deep shade, bearing pure white leaves with green veins.
It grows 12 to 24 inches tall.
Bulbs can be lifted in the fall to replant next season, or you could buy new bulbs every year. (Don't be too quick to plant caladiums in the spring as they like warm soil to get growing.)
PRETTY IN PINK
"Vista Bubblegum" petunia is a beautiful bubblegum pink on a plant that just won't stop blooming -- all summer long.
They typically grow 12 to 18 inches tall with up to a 36-inch spread. "Vista Bubblegum" can do well in the ground, in containers or in hanging baskets.
As with most petunias, they will bloom best if given frequent fertilizer, but "Vista Bubblegum" is not as demanding as some of the other varieties. It grows best in full sun with average water and fertilization.
SPARKLERS
With these additions there are now 12 Arkansas Diamonds, all worth planting in your garden. As a refresher on past choices, they are:
From 2016, two sun lovers -- "Graffiti Red" pentas and "Sriracha Pink" cuphea -- and the shade-loving "Velvet Elvis" plectranthus.
From 2015, red dragonwing begonia, purple angelonia, "Cora Cascade Polka Dot" vinca, "Redhead" coleus, blue scaevola and gold/yellow lantana.
Here is a quick recap of their attributes:
• "Graffiti Red" is a newer, compact pentas with bright red flowers that grows up to 10 inches tall. It has a very uniform growth habit, and rarely needs pinching. It will do well in containers or mass-planted in the ground. It needs a minimum of six hours of sun, but will take more.
As with most annual plants, regular fertilizer will keep it blooming at peak performance. While not water-needy, regular watering will keep it looking its best. This plant is a favorite of butterflies and hummingbirds.
• Cuphea "Sriracha Pink" has almost quarter-size blossoms, creating a more dramatic display of color than many cupheas. Like the spicy chili sauce for which it is named, "Sriracha Pink" adds a lot of color with large, wide-open pink blooms from late spring through fall. The hotter it gets, the better it performs.
The plant grows 24 to 30 inches tall and wide and works well in containers or planted in the ground. Once established, it is very drought tolerant.
• "Velvet Elvis" plectranthus has deep green leaves with a deep purple shade underneath, but it also has beautiful purple blooms which open all summer through fall in light shade. The plant has an upright growth habit, maturing at 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. It is great in containers or in mass plantings in the shade garden.
• Red dragonwing begonia is a reliable all-season bloomer. This plant does best in full morning sun with protection from the hot afternoon sun, or in filtered sunlight. Give it room to grow since it does get 2 to 3 feet tall -- and wide -- by the end of the growing season.
• Angelonia or summer snapdragon is another great summer performer in full sun to partial shade. These spike-forming blooms will continue all summer provided they get regular fertilizer. It is very heat and drought tolerant but will bloom best if given supplemental irrigation in dry weather.
Mature size will vary by variety, but they have a range between 1 and 3 feet tall and a spread of 6 to 12 inches.
• "Cora Cascade Polka Dot" vinca is an annual periwinkle. While it only grows 6 to 8 inches high, "Cascade" spreads 32 to 36 inches wide, flowering from frost to frost. The blooms are very evenly distributed, eliminating the "bald spots" that diminish some vinca.
Large white to pale pink flowers with a red center bloom on a plant with glossy, dense, green foliage. This plant thrives in full sun and is quite drought tolerant. This series is also very disease resistant.
• "Redhead" coleus is as deep a red as any of the coleus plants on the market. Although it will grow in full sun, it would benefit from a bit of shade in the hottest part of the day -- unless you can keep it well watered. It also will do well in partial shade. The mature plant can be 2 feet tall and wide.
• Blue scaevola or fan flower is another full-sun bedding plant that will tolerate partial shade. The fan-shaped flowers are produced all season on low, spreading plants. It is heat and drought tolerant. The plant grows 8 to 10 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 24 inches, depending on variety.
• Lantanas are one of the most heat-tolerant bedding plants we have for Arkansas gardens. In southern Arkansas, these plants are perennials, but in central Arkansas they are hit and miss, and in the northern tier, they are annuals.
Size can vary tremendously by variety, but they all thrive in full sun and warm conditions. Although they often can survive on their own, in the hottest, driest months, a little extra water is appreciated.
While you might find these same varieties for sale without the Arkansas Diamonds logo, those bearing it are guaranteed to come from an Arkansas grower. Also, showing the logo means the retailer belongs to the Arkansas Green Industry Association (formerly the Arkansas Nurserymen), the trade association that sponsors the Diamonds.
By encouraging shoppers to look for the logo, the program promotes reliable plants, local growers and independent garden centers.
A list of participating retailers and more about the program is online at argia.org.
Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
HomeStyle on 04/15/2017