Horticulture: Extension: Gold Medal Plants

2001 Gold Medal Winners at a Glance

• Summer annual with trailing, vine-like growth 12 inches high, spreading up to 10-12 feet.
• Two main types:
  • Blackie -- dark purple, almost black foliage
  • Margarita -- chartreuse foliage
• Trailing growth habit; excellent heat tolerance.
• Excellent contrast to purple wave petunia.
• Works well in the lanscape, in hanging baskets or in raised planters.
• 'Tricolor' also available - shades of pink, magenta and green.
• Edible but not very tasty.
• Prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
• Plant in late spring, fertilizing with 10-10-10 at planting and twice during the season.
• Cuttings root easily

• Herbaceous perennial growing to 18 inches high with equal spread.
• Autumn Fern has arching, fine-textured fronds with coppery-red new growth.
• Truly evergreen, providing year-round interest.
• Very tough plant, excellent for naturalized areas.
• Ice and snow may burn foliage but should not kill it.
• Prefers filtered shade and moist, well-drained soil high in organic matter.
• Make one application of 16-4-8 or like fertilizer in early spring.
• As for pruning, remove cold-damaged fronds in early spring.

• Evergreen shrub growing 6-8 feet tall and equally as wide.
• Round to oval growth habit with lustrous green leaves.
• Birds love the black berry-like fruit in late fall hanging on until spring.
• Inkberry tolerates poorly drained soils very well.
• Native to Georgia; current cultivars include 'Nigra,' 'Georgia Wine,' 'Compacta,' and 'UGA.'
• Great background plant for perennial borders.
• Works well in low-maintenance naturalized areas.
• Spreads by rhizomes, taking on a clumpy appearance.
• Prefers moist, acid soil.
• Can be pruned to form hedge but looks better natural.

• Deciduous small tree growing to 15-20 feet high with equal spread.
• Prefers full sun to partial shade; tolerant of most soils.
• If you like crape myrtle, you'll love chastetree.
• Tough, heat and drought tolerant, cold hardy, relatively pest free.
• Flowers in May and June; blue, lavender, pink or white panicles.
• Will repeat bloom in late summer if you remove seed clusters after first blooming.
• Looks great trained to multi-trunk small tree.
• Fertilize in early spring as new growth begins (Osmocote).
• Prune in late winter to shape/trim.

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