Horticulture: Extension: Gold Medal Plants

1995 Gold Medal Winners

A continuous season-long display of deep-blue flowers helped earn Salvia guaranitica the title "Georgia Gold Medal Winner." Mature, established plants can produce several thousand nectar-producing flowers that strongly attract hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies.

Salvia guaranitica is a trouble-free selection, growing upright to five feet with a spread of two to four feet. The plant is classified as a semi-hardy perennial and is reportedly winter hardy as far north as Southern Tennessee. It overwinters easily in Athens, Atlanta and areas further South. Full sun and well-drained soils are essential for Salvia guaranitica , although plants tolerate late afternoon shade. Insufficient sun, or excess fertility reduces the number of flowers produced and causes much taller and more brittle growth. Soils having a moderate pH, between 5.6 and 7.4, and enriched with organic matter provide the best growth.

In the landscape, plant Salvia guaranitica 18 to 24 inches apart and apply a complete, balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 at planting time. As with other salvias, dead-heading or removing old flowers as they fade will encourage additional blooms. If Salvia guaranitica begins to decline in floral display at any time, simply cut the plant back by one-third to one-half and it will branch and re-bloom. Few pests affect Salvia guaranitica . Crowding and over-fertilization seem to be the most common mistake growers and landscapers report.

Salvia guaranitica may be propagated from two to three-inch terminal cuttings any time of the year. The cuttings will root without hormone. Once rooted, apply no more than 100-150 ppm nitrogen. Pinching rooted cuttings will encourage branching and fuller plants. Pinch container-grown plants every three to four weeks.

Mounds of glowing gold is the best way to describe Lantana 'New Gold' in the landscape. This "Gold Medal Winner," with its profuse display of golden yellow flowers, is projected to be the choice plant for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Durability is another asset in that the plant is tolerant of heat and wet weather. It attracts hordes of butterflies and is highly resistant to deer browsing.

Lantana 'New Gold' prefers full sun and is excellent for sunny borders, embankments or cascading from a hanging basket. The golden yellow flowers are best showcased by deep blue plants such as Salvia guaranitica ( planted behind), or Scaveola 'Blue Wonder' (planted in front). Lantana 'New Gold' may be considered a semi-hardy annual and may come back after mild winters if mulched well for cold protection. In North Georgia, however, it is best used as an annual.

Lantana 'New Gold' continued to flower in Albany, Georgia after 10 inches of rain and the floods of 1994, and it remained handsome during the drought of 1993.

Lantana 'New Gold' has few pest and disease problems. Once established, it grows rapidly, forming a dense mound 12 to 18-inches across. An 18 to 24-inch spacing between plants is recommended. It blooms consistently from April until the first frost and requires no dead-heading.

Propagation of Lantana 'New Gold' is easy. Tip cuttings with at least three nodes root readily in four to five weeks. Rooting hormone will increase production slightly. Stock plants can be grown in the greenhouse and cuttings propagated year-round. Pinching plants seven to eight weeks into productiuon will promote branching and improve salability.

Lantana 'New Gold' is a winner in the Georgia landscape. Its adaptabilty, durability and season-long performance under low-maintenance conditions make it worthy of the 1995 Georgia Gold Medal Award.

The 1995 Georgia Gold Medal Award Winner is a magnificent June-July flowering shrub ideally suited to shady, moist areas of the garden. The plant averages three to five feet in height, 4 to 6 feet in width. The ultimate form is a broad-mound of unbranched stems and large three to eight inch long dark green leaves. The plant is a heavy feeder and should be fertilized in late winter with 10-10-10 to promote vigorous growth and large flowers. There are no serious insects and diseases, a feature that contributes to its garden-friendly nature.

Flowers develop on new growth of the season, so pruning, if practiced, should be initiated before new growth occurs. Prune the branches within 12 inches of the soil or simply remove old stems and lightly tip-prune others. Regardless of methodology, abundant flowers will be formed at the end of the shoots. The green buds are generally evident in May to early June and pass through the apple green ('Granny Smith') color to white, again light green, and age to straw brown. The entire floral metamorphosis spans a six- to eight-week period. Flowers can be dried by collecting in the latter stage of maturation, removing leaves, tying in bundles by the stem ends and allowing to dry. Dried flowers develop an oatmeal color and have persisted (no shattering) up to 10 years.

Annabelle's flowers are composed of showy sepals (not petals) arranged in broad-rounded, symmetrical inflorescence (corymb). The inflorescences range from (4) 6 to 12 inches in diameter. With abundant rainfall, they will flop and may require staking. If the old flowers are removed by late June-early July, a second flowering occurs in August-September, but the flowers are smaller.

The medium to dark green leaves may develop respectable lemon-yellow fall color when environmental conditions are perfect.

'Annabelle' should be utilized in shady areas of the garden, preferably in groupings or masses. Under trees, it makes a terrific color splash. When combined with other shade-loving perennials and shrubs, exciting tapestries result. Loropetalum, Michelia, Osmanthus, other Hydrangea species, Illicium, Daphne, Fothergilla and Sarcococca make aesthetic partners.

'Annabelle' was discovered by two ladies who were riding horses near Anna, Illinois. They noticed the uniqueness of the flowers and brought the plant back to their garden in Anna. The two Belles and the town of Anna resulted in the cultivar name. For nursery producers, 'Annabelle' is extremely easy to propagate from softwood cuttings using 1000 ppm IBA-talc or liquid quick dip and mist. Cuttings root in 2 to 4 weeks and can be shifted to one-gallon or larger containers. It is necessary to prune young plants to increase density. Additionally, it requires considerable moisture during the production phase, for leaves display the "dog-eared" syndrome under drought stress.

Athena® is the first in a series of world-class shade and ornamental trees that will revolutionize tree planting in the Southeast and nation. This unique selection of the lacebark elm offers a broad-rounded, compact outline and leathery, lustrous dark green foliage that is densely carried at the ends of the fine branches. In leaf, the tree has the appearance of a dark green cloud. The bark is quite spectacular and exfoliates in puzzle-like patterns that expose light gray and gray-green to orangish-brown colors.

This particular selection has been propagated, laboratory cold-hardiness tested, and grown in locales from New Jersey to Texas and Oregon. The feedback has been outstanding, and the plant is now being commercially produced by licensed growers across the United States.

Athena® is a superior small tree for street and urban plantings but also meshes with residential landscapes because of its aesthetic qualities, freedom from insects and diseases, lack of messiness, and smaller size. The 40 year-old parent tree is approximately 35 feet high and 50 feet wide. It will make a supurb small shade tree.

Athena® is easy to transplant and can be successfully summer-dug, a feature not common to most shade trees. Also, it is produced in 5- to 15-gallon containers, which assures availability from retail garden centers.

Nurserymen interested in growing the tree should contact Athena Trees, Inc., 3920 Bold Springs Road, Monroe, GA 30655; Phone 404-688-6881. Athena® is patented and trademarked, and as such, cannot be grown without an agreement from the patent holder.

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