AAS Winners

Jennifer Polanz

All-America Selections (AAS) just released the rest of its top performers nationally and regionally for 2015. This year’s best and brightest total 25, the most winners in one year since 1939. National Winners include:

• Beet Avalanche: Exhibits a mild, sweet taste with a uniform root shape and no reddish tinge, making for more attractive produce. Judges loved the raw eating quality, since there’s no earthy beet taste or bitter aftertaste. Grows in just 50 days. Bred by Bejo Seeds.

• Broccoli Artwork: Beautiful dark green stem broccoli only recently available to home gardeners (it previously was exclusive to gourmet markets and upscale restaurants). Starts out similar to a regular crown broccoli, but after harvesting the first crown, easy-to-harvest, tender side shoots continue to appear long into the season, resisting warm temperature bolting. Bred by Seminis Seeds.

• Dianthus Jolt Pink: Brightly colored and large showy flower heads stand on strong stems that perform well all summer long. It’s the most heat-tolerant dianthus on the market. Judges called the entry the “Best of the trials! We wish all dianthus performed this well.” Bred by PanAmerican Seed.

• Petunia Tidal Wave Red Velour: Gorgeous deep red velvety blooms that don’t fade even in the heat of summer. Large flowers literally cover the vigorously spreading plants that rarely need deadheading. A perfect solution for time-crunched gardeners. Bred by PanAmerican Seed.

• Chive Garlic Geisha: A vigorous grower with a nice, just-right garlic flavor. Slightly wide, flatter and more refined leaves that can double for an ornamental plant with white late-season flower stalks. Bred by Terra Organics.

AAS also named two regional winners:

• Basil Persian (Heartland, Mountain/Southwest and West/Northwest regions): A large, vigorous plant that’s a prolific producer of pleasant-tasting leaves for cooking. The green foliage, sturdy branches and large leaves make for a great ornamental plant. Bred by Terra Organics.

• Oregano Cleopatra (Northeast and West/Northwest regions): Pretty silver-gray foliage makes this another herb appreciated for ornamental value. Cleopatra has a mildly spicy, pepperminty flavor with a high yield of leaves, great for Mediterranean dishes, soups and sauces. Bred by Genesis Seeds, offered by Terra Organics.

More information about these and previous years’ winners can be found at www.all-americaselections.org.GP