Plant Development Services Inc. is thrilled to unveil its latest lineup of innovative plant varieties debuting in 2025.
“We see our new varieties as more than just plants: they bring personality and purpose,” says Kip McConnell, VP of Business Development for Plant Development Services. For a new generation of gardeners—spanning post-pandemic enthusiasts, new homeowners, and seasoned green thumbs—plants have become integral to personal expression and lifestyle. In response, Plant Development Services is prioritizing varieties that seamlessly blend creative expression with superior performance, ensuring they enhance both living spaces and lives.
In 2024, McConnell’s team at Plant Development Services noted a sharp uptick in web traffic for small-space gardening topics, tall and narrow plants, and privacy solutions. The rise in these keywords among their brands’ websites spoke to larger industry trends toward small-space and container-friendly plants, as well as consumers’ pursuit of plants that solve specific problems.
“We know bright colors catch consumers’ eye at the garden center year after year, but that they’re looking for plants that will define a space, both literally and visually. We’re confident that our newest varieties will inspire creativity and solve problems from the garden center shelves to stunning outdoor spaces.”
The 2025 line-up of new plants from nationally acclaimed Plant Development Services brands Southern Living® Plant Collection, Sunset® Plant Collection, and Encore® Azalea are poised to define and elevate outdoor spaces, making it easier than ever for gardeners to create beautiful, low-maintenance landscapes:
- Autumn Kiss™ Encore® Azalea – Available as a new trade release in 2025 and a new consumer release in 2026. The latest addition to the Encore® Azalea collection showcases semi-double blooms with vibrant pink edges that gently transition to a soft pastel pink and finish in a nearly white center. This prolific bloomer graces gardens with its reblooming display in spring, summer, and fall, set against lush evergreen foliage. Perfect for full sun, Autumn Kiss™ thrives in USDA Zones 6–10, growing to a mature size of 3 to 4’ tall and wide.
- Ilex Nelliet™ Available as a new trade release in 2025 and a new consumer release in 2026 through Southern Living® and Sunset® Plant Collections, Ilex Nelliet™ represents an exceptional privacy or screening plant. With dense dark green foliage, bright red berries, and excellent branching, this variety offers easy care, minimal pruning, and a strong upright habit, reaching 15–25′ high by 10–15′ wide when mature. Nelliet thrives in full sun to partial shade settings in USDA Zones 6a-9b.
- Ilex Golden Sky™ – Available as a limited trade release in 2025 and a new consumer release in 2026 through Southern Living® and Sunset® Plant Collections, gardeners can now illuminate narrow spaces and mixed containers with this versatile holly. Its vibrant yellow foliage adds a radiant touch to any garden setting, making it a striking focal point in containers or a colorful choice for screening. Perfect for full sun to part shade, Ilex Golden Sky™ thrives in USDA Zones 5 – 9, growing to a mature size of 8’ tall by 3’ wide.
- ‘Mila’ Pineapple – Available as a new trade and consumer release in 2025 through Southern Living® Plant Collection. This unique pineapple plant boasts striking orange, red, and purple variegated foliage, complemented by a compact growth habit that matures to 2–3 feet tall and wide. Adding to its charm, it produces miniature red edible fruit. Perfect for full sun in USDA Zones 8 – 10.
To discover these new trade and consumer releases, along with other top-selling varieties, visit Plant Development Services’ MANTS Booths #33-36. For more information, contact Corrina Murray at corrina@plantdevelopment.com.
Plant Development Services Inc. was founded in 1996 by Greg Smith of the third-generation, family-owned Flowerwood Nursery, Inc. Plant Development Services owns and/or licenses more than 300 patented plant properties and boasts these top-ranking plant brands: Encore® Azalea, the Southern Living® Plant Collection, the Sunset® Plant Collection, Better Boxwood®, and Butterfly Candy®. To learn more about Plant Development Services Inc., visit plantdevelopment.com
