Gomphrena Gallery

 
Gomphrenas galore

You may have noticed we’ve developed a fondness for gomphrena, and why wouldn’t we? This plant has so much to offer—it’s a great low-maintenance, no-maintenance choice. It doesn’t want to be soggy wet, but aside from that gomphrena doesn’t ask for anything. There’s no deadheading.

‘Endurio Tricolor Mix’

‘Endurio Tricolor Mix’ experienced a surprising breakout in popularity last year so we took another look at it to determine why this plant was in such great demand. Obviously it’s a successful blend of colors—pure yellow, yellow with violet wing, and blue-yellow with purple wing—but we noted several other desirable features as well.

A semi-trailing habit is what sets Endurio apart from other violas currently on the market. We find that its mounding, spreading nature helps the plant cover the soil better—on a par with ‘Sorbet XP Yellow’, the industry standard. In addition, Endurio violas flower earlier and longer than other varieties we know—plants begin to bloom almost as soon as the snow melts off of them. Like ‘Sorbet XP Yellow’ they overwinter nicely, and stand up to extreme weather conditions like rain, snow, and wind.

Versatility is another desirable trait and this mix adapts easily to both landscape beds and containers. It has more lateral branching than other upright violas so it fills in quickly, with lush flower coverage over the top of the plant. We like the neat, tidy appearance it gives to baskets and bowls, especially. 

Edible flowers

You know, customers might find that this pretty color combination is so charming they could just eat it up, and they actually could; edible flowers like these make trendy, eye-catching garnishes for fruit salads, soups, and desserts.

 ‘Delta Pink Shades’

Lately we’ve noticed a rise in sales of pink-colored plants for early spring so we’ve added some new varieties to our collection. ‘Delta Pink Shades’ is a great pansy mix full of light to dark pink shades with dark blotches—these will fly off the bench at retail. Pansies are go-to plants for seasonal displays and this mix offers an appealing blend of colors in a quality plant.

Notice all the large, upward facing blooms—they make a sound impact at the point of sale. Delta pansies flower up earlier than other series and are extremely uniform in timing and habit. After severe weather they bounce right back, and they tolerate both heat and cold; we’re often able to overwinter them. 

Versatile pansies go anywhere we need them: pots, beds, edging. We keep them close at hand in the design tool box for early spring. This particular mix comes in the equally versatile 6-inch pot.