 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
PRAIRIE BLOOM Bedding plant field research trials
A Collection of Perennial Flowers, K-State Research Proven For Our Prairie Climate
Prairie Bloom perennial flowers are those varieties that are best adapted to our ever-changing, never-boring, always-challenging prairie climate. Planting varieties in the Prairie Bloom Collection is the best way to assure the “wow, look at those flowers” appearance we all hope for. They are the perennial flower varieties that have exhibited superior performance for three to five years or more in the Kansas State University bedding plant research trials. The Prairie Bloom Collection consists of high performance perennial flowers of great vigor and spectacular bloom. Prairie Bloom perennials are the best of the best, flowers that grow like crazy and bloom like crazy even under lazy gardener care.
The Kansas State University landscape flowering plant research program is headquartered at the K-State Horticulture Research & Extension Center in Olathe with other flower trial sites in Wichita, Hays and Colby. The research trial sites encompass two USDA cold hardiness zones (5, 6) and two American Horticulture Society heat tolerance zones (7, 8). All varieties on the list grow well across the state, east to west and north to south.
Plants are rated for vigor: how fast and how strong do they grow, how much substance do they have. They are also rated on floriferousness, the total overall visual impact of the flower display. Large numbers of large size flowers are important. Also important is how the flowers are borne on the plant. Flowers that hang down where you look at their backside are not as pretty as those you see in profile. The most floriferous flowers are those borne on the plant so that they look up and smile at you. Ratings for floriferousness are a combination of the number of flowers, the size of the flowers and how the flowers are borne on the plant. Both vigor and floriferousness are rated on a scale of one to seven. 1 = almost dead or no flowers; 4 = acceptable, not so good as to make us happy, but not so bad to make us unhappy; 7=excellent, so good that nothing should have the right to be that good. All plants on the list have scored a 6 or higher for both vigor and floriferousness combined at all trial sites. Plant height and width are of a mature plant measured in mid August.
Flowering plant varieties in the research trials are submitted by or collected from plant breeders and distributors from around the world. All varieties on the list are available from retail garden centers or mail order plant companies. Due to the vulgarities of the commercial world, no greenhouse, garden center nor nursery should be expected to carry all varieties on the list. They will grow and offer for sale the varieties their seed or cutting suppliers have in their product mix. The list is not a commercial brand or product line. Gardeners will need to look for the specific variety on the list, i.e. not the generic daisy but the specific daisy variety ‘Becky’. Not all daisies have great vigor and floriferousness when planted here in our soils and prairie climate. The specific varieties on the list are truly superior. Plants at the garden center may or may not be labeled as Prairie Bloom so take the list and use it to shop for the specific varieties.
All perennial flowering plants on the Prairie Bloom list have been proven by Kansas State University research to grow well here in our soils and transitional prairie climate. Many perennial flowers have yet to be tested in the research trials. Therefore, there are some excellent plants that will grow well but because they have not yet been trialed they cannot be placed on the list. The perennial flower research program continues. As trials are completed more plants will be added to the Prairie Bloom Collection. We only provide research-based information.
The most recent up to date Prairie Bloom perennial list and full color pictures of each flower can be found on the internet at www.prairiestarflowers.com The website also contains the Prairie Star list of K-State research proven annual flowers.
Alan Stevens is a research & extension specialist for floriculture and leader of the K-State landscape flowering plant research program.
Check out our new items highlighted in (purple).
Common Name Genus & Species Cultivar Height Width Height to top of flower Week of 1st bloom Sun Exposure (inches) Aster Aster dumosus Professor Kippenburg 15 16 21 37 sun Aster Aster dumosus Wood's Blue 20 17 26 37 sum Aster Aster dumosus Wood's Pink 21 19 26 37 sun Aster Aster novae-angliae Hella Lacy 36 24 32 38 sun Aster Aster novae-angliae September Ruby 18 11 14 36 sun Aster Aster oblongifolius Raydon's Favorite 33 28 36 38 sun Aster Boltonia asteroides Pink Beauty 32 32 38 33 sun Aster Boltonia asteroides Snowbank 40 33 46 37 sun Aster Blue Sapphire sun Beebalm Monarda didyma Croftway Pink 26 16 32 23-30 sun Beebalm Monarda didyma Marshall's Delight 28 17 34 23-30 sun Beebalm Momarda didyma Violet Queen 24 16 30 22-32 sun Bellflower Campanula takesimana Kent Belle 28 18 28 24 sun Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida Goldstrum 20 16 29 26-37 sun Blanket Flower Gaillardia x grandiflora Goblin 10 12 12 25 sun Carnation Dianthus caryophyllus King of the Blacks 18 13 20 23 sun Carnation Dianthus caryophyllus Little Jock 5 8 6 21 sun Catnip Nepeta x faassenii Blue Wonder 12 15 15 22 sun Cheddar Pinks Dianthus gratianopolitanus Bath's Pink 6 8 7 21 sun Cheddar Pinks Dianthus gratianopolitanus Firewitch 6 8 7 21&39 sun Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Magnus' 32 19 38 28 sun Coral Bells Heuchera City Lights 18 19 26 18 shade Coral Bells Heuchera Jade Gloss 12 14 18 24 shade Coral Bells Heuchera Raspberry Ice 15 16 21 17-29 shade Coral Bells Heuchera Stormy Seas 18 17 27 21 shade Daylily Hemerocallis Happy Returns 18 16 26 25-36 sun Daylily Hemerocallis Stella de Oro 18 18 26 25-36 sun Garden Phlox Phlox paniculata David 36 20 42 26 sun Garden Phlox Phlox paniculata Laura 34 20 39 26 sun Garden Phlox Phlox paniculata Robert Poore 42 24 50 27 sun Globe Thistle Echinops bannaticus Blue Glow 34 18 38 30 sun Hardy Ice Plant Delosperma cooperi Pink 6 12 7 13-39