Canby, Ore. – Terra Nova Nurseries, a world leader in plant breeding, has released today select lists of best-of-breeding varieties for five growing attribute categories, including “Bigger and Better Foliage,” “Humidity Resistance,” “Sun-Loving,” “Shade-Loving,” and “Compact Growth Habit.” These varieties were bred by Terra Nova’s team of breeders and horticulturalists to address common problems in the landscape and garden as well as to inform finishing growers, retailers and landscapers about varieties for a wide range of growing and zone conditions.
Terra Nova’s innovations in plant breeding have led to many new varieties possessing improved plant traits and attributes. These variety enhancements stem from Terra Nova’s ability to breed new performance-focused varieties and identify, select and revamp prior cultivars with valuable traits that are desired by consumers.
“Our annual Plant Attributes Varieties Lists include our breeders’ trialed suggestions of just a few top-performing varieties across key categories we find are important to the Horticulture Industry and consumers alike,” says Chuck Pavlich, Director of New Product Development at Terra Nova Nurseries.
A shortlist of varieties bred by Terra Nova that made this year’s “Bigger and Better Foliage” list includes Acanthus ‘Whitewater’, Begonia T-REX™ ‘Ruby Slippers’ and Centaurea ‘Snowy Owl’. These plants were chosen for the list by Terra Nova due to the unique sizes, shapes and textures of their foliage.
Echinacea KISMET® ‘White’, Heuchera GRANDE™ ‘Black’ and Heucherella ‘Peach Tea’ were chosen by Terra Nova as “Humidity Resistance” list-makers for 2023. Each of these varieties was bred by Terra Nova horticulturalists to exude excellent summer durability, thriving with high amounts of moisture in the air. This enhanced growing attribute makes them ideal bedding and container plants for hot climates.
Varieties, such as Terra Nova’s Heuchera ‘Obsidian’, Pulmonaria ‘Silver Scimitar’ and Dicentra ‘Amore Titanium’, demonstrate the company’s effectiveness in breeding for improved sun tolerance. These plants achieved 2023 “Sun-Loving” list status with high marks at the Terra Nova Trial Garden in Canby, Oregon, and at other trial locations across the United States. The varieties showcase unmatched tolerance to high amounts of sunlight, allowing themselves to flourish in even the sunniest of landscapes and gardens.
Brunnera ‘Alexandria’, Dicentra ‘White Gold’ and Pulmonaria ‘Raspberry Splash’ topped off the Terra Nova “Shade-Loving” list for the year. These list-makers were specified as strong examples of Terra Nova’s breeding team’s exceptional strides in breeding for shade tolerance to create plants that offer a substantial benefit over other varieties in low-light areas. The shade-loving varieties make for perfect additions to any woodland, shade garden or landscape in low-light areas.
Exceptional varieties bred and chosen for the 2023 “Compact Growth Habit” list include Agastache POQUITO™ ‘Butter Yellow’, Coreopsis ‘Citrine’ and Sedum ‘Birthday Party’. Terra Nova bred each of these varieties to address common issues with many untidy, unkempt and spreading plants found in the landscape or garden.
“This year’s top “Compact Growth Habit” varieties from Terra Nova display mounding growth habits, allowing compact foliage that does not separate, which makes them well-suited for plantings, borders and mixed beds where space is a concern or when an orderly landscape look is desired,” said Pavlich.
Terra Nova Nurseries’ catalog of more than 1,000 varieties and numerous collections allows the company’s licensees and customers to find the best varieties categorized by a wide range of growing attributes. This is achieved through Terra Nova’s creative and innovative breeding efforts and a sense of current and upcoming trends in the horticulture and home gardening industries. Learn more about Terra Nova Nurseries: www.terranovanurseries.com.
