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What Was Your 2018 "Superstar" Plant Find?

Posted: October 27th, 2018, 9:05 am
by andy10917
Every year when I get to the end of October or the beginning of November, I look at all the plant additions we've made and try to pick the one that I think was the "way better than expected" acquisition for the year.

Mine this year was the Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea Paniculata) "Limelight", which the member TIMMYG helped me identify (Thanks again, Timmy!). I bought two and they're in different situations in the yard, but even after being planted in later August, they exploded in size and flowers. Each has 20 or so massive blooms much larger than softballs, and the color change (Lime->Cream->White->Muted Pink) just adds a ton of interest as the time passes. Given that it will grow to nearly 8' X 8', the locations have plenty of space that will need to be filled with annuals for a couple of years, but DAMN! -- my top selection for the year.

What's your top perennial/shrub/plant that you added that you think other members might want to consider?

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Re: What Was Your 2018 "Superstar" Plant Find?

Posted: October 27th, 2018, 2:22 pm
by TimmyG
Happy to help! I wouldn't know where to begin to choose a favorite among the 400–500+ new selections of trees, shrubs, and perennials that I have planted since last fall, many in multiples, with 100+ left to go (not including ephemerals), but of the 10 new panicle hydrangeas, I've gotta give that prize to Zinfin Doll (Hydrandgea paniculata 'SMNHPRZEP'). The hot pink was intense for a long time.

Surprisingly, I haven't made room for 'Limelight' (yet), but I did just drive by our old house the other day, and the 'Limelight' there was huge. It surely hadn't been pruned since we moved four years ago, so it was well on its way to gaining height with exposed trunks. We always hard pruned it in the spring to keep it full and dense.

Ironically, I have a couple Superstar spireas (Spiraea x bumalda 'Denistar') in the driveway waiting to be planted.

Re: What Was Your 2018 "Superstar" Plant Find?

Posted: October 28th, 2018, 8:34 pm
by MorpheusPA
The Red Profusion Zinnia. It far outperformed its sisters in terms of blooming density while maintaining a good red even in a sunny location with significant white wall reflection also hitting it.

They're drought resistant, tolerant of everything from part shade to greater than full sun, and sailed through hot and wet conditions without ever showing any sign of a fungus.

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Re: What Was Your 2018 "Superstar" Plant Find?

Posted: October 28th, 2018, 11:06 pm
by TimmyG
Annuals aren't even on my radar at this point. Way too busy working on the perennial landscape. But when that's mostly settled, I would very much like to get back to planting zinnias. Looks like a good one, Morph.