|
AAS Announces 2008 Winners
by Hilda M. Morrill
 The All-America Selections (AAS) promotes new garden seed varieties with superior garden performance, as judged in impartial trials.
Before an AAS Winner is introduced, it is tested at independent test sites across North America. These test sites are called “Trial Sites.” Each trial ground has at least one official AAS judge who supervises the trial and evaluates the different entries.
Typically the judge is a horticultural professional and the site is part of a seed company’s trial grounds, a university or other horticultural institution.
 Some Trial Grounds also have adjacent “Display Gardens,” providing the public an opportunity to view the new AAS winners in an attractive well-maintained setting.
Such is the case at Elm Bank, the home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Wellesley, Mass., where flowers and bedding plants are not only trailed and judged, but also displayed for the public to enjoy.
Other Massachusetts Display Gardens are: in Newton at the Newton Centre Green (flowers only); in Amherst at the University of Massachusetts (flowers and vegetables); and in Stockbridge at the Berkshire Botanical Garden (flowers and vegetables).
The three AAS winners for 2008 are: Osteospermum F1 ‘Asti White’ (Bedding Plant Award Winner); Viola F1 ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ (Cool Season Bedding Plant Award Winner); and Eggplant F1 ‘Hansel’ (Vegetable Award Winner).
 Pure white daisy flowers with blue centers are the main attraction for ‘Asti White’. The large blooms, 2 to 2-1/2 inches across, are borne on stems that gracefully wave in the wind. The thick fleshy leaves indicate its drought tolerance, which makes this a preferred annual in any area subject to dry conditions.
‘Asti White’ is the first white Osteospermum, or Cape Daisy, propagated from seed. The flowers will remain open under cloudy conditions, unlike other daisy flowers originating from South Africa. Gardeners have the choice of growing from seed or purchasing plants depending upon their resources.
These plants will bloom and recover from a slight frost and can be placed in the fall or spring garden, weeks earlier than other tender annuals. The uniform plants thrive in a sunny garden, reaching about 17 to 20 inches tall and wide. ‘Asti White’ plants adapt perfectly to growing in containers, preferably 6-inch pots or larger.
 ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ flowers are uniquely designed with plum shades surrounding the golden centers (face), which contain radiating black lines called whiskers. The viola’s blooms are small, about 1-1/2 inches, but are not to be underrated. The plant won the AAS Award for its ability to grow a lavish number of blooms.
In the North, plants can be expected to bloom beginning with spring to the heat of summer. The petite plants growing 6 to 8 inches tall and wide are highly recommended for combination planters. Gardeners can rely on ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ to provide abundant blooms whether growing in containers, window boxes, or an annual garden.
 Best described as a miniature eggplant, ‘Hansel’ is a smaller-sized plant with finger-sized clusters of fruit. Just because of its smaller size, don’t make the mistake of thinking it produces less fruit. The strong plant, reaching less than three feet, produces clusters of three to six fruit. They mature early, about 55 days from transplanting into warm soil. This is about 10 days earlier than the comparison eggplant.
If the 3-inch fruit clusters are left on the plant, they grow in size, but remain tender and non-bitter, unlike other eggplant. This trait offers gardeners flexibility in harvest such as when taking a much-needed vacation.
‘Hansel’ adapts perfectly to container growing conditions. The diminutive plant fits on smaller patios or decks but provides high yields of shiny purple eggplants ready to marinate and grill. ‘Hansel’ will be available as seed and young bedding plants.
For more information about the All-America Selections, be sure to visit their Web site at www.all-americaselections.org.
###
We thank Nona Wolfram Koivula, AAS Executive Director, for providing us with the above information (edited for space) as well as the three images of the AAS 2008 winners. The other two accompanying images are © Hilda M. Morrill. The first was taken at Elm Bank Horticulture Center in Wellesley, MA. The second is of Ms. Koivula, taken by the author at the Oklahoma State University AAS Display Garden during the 2007 Garden Writers Annual Symposium in Oklahoma City, OK. Incidentally, congratulations are in order to the AAS, which celebrated its 75th Diamond Anniversary during the Symposium. Best Wishes!
|
