February 2023 - 56

VAUGHN'S VIEW
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9. SALVIA 'BLUE CHILL'
Ball FloraPlant
When I visit a trial, my attention
is consistently attracted to the most
eye-catching variety in the trial, and
this was the case in my visit at the
Costa Premier spring trial. The new
interspecific salvia 'Blue Chill', with its
light blue flowers and prolific flower
canopy rising above the foliage,
grabbed my attention immediately.
It is a sport of 'Mystic Spires' with a
taller, upright habit and similar flower
timing. The prolific inflorescences
are long with multiple branching, and
the light blue hue was consistent and
stable throughout the summer season.
It received high performance ratings
at Penn State and Young's Plant Farm.
This is a low-maintenance, heat- and
drought-tolerant selection, and a
pollinator magnet with application in
large patio containers and landscape
sites. The Ball FloraPlant salvia
portfolio is extensive with multiple
interspecific and guaranitica varieties
available for multi production
application. The accompanying
photograph is from the RakerRoberta's
trial in mid-August 2022.
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FEBRUARY 2023 GPNMAG.COM
10. PETUNIA 'SUPERTUNIA
MINI VISTA YELLOW'
Proven Winners
The Supertunia Mini Vista series
added three new varieties for 2023:
Midnight, Scarlet and Yellow. All three
were exceptional throughout the
summer, but I was enamored of the
new Yellow in the early trials at Costa
last February and throughout the
country as the season progressed.
The optical power and significance of
the color yellow cannot be overstated.
It is the first color to jump out at a
distance. This new Mini Vista Yellow
was brilliant in all the summer trials,
manifesting luminous, vivid, stable and
bright flowers. There are eight Proven
Winners recipes for 2023 with the new
Vista Yellow as a component. There are
now nine varieties in this quintessential
series and the new Yellow is the earliest
flowering variety. The attributes of
the Mini Vista series are self cleaning,
dense branching, vigor, floriferous,
and heat, humidity, and rain tolerance.
This is a series that goes the distance
year after year and is outstanding as a
filler or spiller component in containers
and baskets with added landscape
application in beds. The accompanying
photograph is from the RakerRoberta's
basket trial in August 2022.
11. VERBENA 'LASCAR
BLUE+WHITE'
Selecta One
The three new Lascar verbena
introductions by Selecta were
exceptional in all the trials in
which they were entered; I think
it is important to highlight 'Lascar
Blue+White' with its polychromatic
light violet, blue, and white petals. I
was impressed by the eye-catching
flowers, the color retention throughout
the summer, the flower size and
the outstanding heat tolerance.
The accompanying photograph
from the Penn State trial on Aug.
31, 2022, demonstrates the heat
tolerance and enduring summer
performance of this variety.
12. VINCA 'TATTOO ORANGE'
PanAmerican Seed
This is undoubtedly the most
unique novelty vinca series in the
industry, and it has been expanded
with 'Tattoo Orange' for 2023. This
new selection, striking with its orange
petals and dark centers, was in
multiple regional trials. The series
consists of six tropical colors that offer
bold and distinctive flower patterns,
creating exceptional and impactful
components for sun containers. In the
retail environment, the Tattoo varieties
are most impressive when displayed
together to compare and contrast the
diverse color range. The accompanying
photograph is from the Metrolina
trial in late August 2022.
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February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2023
