For the first time ever, three major industry non-profits have joined forces to promote a plant class and specific variety, all in unison, and for good reason.
For All-America Selections, one of the first perennial winners from their 3-winter trial is Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’
For National Garden Bureau, their 2023 perennial of the year is the Year of the Rudbeckia.
For Perennial Plant Association, their 2023 Perennial Plant of the Year is ‘American Gold Rush’
This means the time is right for brokers, growers and retailers to all take advantage of this “Triple Crown of Horticulture” and use the free promotional programs to promote an iconic American garden plant, the rudbeckia, and specifically ‘American Gold Rush.’
The interest in rudbeckias is booming, the products are available, and the chatter is at an all-time high for this plant.
All-America Selections judges grew and evaluated ‘American Gold Rush’ for three years with resulting comments such as:
- ” I believe this is one of the very best rudbeckias I’ve ever trialed and one of the very best perennials as well.”
- “Was very attractive in the perennial garden with nice full bloom coverage late in the season.”
- “Great habit and longevity.”
- “Would make an excellent addition to a yard, especially in any sort of mass planting.”
- ” The foliage texture, plant habit, and flower show are refined in appearance.”
Perennial Plant Association members chose ‘American Gold Rush’ because at the height of summer it turns up the volume for a long season of dazzling color right up to autumnal frosts. More than just boosting the ornamental show, however, the hairy foliage is resistant to Septoria leaf spot – a debilitating fungal disease that causes unsightly black spotting and premature seasonal decline on some rudbeckia. ‘American Gold Rush’ is a reliable hardy perennial and a stunning focal point in perennial borders and meadows as well as being brilliant when massed in public or corporate landscapes.
The National Garden Bureau chose rudbeckia as the perennial for their 2023 “Year of the” popular consumer program for many reasons. Rudbeckias are native to much of North America, are pollinator friendly, very easy for home gardeners to grow and there are many new varieties to showcase.
Breeders, brokers, seed companies, growers and garden centers throughout the U.S. and Canada are urged to highlight these flowers and plants when planning their marketing for the 2023 season as the publicity generated from these programs is substantial.
All-America Selections highlights this plant on its own web page.
National Garden Bureau has photos of this and other rudbeckia under the “Year of” tab on the NGB website.
Perennial Plant Association has photos, descriptions and more on the PPOY web page.
These tools will help the North American home garden industry promote gardening with rudbeckia to consumers and encourage more planting of this interesting variety.
For more information about the AAS or NGB programs, please contact Diane Blazek.
For more information about PPA and their programs, please contact Emily Bibens Chung.
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All-America Selections is a non-profit organization founded in 1932 to anonymously test new plants for home gardening. We utilize a network of 90+ volunteer judges in over 50 trials grounds across North America to rate entries against comparisons. We then use an active publicity program to promote the best performers that are declared AAS Winners.
Founded in 1920, the National Garden Bureau is a non-profit organization whose mission is to disseminate basic instructions for home gardeners. NGB publishes and sponsors “Year Of The” fact sheets annually featuring flowers and vegetables, including new introductions, which are especially suited to home gardens.
The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators, and others that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial industry. With a mission to connect professionals, provide education and promote perennial plants, the association has served the horticultural industry since 1984. The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to showcase a perennial that is a standout among its competitors. Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free.
