Saturday, August 30, 2003

By Susan Banks

A tough red cockscomb, an early yellow melon and a mounding petunia are among the plants honored as 2004 All-America Selections.

The 71-year-old seed-testing organization recently announced seven winners, all tested at trial grounds across the United States and judged superior to comparable varieties. In addition to earning an AAS award, the cockscomb (Celosia plumosa) 'Fresh Look Red' also won a Gold Medal, given for a breeding breakthrough. Here are this year's winners, all available in 2004 catalogs:

Flowers

Cockscomb (Celosia plumosa) 'Fresh Look Red' looks like a fresh floral arrangement all summer. Thriving in heat and humidity with drought or rainy conditions, it decorates a garden or patio container with rosy-red blooms. It won the gold medal for its consistent performance with minimal maintenance and pest-free growth. When grown in full sun, the plants mature at 12 to 18 inches in height and spread 12 to 20 inches. The flowers can be cut and dried for everlasting bouquets. 'Fresh Look Yellow' also will be available.

Hollyhock 'Queeny Purple' is the shortest Alcea rosea and the first purple hollyhock available as a single color, not part of a mixture. The frilly edged blooms are a powder-puff type with a cushion center. They measure 3 to 4 inches and are produced abundantly on the compact, branching plants. The plant matures to about 20 to 30 inches. It will flower from first-year February or March sowing.

Bedding plants

Baby's breath (Gypsophila muralis) 'Gypsy Deep Rose' is an annual with dainty, rose-like blooms. The dark rose-colored flower is double and semi-double and is a larger size, up to 3/8 of an inch. This baby's breath produces a higher number of blooms over a longer flowering season. 'Gypsy Deep Rose' forms a mound with the height of 8 to 10 inches and spreading from 12 to 14 inches. The plant prefers full sun and adapts to container culture. It is easily grown from seed or bedding plants.

Petunia F1 'Limbo Violet' differs from all other single grandiflora petunias as a unique combination of large flowers on a compact plant. The habit is restricted. 'Limbo Violet' becomes a mound that at times is completely covered in blossoms. The ultimate plant size is only 6 to 7 inches tall, spreading 10 to 12 inches. The dark violet blooms are 3 inches or larger and recover quickly from severe weather. No pinching is necessary.

Vegetables

Melon F1 'Amy' produced earlier and with a higher yield when grown next to similar "canary"-type melons. The bright yellow color indicates it is ready for harvest and it has smooth skin without netting or sutures. A small seed cavity is surrounded by moist, white flesh noted for its sweet flavor and firm texture. 'Amy' produces melons in 70 to 80 days from transplanting. The vigorous, spreading vines need 6 feet of garden space or can be trained up a trellis.

Winter Squash F1 'Sunshine' is a new squash that outshined other varieties. The vibrant orange-red skin is distinctive and the bright orange flesh is sweet, nutty, creamy smooth and completely stringless when baked, steamed or microwaved. The 3- to 4-pound fruit is a flattened globe shape. 'Sunshine' is adaptable to any growing location as long as the growing season is 80 to 95 days. Expect mature squash in about 95 to 100 days from sowing seed or 80 days from transplants. The short vines need 6 to 8 feet in the full-sun garden.

Watermelon F1 'Sweet Beauty' offers consistently sweet flavor and crisp texture. It was praised by AAS judges for its superior eating qualities. 'Sweet Beauty' melons are 5 to 7 pounds, and oblong in shape with dark green skin and medium green stripes. It is described as an "ice box" type, which means 'Sweet Beauty' is a single-serving size. 'Sweet Beauty' melons can be harvested in about 77 to 80 days from sowing seed directly into the garden. The vigorous plant spreads about 8 to 10 feet.

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