Master Gardener: Proven Winners announces 2023 annuals
You can start planning your choices for next year’s flower gardens, containers, and hanging baskets now that Proven Winners has announced its 2023 choices for annuals, perennials and shrubs. Before they are introduced to the public, Proven Winners undergo a two- to three-year rigorous selection process based on their all-season color, bountiful blooms, and resistance to disease.
In the spring, you will be able to find these colorful and healthy plants at your local garden centers and nurseries, but they are not available to plant by seed.
Company maintains strict quality control
Proven Winners is a for-profit company, formed in 1992, that offers annuals, perennials and shrubs which are trialed and tested Michigan, New Hampshire, California, Florida, Germany, and Japan.
Proven Winners has member growers throughout the Unites States, but maintains strict quality control of production, provides the visible retail marketing, and controls propagation so that the plant cannot be stolen or propagated illegally.
The five choices for 2023 annual plants are a trailing lantana, a mini petunia, a calibrachoa, a nemesia, and an ornamental sweet potato vine.
The new mounded trailing lantana Luscious Basket Tangelo Lantana camara has large clusters of vivid yellow flowers that change into tropical coral colors attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. It will grow well as a “spiller or chiller” 12 to 26 inches high, and 12-24 inches spread in your hanging baskets and containers. Another advantage is its tolerance to heat and humidity. It requires full sun.
The color-changing calibrachoa Superbells Prism Pink Lemonade reacts to varying light levels and daylength throughout the growing season. Opening with lemon yellow blossoms that change to vibrant pink, the plant will have both colors continuously present.
This calibrachoa likes part sun to shade. It has a mounded habit growing 6 to12 inches high and 12 to 24 inches wide, making it a good choice for borders and containers. It does not require deadheading.
If you are looking for a deep burgundy purple ornamental sweet potato, consider Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee Ipomoea batatas. Requiring part to full sun, the plant grows well on a trellis or trailing from a hanging basket. It has a 36 to 72 inch height and an 18 to 36 inch width.
For a true yellow try Supertunia Mini Vista
If you prefer a true yellow, try Supertunia Mini Vista Yellow Petunia. Its rounded form will spill over the edges of containers serving as both "spillers and chillers," but also works well as a landscape border.
This plant requires part to full sun and is somewhat drought tolerant. It will have a height of 6 to 12 inches and an 18-24 inch spread.
Unlike other nemesia, Aromance Mulberry Nemesia fruticans withstands summer heat and rains and does not require deadheading for continuous bloom in shades of bright plum-fuchsia and lavender with a tiny yellow throat.
You’ll want to grow this fragrant variety in containers, hanging baskets, window boxes or your landscape. It has an upright habit, 10-18 inches tall and 12-18 inches spread.
Christine Michael is a Master Gardener with the Sandusky and Ottawa Counties Extension Offices.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Master Gardener: Proven Winners announces 2023 annuals
