AAS Winners for 2007

AAS Flower Award Winner: Celosia 'Fresh Look Gold'
Correctly named, these plants look as fresh in September as they did when planted in the spring. ‘Fresh Look Gold’ plants are embellished with bright golden plumes that remain colorful all season, not “browning” with maturity. Since the plumes remain attractive, there is no reason to deadhead and no pest problems are expected, thus ‘Fresh Look Gold’ needs little maintenance in a sunny garden. It is a carefree annual useful in formal or informal gardens. The golden plumes can be woven into a garden bed like a living tapestry because the plumes have a soft layered texture. ‘Fresh Look Gold’ proved to be heat, humidity and rain tolerant in AAS Trials across North America. Plants will grow to a height of one foot. This celosia is one of the best annuals for season-long performance.

AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner: ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’
Iridescent pink blooms are the unique feature of this vigorous trailing petunia. A silvery shine causes blooms to shimmer, capturing an admirer’s attention from a distance. The 2.5-inch flowers are pink, shading to creamy white in the center, with a yellow throat. These three colors on a bloom are named a “morn” type. ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’ plants have many qualities that every gardener wants to find. Plants are continuously flowering. Gardeners can relax and let the plants do what comes naturally - flower. The hybrid plants are capable of growing three feet in sunny locations. This spreading quality covers garden soil and can choke weeds beautifully. Plants attain a height of only 4 to 6 inches. ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’ can be relied on for exceptional garden performance without pruning or deadheading. Less work enables gardeners more leisure time in the garden.

AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner: Vinca ‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’

‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’ is the first vinca (Catharanthus roseus) with a burgundy halo surrounding a large white center. This bicolor bloom is a vivid contrast, exceptionally visible in an annual garden. Early flowering with a well balanced plant form, ‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’ is highly recommended for spring or summer plantings. With proven heat and drought tolerance, the garden performance of ‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’ is assured. In a full sun garden location, these vinca plants will reach a foot tall and wide when mature. Due to the ease of growing and continuous flowering, ‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’ is perfectly suitable for any garden or patio planters that receive sun. Because Vinca needs less water than other annuals, planting ‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’ in containers means fewer trips with the hose to water. Gardeners can rely on ‘Pacifica Burgundy Halo’ to provide color all summer without pinching or tending to plant maintenance.

AAS Vegetable Award Winner: Pepper F1 ‘Holy Molé’
‘Holy Molé’ is a memorable name and the plant will provide a memorable harvest of peppers. It is the first hybrid pasilla-type pepper (Capsicum annuum), which is used to make the famous molé sauce. ‘Holy Molé’ showed improved vigor, earliness and considerably higher yield than the comparisons in side-by-side trials. A reason for the higher yield is the virus resistances bred into the variety. ‘Holy Molé’ is resistant to two common viruses that stunt plants and reduce pepper production. The immature green peppers are 7 to 9 inches long and can be harvested in about 85 days from transplanting. If fruit is left on the plant, they will mature to a dark chocolate color. The pepper flavor is nutty and tangy. Mature plants are 3 feet tall; a perfect size for patio containers. ‘Holy Molé’ is easily grown in a sunny location and thrives on summer heat.