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Heat-Tolerant Annuals
'Purple Majesty' millet, the tall,
burgundy-leaved plant, serves
as a striking accent at Ball Gardens.
Sun Survivor
(Originally Published July/August 2004)
ANGELONIA. SCAEVOLA. COLOCASIA. Though they sound like items you'd order off an Italian menu, they're actually tough annual plants that keep their cool when temperatures soar. Heat-tolerant annuals help your yard stand up to high temperatures and humidity during a season when other plants stop blooming.
That's why these and other tough annuals are so high on Jim Nau's plant list. Jim, the manager of plant trials and varieties for the international wholesaler Ball Seed, puts them through their paces at the trial grounds of Ball Gardens in West Chicago, Illinois. The company, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2005, plans to open newly revamped display gardens next year to visitors. (See information at the end of this article.)
Jim scours the world searching for outstanding new flowers and foliage plants. His finds show up in the gardens' bountiful borders and containers, proving that dozens of annuals rise beautifully to the season's challenge.
"With long, cool, wet springs followed by hot and humid summers, the Midwest is a grand place to test the character of plants," Jim says of this list of sun-loving annuals. "We're lucky to have a range of plants that tolerate such broad extremes."
Jim ranks 'AngelMist' angelonia at the top of his list for beautiful, yet rugged, flowering annuals.
"Ten years ago, angelonia plants looked ratty, tall, and they were virtually unknown to gardeners," Jim says. Breeders worked with the original angelonia plants to create lush, easy-to-grow annuals that reach 18 or 20 inches tall.
Today, angelonia is widely used in flowerbeds and borders. Its spiky flower stalks are filled with delicate blossoms that resemble tiny orchids.
Angelonia comes in shades of purple and lavender, plus pink. This year you can also find it in white: 'AngelMist White Cloud'. Another breakthrough that's new for gardeners this year is 'AngelMist Basket Purple'. At 6 inches tall, with a trailing habit, it's ideal for hanging baskets.
Another once-obscure annual, scaevola (also known as fan flower), has proven a top performer, whether it's used to carpet the ground or cascade from containers. If you've been unable to keep lavender plants alive in Midwest heat and humidity, try 'Blue Ribbon' scaevola instead. It's a similar color and grows 10 to 14 inches tall.
In addition to spreading varieties, consider the new upright 'Blue Ribbon' and new colors such as 'White Fan' and 'Parasol Pink'.
