New varieties of old stand-by garden plants making their debut

If you have been reading gardening journals or home decorating magazines this month, you will probably find article after article on new varieties of old standby landscaping plants that are now being produced. The articles tout the improvements being made by breeders, such as improved disease resistance, increased tolerance of growing in shady conditions, etc. Of course, your question is, "Should I try some of these new varieties in my landscape? Are they really as good as the writer says they are?"

Perhaps the most successful introduction of a series of plant varieties in recent years was the knockout Rose. This rose series consisting of a double pink, double red and yellow have been sold, planted, and "wowed" over for the last few years in the Heartland. What a success story.

The knockout has been successful for several reason. It has resistance to black spot, a common rose disease that attacked most climbers and hybrid teas planted in the Heartland. It addition, it blooms early in the season, and continues into late fall with very few weeks of non-bloom production. The blooms are smaller to those of hybrid teas, but the proliferation of blooms makes up for the smaller size.

Azalea shrub at Sunny Hill Gardens & Florist in Cape Girardeau Wednesday, March 25, 2015. (Glenn Landberg)

One of the new promising series that seems to have characteristics that will make it a real winner is called ReBloom Azalea by Garden Debut. The varieties produce masses of blooms in the spring and late summer to fall. They will also produce sporadic flowers during the summer. Red Magnificent produces double red blooms, and reaches a height of about 2.5 feet. Purple spectacular produces single purple blooms while Coral Amazement produces triple-petal coral blooms and grows to about 2.5 feet. All of the members of the series are heat tolerant and have disease resistance.

Another new series has been developed from Pieris japonica, also known as Japanese pieris or lily of the valley shrub. This species produces clusters of white blooms in early to mid spring. This species also seems to be deer resistant. The variety Mountain Fire produces red new growth which matures to dark green. Flaming Silver has fiery red new growth, which matures to green edged in white. Little Heath has pink new growth which matures to a yellow-green variegation on gray-green leaves.

Both the ReBloom Azalea and Pieris require the same growing conditions as the original old fashioned azalea which has been cultivated in the Heartland for years. Of course the advantage of the new varieties are different bloom colors, reblooming, and different foliage colors.

Will these new introductions be as successful as the Knock Out roses? Only time will tell. If you want to try a few, go to your local garden centers and check out their selections. Plant a few and just watch them over the next few growing seasons. You could be thrilled with them just like we have been with the Knockout introductions.