New Varieties

All photos and descriptions provided by participants. | January 2016

Abelia grandiflora Lucky Lots (‘Wevo01’)

Lucky Lots has striking silvery foliage providing year-round appearance in the garden center. As a bonus it has large scented flowers in summer and fall. This glossy abelia gets to 40 inches by 20 inches and is hardy in USDA Zone 6a-10. Great as a specimen, in mass plantings or mixed containers. Available 2016. For more:conceptplants.com

Agastache ‘Kudos Yellow’

Large, dense inflorescences of yellow flowers adorn this wonderfully compact agastache. Like the others in the Kudos series, it is naturally resistant to downy mildew. Agastache ‘Kudos Yellow’ attracts hummingbirds and is drought tolerant once established. Habit: Upright, mounding. Zones: 5-10. Year available to growers: 2015; year available to retailers: 2016. For more:terranovanurseries.com

Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ PPAF

Deeper green foliage takes on a deep purple background in mid-summer deepening to dark purple and near black in some parts of the plant. Upright, 5 feet+ tall plants will stand out in the landscape, especially with other tall grasses. Full sun, average soil. For more:intrinsicperennialgardens.com

Andropogon ‘Dancing Wind’

‘Dancing Wind,’ presented by Emerald Coast Growers, bears green foliage that transforms to vivid red for autumn. Begins green, subtly mixes soft red with the green for summer, becomes dark red for fall and then scarlet after frost. It reaches 6 feet tall and prefers full sun. Drought tolerant and a great addition to native or grass plantings. Hardy in Zones 3-9. For more:ecgrowers.com

Windwalker® big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii ‘P002S’

A regal, upright ornamental grass selected for its powdery blue foliage that turns plum/purple in September when burgundy plumes wave high in the air. Columnar form makes it ideal for both residential and commercial applications. Selected by Sunscapes Nursery. This selection has beautiful form, foliage and flowers from early summer through fall. Grows 6 feet tall by 2 feet wide in full sun and moderate to dry conditions. Hardy to USDA Zones 5-8. For more:plantselect.org

Aronia Low Scape™ Mound

As cute as a button, yet tough as nails, this remarkable new dwarf Aronia could be the closest thing to the perfect landscape plant. Adaptable to wet or dry soils, this little beauty has dark glossy foliage, loads of white flowers in May, purplish-black fruit in summer and intense red autumn foliage with a touch of orange. The perfect plant for mass planting. Zone 3. Grows 1-2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Available to retailers spring 2017. For more:springmeadownursery.com

Buxus microphylla ‘MonAlex’ P.P.A.F. Petite Pillar™ Dwarf Boxwood

An exceptional new dwarf boxwood with a natural columnar form. Perfect for creating a hedge or accent in tight spaces, requiring little to no shearing to keep its neat shape. Lustrous, evergreen foliage is easily clipped into formal topiary shapes. Widely adaptable in the landscape and well-suited to containers. For more:www.monrovia.com

Callicarpa Pearl Glam™ beautyberry

A whole new look to Callicarpa. No longer just a plant for autumn berry color, this new hybrid has attractive purple foliage to provide season long color. White flowers and large purple-violet berries add to the attraction. This vigorous, upright plant looks neat in a container and the garden. Developed by Dr. Tom Ranney of NCSU. Zone 5. Grows 4-5 feet tall and wide. Available to retailers spring 2017. For more:springmeadownursery.com

Campanula ‘Iridescent Bells’

Light lavender flowers bloom heavily all summer long on this plant. ‘Iridescent Bells’ is a non-seeding variety that won’t become invasive in gardens and landscapes. Its tidy habit makes it a nice patio container item – great for smaller beds and mid-borders, too. This reliable, easy-to-finish hybrid blooms a long time for a longer market window and better sell-through. The plant has beautiful eggplant-colored flower buds and light lavender flowers. Hardy in Zones 5-8. For more:www.darwinperennials.com

Campanula Rapido Blue; Campanula Rapido White

Rapido delivers good young plant vigor while maintaining a compact habit. Very short harvest window. It’s a showy spring perennial with versatile use: well suited to patio planters, gardens, or an indoor potted plant. Ideal for high-volume bench run pot plant programs for 4-inch pots or gallons. Hardy in Zones 3-9. For more:kieftseed.com

Carex oshimensis EverColor® ‘Eversheen’ PPAF

A fresh breeze is blowing through your garden. It gives you energy. It boosts your mood. That’s EverColor Carex Eversheen. This sedge is bred for the distinctive foliage with a lime yellow center and deep green margins and strong rooting system.16 inches by 16 inches. Zone 5a. Ideal for mixed containers, living walls or as solitary. For more:conceptplants.com

Clematis hybrid ‘Blue Jeanne’ PPAF

The clear blue color is like no other in the clematis world. Very rich and free-flowering and non-stop from May to September. Flower diameter of 4½ inches. Cold hardy, Zone 3-9. Introduced by German breeder F.M. Westphal. Available to finishing growers from Roseville Farms for order now for delivery early spring 2017. For more:prideofplaceplants.com

Clematis Madame Maria™

Elegant and easy to grow. This extremely floriferous, highly doubled, white-flowered clematis is covered with spherical or semispherical, 5- to 6-inch flowers that take on hues of fresh green during cool weather. The flowers come rapidly from June to July on old wood, and again in later summer on new wood. Winner of Green is Life Gold Medal, Plantarium Press Prize and Plantarium Bronze Medal. Zone 4. Grows 5-7 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Available to retailers spring 2017. For more:springmeadownursery.com

Clematis hybrid ‘Passion Plum’

This PPAF-approved clematis from famous breeder F.M. Westphal of Germany features an abundance huge plum flowers on a compact vine. It’s a lovely complement to a collection of F.M. Westphal’s other fine clematis. Flower size 5 inches, flower period May through September, height max 5 feet, Zone 3-9 cold hardy, culture is good for container or garden. For more:prideofplaceplants.com

Coreopsis ‘Lightning Bug’

The brightly colored coreopsis is covered with large, red-eyed, gold flowers. The flowers cover the top of the low, compact habit. It is mildew resistant and loved by bees and butterflies. Habit: Mounding. Zones 5-10. Available to growers, 2015; available to retailers, 2016. For more:terranovanurseries.com

Cornus florida ‘Flamoz’ Flaming Moon™ Variegated Dogwood

Selected from a native, this vigorous small ornamental tree sports variegated cream and green leaves. Typical white dogwood flowers appear in spring on the 20 foot high and 15 foot wide silhouette. Foliage takes on red, pink and burgundy hues in the fall. Vibrant fall color and brilliant red stems make this Zone 5 tree a multi-season winner. Available 2015 to growers, 2017 at retail. For more:upshoothort.com

Daphne odora ‘Monstrik’ P.P.A.F. Moonlight Parfait®

An exceptional new variety with unique variegated foliage, each leaf having a double-wide, creamy yellow edge. Rosy-pink flower buds open to white, sweetly fragrant flowers, from winter to early spring. A great foundation plant for the dappled shade garden. Beautifully featured against a wall or near a patio or deck where its fragrance can be appreciated. Evergreen. Zone 7-9. For more:monrovia.com

Delosperma ‘Alan’s Apricot’ PPAF

A new softly-hued apricot/orange form of hardy ice plant offering color nearly all summer long. In our trials at Colorado State University, ‘Alan’s Apricot’ proved to be longer-blooming (from spring through early fall) and more adaptable to a wider range of conditions than some of the other delospermas. Brought to Plant Select by Alan Tower of Tower Nursery, Spokane Wash. 1-2 feet tall by 12-18 inches wide. Grows in full sun to part shade in dry conditions. Zones 4-9. For more:plantselect.org

Delosperma Jewel of Desert Opal (‘DSAB13-1’) PPAF

This new generation of Delosperma has an extremely long flowering period from spring to first frost. Opal is the newest addition to the Jewel of Desert series and has bright fuchsia flower color. 4 inches by 20 inches. Zone 6b-9. Drought tolerant so the consumer can go on vacation for three weeks without worrying about watering the plant. For more:conceptplants.com

Delosperma Red Mountain® Flame ice plant, PWWG02S

This new hybrid selection is a tough, vigorous cold-hardy form with large, blazing orange-red flowers in late spring and early summer. Selected for superior flower size (nearly 2 inches wide), unusual flower color and attractive habit from an evaluation plot of seedlings by David Salman of Waterwise Gardening, Santa Fe, N.M. Its small, deep green, succulent leaves are evergreen. More adaptable, more vigorous (both for growers and consumers) and larger flowers than the original Red Mountain® iceplant (D. ‘Psdold’). Grows 1-2 inches tall by 12-24 inches wide in full sun to part shade in dry conditions. Zones 4-9. For more:plantselect.org

First Editions® Cinnamon Girl™ Distylium (Distylium ‘PIIDIST-V’ PPAF)

Distylium provides a great alternative for boxbood, cherry laurel, hollies and Indian hawthorn that are more susceptible to disease and insects. This newest introduction into the Distylium family, Cinnamon Girl™, is a small leaf selection with a refined, compact shape. In addition to its wonderful size and plum-purple new growth, Cinnamon Girl™ is showing to be the most cold-hardy, coming through the difficult Georgia winter of 2015 with no burn or dieback. 2-3 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. It does best in full sun to moderate shade with well-drained soil on the acid side, but is adaptable to tolerate drought, extreme heat and wet soil. Available to non-network growers/retailers in spring 2016 and to First Editions® Network Growers now. For more:baileynurseries.com

Echinacea Sombrero® Baja Burgundy; Echinacea Sombrero® Blanco

Beauty and brawn make this coneflower series shine. Strong and durable Sombrero promises super-full, super-compact, super-tough performance. No vernalization needed to bulk up fast. Gardeners will love its exceptional winter hardiness (Zones 4-9), its excellent branching, and of course the standout color. Sombrero also offers a lower input and production cost with spring planting. New Baja Burgundy has a rich color that deepens as blooms mature. Blanco is a crisp, clean white with overlapping petals. For more:darwinperennials.com

Festuca x ‘Cool As Ice’ PPAF

This blue fescue was selected for its lighter green spring emergence giving the plant a slight bi-color look and better heat tolerance in summer. Vigorous plants turn blue in summer. Flower stems reach 18 inches with foliage reaching 24 inches wide. Zones 4-8. Full sun to light shade, well-drained soil is best. For more:intrinsicperennialgardens.com

Geum x ‘Coppertone Punch’ PPAF

Semi-double orange flowers in May have shorter petals on top of the full size petals for a layered look. Saturated orange flowers on airy green stems 18 inches+ tall. Semi-evergreen hairy foliage on 10-inch by 12- to 15-inch clumps look good all season. Moist rich soil is ideal, but average soil is suitable. Full sun. For more:intrinsicperennialgardens.com

Heuchera ‘Blondie in Lime’

Heuchera ‘Blondie in Lime’ has lime green leaves and yellow green flowers blooming continuously all spring, summer, and fall. It is heat and humidity tolerant with great vigor. Habit: Mounding. Zones 4-9. Available to growers, 2015; available to retailers, 2016. For more:terranovanurseries.com

Tradewinds Hibiscus H2 Bali Sunrise (USPPAF)

A first for Tradewinds tropical hibiscus - double flowers. Showy 4½-inch to 5-inch orange blooms. Strong stems hold flowers upright with no flopping. Superior branching and high bud count provide color that just doesn’t quit. Perfect for containers or in the landscape. From Aris Keepsake Plants®. For more:keepsakeplants.com

Best Friend™ Hollywood Hibiscus™

The Hollywood Hibiscus Collection has it all, beautiful long-lasting blooms, glamorous green foliage, resistance to bacterial leaf spot and an amazing natural compact habit (5 feet by 4 feet max). Best Friend™ features unique tangerine petals with scarlet highlights and a luminescent pink center. For more:jberrynursery.com

Chatty Cathy™ Hollywood Hibiscus™

The Hollywood Hibiscus Collection has it all, beautiful long-lasting blooms, glamorous green foliage, resistance to bacterial leaf spot and an amazing natural compact habit (5’ x4’ max). Chatty Cathy™ features sunshine yellow petals with a cheerful pink center; she is sure to be the talk of the town. For more:jberrynursery.com

Hot Head™ Hollywood Hibiscus™

The Hollywood Hibiscus Collection has it all, beautiful long-lasting blooms, glamorous green foliage, resistance to bacterial leaf spot and an amazing natural compact habit. Hot Head™ features scarlet-red blooms with a velvety texture, she is sure to be the star of your landscape in spring, summer and fall. For more:jberrynursery.com

Party Crasher™ Hollywood Hibiscus™

The Hollywood Hibiscus Collection has it all, beautiful long-lasting blooms, glamorous green foliage, resistance to bacterial leaf spot and an amazing natural compact habit (5 feet by 4 feet max). Party Crasher™ features vivid, orange blooms with iridescent pink centers and is perfect for adding lush color to a tropical landscape or brightening a balcony. For more:jberrynursery.com

Tradewinds Hibiscus Pink Tortuga Wind (USPPAF)

Luminous, hot pink flowers brighten any patio or garden setting. Flowers are huge at 5¼ inches to 6 inches in diameter. Loads of buds are nestled in the healthy glossy, green foliage, providing abundant flowers all season long. Strong branching and compact habit. From Aris Keepsake Plants®. For more:keepsakeplants.com

First Editions® Summer Ruffle™ Hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Aarticus’ PPAF)

Summer Ruffle™ Hibiscus is a beautiful foliage plant with variegated blue-green leaves accented by creamy white margins. Beyond the fantastic foliage, dark pink to lavender single flowers bring added color in summer. Summer Ruffle™ Hibiscus is a fantastic small space or container garden plant, as it matures to only 3-4 feet tall and wide. Available to non-network growers/retailers in spring 2016 and to First Editions® Network Growers now. For more:baileynurseries.com

Firefly Hydrangea ‘HORCOS’ PPAF

Firefly Hydrangea is a new reblooming mophead variety with incredible bicolor petals that look like they’ve been painted. It has semi-double flowers and blooms all summer long. Its habit is very rounded; growing to 4 feet high and wide. Zone 6. For more:starrosesandplants.com

Hydrangea macrophylla Love (‘H19-17’)

Love is the first flowering hydrangea with double rosette-shaped flowers. Love starts off with little rosettes with light yellow hearts into large rosettes forming pink flowers. Love gets 4 feet high and wide. Zone 5a. Great as solitary, mass planting or in mixed containers. Available 2016. For more:conceptplants.com

Kniphofia ‘Poco Red’

Bred for short grassy leaves and a compact habit, ‘Poco Red’ is great for the small garden or for a mass-effect in the border. Flowers are coral-red and bloom all summer into fall. Habit: clumping. Zones 6-9. Available to growers in 2015; to retailers in 2016. For more:terranovanurseries.com

Koelreuteria paniculata ‘JFS-Sunleaf’ Summerburst® Goldenrain Tree

Symmetrical form, heat resistance and improved foliage quality recommend this selection of a time-tested city tree. Pinnately compound leaves are notably darker green and glossier than those of the species. Bright yellow flowers borne on upright stalks above the branches appear in summer and mature into long-lasting, pink-blushed, lantern-like seed capsules. Upright in youth, it forms a rounded canopy of approximately 30 feet by 30 feet at maturity. Discovered by Sunleaf Nursery of Northern Ohio. Zone 5. For more:jfschmidt.com

Lagerstroemia Enduring Summer™ Red Crape Myrtle ‘PILAG-V’ PPAF

Enduring Summer™ Red Crape Myrtle blooms prolifically in summer with bright red flowers. Berries begin to appear in July continuing the ornamental interest. It represents one color in a four color series. A tight rounded habit is maintained in the garden. Plants will rebloom again from a trim. Once established, it has low water needs. Grows to about 4-5 feet high and wide. Zones 6b-10. For more:starrosesandplants.com

Lavender Lace™ Black Diamond® Crape Myrtle

Introducing Lavender Lace™ the newest debut from the Black Diamond® Crape Myrtle Collection known for stunning black foliage crowned with masses of blooms. Lavender Lace™ is a heavy flowerer, resistant to mildew and cercospora leaf spot, and maintains its dark leaf color throughout the seasons without fading. Black Diamond® crape myrtles are hardy in Zones 7-10, behave as perennials in Zone 6, and can be used as annuals in Zone 2-5. With maximum growth of 10-12 feet tall and 8 feet wide, they serve as excellent borders along driveways and fences or colorful flowering hedges when pruned. Along with stunning foliage, beautiful blooms, and compact growth, these crape myrtles tolerate drought, and perform well in small gardens. For more:jberrynursery.com

First Editions® Ruffled Red Magic™ Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia ‘PIILAG-VII’ PPAF)

Ruffled Red Magic™ is the “holy grail” of crape myrtle breeding with intense, glowing red flowers against dark green foliage. The red flowers are distinctly different than the species, almost resembling the ruffles of a carnation. Highly resistant to leaf spot and powdery mildew. It matures to roughly 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide and prefers full sun for the best bloom potential. Its foliage turns orange-red in fall, and the upright habit has dense branching and re-blooms in late summer if the first flush of flowers is deadheaded. Great alternative to plants susceptible to cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew. Available to non-network growers/retailers spring 2016 and to First Editions® Network Growers now. For more:baileynurseries.com

Lobelia Starship Deep Rose

The Starship series is a good summer crop for landscape programs. It prefers higher temperatures, humidity and moisture. It has good germination and plug yield. The versatile series works well from 5-inch pots to higher-value 1- and 2-gallon containers. Starship Deep Rose is a fantastic bright color that performs well in both annual and perennial combos. It’s attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Zones 6-10. For more:kieftseed.com

Lonicera Yezberry® Maxie™

Large superfruit. This pure Japanese haskap variety has the largest fruit we’ve ever seen. The large, blue fruit is shaped like an olive. It is a large plant similar in shape to Yezberry® Solo™ haskap, giving very good yields and making harvesting easier. Requires another Yezberry selection for cross pollination and fruit set. Zone 3, 5-6 feet tall and wide. Available to retailers spring 2017. For more:springmeadownursery.com

Lonicera Yezberry® Solo™

Delicious superfruit. A pure Japanese haskap with very large, plump fruit on a large plant giving very good yields and making harvesting easier. This special selection is apomictic, meaning it will fruit without pollination; however, you get larger fruit and better yields if cross pollinated with Yezberry® Maxie™ haskap. Good for eating fresh or processing in to sauces, jams, or jellies. Zone 3, 5-6 feet tall and wide. Available to retailers spring 2017. For more:springmeadownursery.com

Malus ‘JFS-KW207’ Sparkling Sprite™ Crabapple

It’s pollinator heaven when masses of pink buds open to white flowers that smother the dense, rounded head of this dwarf crabapple. Summer foliage of this top-grafted, compact tree is especially clean and bright green. An abundant crop of tiny fruits persists well into winter, slowly turning from golden yellow to orange before being devoured by winter-hungry wildlife. Maturing to a height and spread of 12 feet, it attains a perfectly rounded head with minimum pruning. Thanks to Zone 4 hardiness and good heat and drought resistance, this is a widely adaptable and useful landscape tree as well as an excellent choice for container culture. For more:jfschmidt.com

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Ginger Love’

‘Ginger Love,’ presented by Emerald Coast Growers, features thick, dark red blooms over green mounding foliage. This gorgeous fountain grass waves red inflorescences from August into October. It reaches 2-3 feet tall and prefers full to part sun. Zones 6-9. For more:ecgrowers.com

Prunus ‘JFS-KW14’ First Blush™ Cherry

Double pink blooms crowd the branches of this very narrow, upright cherry in early spring, when pollinators and passersby are irresistibly drawn to its remarkably bright and fragrant floral display. Its breathtaking blooms give way to dark green, finely textured, disease resistant summer foliage that turns bright orange to orange red in autumn. Its upright, narrowly oval form and mature height and spread of 25 feet by 12 feet makes it a great fit for compact planting spaces as well as narrow streetscapes through Zone 5. For more:jfschmidt.com

Prunus ‘NCPH1’ Pink Cascade® Cherry

Bright pink flowers smother the branches of this gracefully weeping cherry, setting it apart from the popular white-blooming Snow Fountains® Cherry which it resembles in summer appearance. Developed at North Carolina State University where it has proven tolerant of heat and humidity, it also performs well in colder climates through Zone 5. This small and delicate garden tree is vigorous and easy to grow as it matures to an approximate height and spread of 12 feet. Dark green leaves are fine-textured and disease resistant. Fall color is bright orange. For more:jfschmidt.com

Pyrus ‘NCPX1’ Javelin® Pear

Unique foliage leafs out purple, and matures to bronze green in the heat of summer. Pink buds open to white flowers, and fall color is purple to maroon. Hardy through Zone 5, its form is tightly columnar and stays narrow as it matures to a height of 35 feet and spread of 10 feet. Strong branch attachment with open angles protects against storm damage. Developed at NCSU, this fireblight resistant pear is a great addition to the urban tree palette whether planted on narrow streets or used as a landscape exclamation point. For more:jfschmidt.com

Canyon Road™ Rose ‘Meiscarlebo’ PPAF

Canyon Road blooms with bright brick-red flowers on an attractive low mounding plant. The disease resistance is excellent and the foliage is dark green and very glossy which offsets the bright red color. It grows up to 2½ feet tall and spreads out generously with a bushy habit. Zones 5-11. Introduced January 2016. For more:starrosesandplants.com

Rosa Happy Trails™

At last, a true groundcover rose — Rainbow Happy Trails cover the ground with prostrate spreading branches of yellow-gold and pink and gold blossoms holding their color until the end of their bloom cycle. Then, the repeat bloom returns with another blast of color. Happy Trails also looks great in an urn as it displays its weeping form on a deck or patio. Introduced January 2016. For more:weeksroses.com

Rosa Pretty Lady Rose

The next gem in the Downton Abbey Garden Rose Collection boasts the best genetics from Weeks Roses’ hybridizer Christian Bedard. Not only does this classic dark pink beauty bloom from early spring to frost, but the disease resistance is superior among roses. Compact habit brings elegance in the garden or in a patio container. Introduced January 2016. For more:weeksroses.com

Shining Moment™ Rose ‘Radshining’ PPAF

Shining Moment™ is a slightly fragrant deep pink Floribunda rose with excellent disease resistance for the type. It blooms non-stop throughout the season and grows well on its own roots. It grows up to 4½ feet tall with a bushy habit and is hardy Zones 5-11. Introduced January 2016. For more:starrosesandplants.com

Rosa Smokin’ Hot

This fiery beauty sports dramatic blossoms of dark orange overlaid with purple smoke contrasted with a white reverse. This hybrid tea is a great vase rose, too, a veritable bouquet factory for your enjoyment. Smokin’ Hot exudes a fragrance of spices and tea that warms the garden as well as your home. Introduced January 2016. For more:weeksroses.com

Rosa Watercolors Home Run

An MVP has joined the Dream Team of Weeks’ Home Run landscape roses. Watercolors presents ever-changing yellow gold blushing pink flowers in floriferous bounty all season long. Landscape tough means extreme disease resistance and a well behaved habit keeping maintenance to a minimum. Great as a hedge or a stand alone specimen, this top performer will be the grand slam of the landscape. Introduced January 2016. For more:weeksroses.com

Sambucus nigra Black Tower ‘Eiffel01’ PP23,633 (Elderberry)

Black Tower Sambucus displays dark burgundy foliage and grows with a sturdy, upright habit. In the spring it blooms with striking two-tone pink flowers which will stand out sharply against the dark foliage. It grows to about 6-8 feet high by 3-4 feet wide and is hardy from Zones 4-7. It is a low water-needs variety once established. For more:starrosesandplants.com

Autumn Sapphire sage, Salvia reptans ‘P016S’

After four years of trials and selections, this superior form of West Texas sage was chosen for its compact and consistent growth habit. Glossy green, willowy leaves all season long are topped with clouds of small, sapphire-blue flowers through autumn. An excellent addition to water-wise gardens, plants will stay most compact with less water and in well-drained soils. Pollinator-friendly, this late-blooming native provides a rich nectar source when many other flowers have faded. Grows 18-24 inches tall and wide in full sun in dry to xeric conditions. Hardy to Zones 5-10. For more:plantselect.org

Scabiosa Flutter Deep Blue; Scabiosa Flutter Rose Pink

Darwin offers a new series of perennial Scabiosa that’s a must-have for 1-gallon programs. Flutter has a compact habit and shorter peduncles, making it easier to ship and show their large, colorful blooms. Their deeper colors and better habit draws in pollinators, and will soon become a favorite of perennial gardeners. Flutter has a long flowering window and is hardy in Zones 5-9. The series has high mildew resistance. Available in Deep Blue and Rose Pink. For more:darwinperennials.com

Sedum ellacombianum ‘Cutting Edge’ PPAF

Virtually static plants start with bright butter yellow edges with hints of pink in spring. Yellow edged, bright green foliage on mounding plants 6-8 inches tall and spreading 12 inches look good from spring to fall providing a bright contrasting plant for full sun to part shade. Well drained soil. For more:intrinsicperennialgardens.com

Sedum ‘Dark Magic’

Sedum ‘Dark Magic’ has amazing huge inflorescences, a short and very upright habit, glossy purple black leaves, dark pink flowers, and multiple crowns. In addition, this dwarf stonecrop has been remarkably healthy and long-lived. Habit: clumping, upright. Zones 4-9. Available to growers, 2015; available to retailers, 2016. For more:terranovanurseries.com

Sedum x ‘Pillow Talk’ PPAF

Substantial plants with hybrid vigor reach 24 inches tall and wide. Gray-green foliage is also larger held on rose colored stems and at times can have reddish edges. Large 5- to 6-inch flower heads of deep pink and magenta stand out from the crowd. Fall color of chartreuse and pink foliage too. Resistant to Rhizoctonia. Full sun to light shade, well drained soil is best. For more:intrinsicperennialgardens.com

First Editions® Pink Sparkler™ Spirea (Spiraea betulifolia ‘SPB2008-1’ PPAF)

Pink Sparkler™ is a great alternative to ‘Tor’ Spirea, as this new introduction as the similar foliage, but with pink flowers instead of white. In addition to the summer flowers, Pink Sparkler™ puts on another show in autumn, when new flowers are formed and bloom along the leaf axils of each stem. The fall blooms and stunning burgundy foliage sets the mood of a fall garden. Pink Sparkler™ has a great rounded mound habit of 3-4 feet tall and wide. This shrub requires only minimal pruning to keep its perfect shape. Like most spirea, Pink Sparkler™ requires very little to no additional maintenance. Available to non-network growers/retailers in spring 2016 and to First Editions® Network Growers now. For more:baileynurseries.com

Tsuga canadensis ‘MonJers’ P.P.A.F. Golden Duke™ Eastern Hemlock

Improved sun tolerance over other gold hemlock varieties makes it a perfect choice for woodland or rock garden. A sport from Golden Duchess™, this superb new conifer nearly glows with golden-yellow foliage on graceful, upright, pyramidal arching branches. A stunning container specimen offering year-round interest. Winter foliage is a bright yellow-orange. Evergreen. Zone: 4-8 For more:monrovia.com

Viburnum burejaeticum Mini Man™ dwarf Manchurian viburnum, ‘P017S’

Found in a seedling row of Manchurian viburnum at Valley Nursery in Helena, Mont., this compact form is a charming, easy-to-grow shrub. Introduced by Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery in Colorado, Mini Man™offers the same great features of the species: medium green, velvety leaves in summer, clusters of white flowers in spring, persistent red to blue-black fruit, all on a more compact plant. Native to Russia and northern China, Mini Man™ is an excellent smaller shrub for cold climates. Grows 4-6 inches tall and wide in full sun to part shade in moderate to dry conditions. Hardy to Zones 3-9. For more:plantselect.org

Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Shakaz’ Sharon Kay™ Doublefile Viburnum

Double rows of 3-inch snowball flowers appear along layered branches; in the right soil conditions it re-blooms two and even sometimes three times during the growing season. Foliage is darker green than the species and has red petioles. The quilt-like, textured foliage has an attractive burgundy fall color. This 8 foot by 8 foot shrub can also be limbed-up to provide a top-grafted, small tree appearance in the landscape. Hardy to Zone 5. The photo submitted was taken in Northeast Ohio in October during its third bloom cycle. Available 2015 to growers, 2017 at retail. This is the first time we’ve put this plant out in a trade publication. For more:upshoothort.com

First Editions® Blue Puffball™ Vitex (Vitex agnus castus ‘PIIVAC-II’ PPAF)

Blue Puffball™ fills the void of a compact Vitex with its genetically dwarf size. In addition to its perfect, ball shape, we are excited by Blue Puffball’s clean foliage, an improvement on the species, with minimal to no leaf spot. Blue Puffball™ matures to 3’ x 3’ and performs best in full sun. It blooms with deep purple, fragrant flowers from June through September. Hardy from Zone 6-9, it can perform as a dieback shrub in colder areas since flowers form on new growth. Vitex is extremely salt tolerant and adapts well to both acid and alkaline soils as long as the site is well drained. Available to non-network growers/retailers in spring 2016 and to First Editions® Network Growers now. For more:baileynurseries.com

Vitis rotundifolia RazzMatazz Grape

Selected first and foremost for its outstanding flavor, this revolutionary grape continuously produces grapes until frost. No fungicides needed. Razzmatazz is sweet, seedless, and selected with Southern markets in mind. Zones 6-9. Introduced January 2016. For more:weeksroses.com

Weigela Flamingo Pink (‘Bokrafour’)

Whoever loves flowers will love Flamingo Pink cardinal bush. Bright lime green fancy foliage ánd loaded with bright rose flowers all summer long. Flamingo Pink has a compact habit 30 inches by 30 inches and hardy in Zones 5a-10. Flamingo Pink is a magnet to bees. Available 2016. For more:conceptplants.com