This 'n That Thursdays: Picks of the Year 2016 (Part 2C)

From Ornamental News from Harris Seeds

This is my final post on 2016 plant picks of the year.  All-America Selections is a nonprofit organization whose mission statement is "To promote new garden varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America".  Each year they test new, unsold cultivars of garden plants and select the best as AAS Winners in both National and Regional categories.  After they publish this list of winners, their selections become available for distribution and purchase as seeds or young plants from most gardening sources.  This year there are 12 winners, so let's get started and take a look, beginning with the National Winners:

Geranium 'Brocade Cherry Night'

Geranium 'Brocade Cherry Night' is heat tolerant with cherry-pink semi-double blooms and bronze foliage with green margins.

Geranium 'Brocade Fire'

Geranium 'Brocade Fire' has bicolor foliage and semi-double orange flowers.

Japanese Mustard Red Kingdom F1

The Japanese mustard, or mizuna, is a first for AAS.  Japanese Mustard Red Kingdom F1 has vibrant reddish-purple foliage.  This edible green is eaten raw or cooked, and can also be used as an ornamental in the garden.

Pepper Cornito Giallo F1

Pepper Cornito Giallo F1 is an early bloomer with plentiful sweet, bright yellow fruits that have exceptional flavor.

Pepper Escamillo F1

Pepper Escamillo F1 is another early bloomer with sweet, golden yellow peppers of exceptional flavor.  I think I would plant both this one and the Pepper Cornito Giallo F1 to compare their qualities!

Strawberry Strawberry Delizz F1

Strawberry Strawberry Delizz F1 is a vigorous, uniform, and compact plant that produces abundant sweet berries throughout the growing season.

Tomato Candyland Red

Tomato Candyland Red is a tidy plant with tiny, dark red, sweet currant tomatoes that are perfect for fresh salads.

Tomato Chef's Choice Green F1

Tomato Chef's Choice Green F1 produces full-sized green and yellow striped tomatoes with a citrus-like flavor and pleasing texture.

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In addition to these eight National Winners, there were four Regional Winners selected by AAS:

Salvia Summer Jewel Lavender

Salvia Summer Jewel Lavender is a compact plant that blooms early and continuously.  The flowers are a dusty lavender purple, and in the fall the seeds are especially attractive to goldfinches.  This annual did best in the Southeast, Heartland, and Great Lakes regions.

Bunching Onion Warrior

Bunching (or Green) Onion Warrior is quick-growing and early-maturing, and will hold its crisp texture and slender shape longer in the garden than most other varieties.  This onion did best in the Southeast and Mountain/Southwest regions.

Pumpkin Super Moon F1

Pumpkin Super Moon F1 is a large decorative variety with fruits that are a clear white color and relatively blemish-free.  The plants are hardy and disease-resistant, and the yellow flesh can be used for cooking.  Pumpkin Super Moon F1 did best in the Southeast and Great Lakes regions.

Radish Sweet Baby F1

Radish Sweet Baby F1 is a purple/white/rose-colored radish with uniform size and excellent flavor that grows quickly.  This variety did best in the Southeast and Great Lakes regions.

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This post (finally!) ends my series on Picks of the Year 2016.  I hope you found a few new plants of interest (as well as colors and flavors).  It's time now to start planning that spring garden, as spring really is not so far off (at least here in the South)!