The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) announced it has selected varieties of cut flowers in four categories — Bulb, Fresh, Foliage and Woody — as its Cut Flowers of the Year for 2024.
Varieties are nominated based on their ease of culture, productivity and marketability. Many of them are noted as top performers in the ASCFG’s Cut Flower Trials program. The ASCFG’s nearly 3000 members vote for their choices based on their experience growing and selling each species or cultivar.
Fresh Cut Flower of the Year: Snapdragon ‘Potomac Appleblossom’
Featuring ribbon-candy spikes adorned with sugar pink and white blossoms, these delicate hues create a lovely contrast against the glossy dark green foliage. One Zone 6 grower reported, “‘Appleblossom’ has the best stem strength and length out of every snap cultivar I’ve trialed, plus the colors are lovely and blend well with many other colors. They are insanely productive, throwing multiple flushes throughout the season.” Another reported that “Potomac series changed the snapdragon game — in zone 7a mine produced through 90 degree summer heat and overwintered through weeks of single digits, shooting out fresh blooms in spring. ‘Appleblossom’ is probably the most versatile and elegant of the series!.” This group 3- 4 cultivar does best during the main season, from mid spring to mid fall. Grow close together for long, single stem production and further apart for multiple flushes. Does well in the field, tunnels and greenhouses.
Woody Cut Flower of the Year: Viburnum ‘Brandywine’
The deep green, glossy foliage turns to dark purple red in the fall and has multi-season uses. Foliage holds up well in water, and can be harvested from early June to October. The flower buds are born in pearl-like clusters and make charming additions to early June bouquets. Additionally, the fruit turns beautiful shades of blue and pink in September. One grower summed it advantages as follows: “I love the full seasonality of the Brandywine Viburnum. I love the pinkish spring flowers, the leaf coloring, and the 2 tone berries.” This native of Eastern North America is cold hardy in Zones 5 to 9 and tolerates wet sites on the farm. While a pollinator is not required for fruit set, growing another related Viburnum nudum variety nearby will likely increase fruit set.
Cut Bulb Flower of the Year: Daffodil ‘Cheerfulness’
Daffodil ‘Cheerfulness’ is very fragrant and great as a cut flower. Multiple blooms per stem combining white and shades of yellow make for a cheerful display in the spring. An ASCFG member shared, “Lovely scent, very fragrant, long enough stems, and a cute accent flower for design work! This variety is sure to stand out”. Versatile daffodils can be forced as one cut and done flower in greenhouses or tunnels, or grown as a long-lived field perennial. Plants are cold hardy to Zone 5.
Cut Foliage of the Year: Thornless Raspberry ‘Joan J’
One grower raved “I can’t imagine not having this in the field. It’s a favorite source of greenery for mixed bouquets. It’s prolific, easy to grow, trouble free and very reliable” ‘Joan J’ produces loads of long stems all season long, from late spring through to a heavy frost. Cut for the foliage or the green berries. One grower endorsed it “One of our top foliage’s in the field in terms of production and profit from selling direct to florists. So reliable and carefree!” Bonus – you can leave a few to produce berries. This is a primocane-bearing cultivar, meaning that it bears fruit on current year’s growth. Stems that overwinter should flower early in the season, while new stems may flower in the fall. Cold hardy in Zones 4 to 8, but generally does better in the cooler part of its range.
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Inc. was formed in 1988 to educate, unite, and support commercial cut flower growers. Our work involves providing production and marketing information to members; connecting members through educational programming, online communications, and events; supporting floriculture research on farms and in academia; and encouraging the purchase and use of locally grown flowers by the public. Join today at ascfg.org