Top 5 New Proven Winners Annuals for 2022

Verbena Cake Pops Pink Photos Courtesy of Proven Winners

The Proven Winners brand is made up of plant propagators from around the world.  Each annual plant chosen to be branded a Proven Winner has passed many tests and zone trials over two to three years to make sure it is a superior plant in all areas – disease resistance, hardiness, pest resistance, growth performance, heat and humidity tolerance.  And it has to look fabulous as well!

Check out the Proven Winners website at http://www.provenwinners.com.  It is an excellent website with tons of plant information, education, planter and hanging basket recipes and much more!

Here are the Top 5 Proven Winner annuals at Floral Acres this spring. 

Verbena Cake Pops Purple Photos Courtesy of Proven Winners.   

Cake Pops Pink and Cake Pops Purple Tuberous Verbena

Height: 25-45 cm.          Spread: 25-45 cm.

Cake Pops Verbena bring you non-stop light pink and light purple color all summer long; blooming and reblooming continuously.  And bonus; they do not require deadheading!  Like all verbenas they like a full sun location (6 plus hours per day).  They have a mounding, trailing habit of growth.  Plant Cake Pops Verbena in a quality planter box mix mixed with a slow- release fertilizer.  Containers will also need a water- soluble fertilizer application every two months.  Use a half strength application of half strength 20-20-20 or bloom booster.  Once established, or well rooted out, Cake Pops will tolerate some drought.

If your verbenas “open up” on the top during the growing season, trim the whole plant back and fertilize.  The plant will recover in a few days and fill back in and eventually flower.

Cake Pops attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.  It is also deer resistant. 

FYI: 

Cake Pops Verbena can also be used in a border planting or as a mass planting in the landscape. 

Thunbergia Coconut A-Peel – Photo Courtesy/ Proven Winners                                                                                                               

Thunbergia Coconut A-Peel  Thunbergia alata

Thunbergia Coconut A-Peel is a vining annual. 

Height: 1.5 -2.4 m.      Spread:  45 -60 cm.

Thunbergia is a relatively fast-growing vine.  Consider using it as a “thriller” on a tall narrow obelisk in a large planter or growing up an arbor, trellis or sprawling over rocks.  If used in a hanging basket it will climb upwards over the chains or hook. 

Thunbergia Coconut A-Peel likes a part sun (4-6 hours) to sunny location (6 hours plus).  This vine will give you color all season long with striking white/cream flowers with black eyes.  It is a continuous bloomer and does not need deadheading.  Once established it is very heat tolerant.  

Thunbergia likes a moist, well drained, fertile soil.  If growing in a planter, add slow-release fertilizer to the soil mix.  Otherwise fertilize with a half-strength application of water soluble 20-20-20 or an all-purpose bloom booster every two weeks.

Calibrachoa Superbells Double Twilight Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

Calibrachoa Superbells ‘Double Twilight’

Height: 15-30 cm.      Spread:  30-60 cm.

Million Bells Double Twilight prefers a part sun to sunny location.  This is a slightly mounding and trailing plant that blooms all summer long into fall.  No deadheading required!  Proven Winners refers to it as a ‘Spiller’ in their container recipes.  Plant it near the edge of the container so it can trail over the sides.  After planting trim back so it will fill out right away. 

This abundant bloomer prefers a fertile soil with good drainage.  Good drainage is key as this plant does not like to be overwatered.  Let it dry out somewhat between waterings. 

Once rooted out and growing, fertilize Double Twilight with an all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer such as a half strength application of 20-20-20 or an all-purpose bloom booster every two weeks. 

This plant may eventually open at the top during the latter part of the growing season.  Give it a good haircut all over, fertilize, and that should stimulate it to fill out and flower again.

Salvia Unplugged Pink – Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

Salvia Unplugged Pink   - Salvia hybrid

Last year I grew Proven Winners Rockin’ Fuchsia Salvia in a fourteen-inch ceramic container all on its own and it was stunning!  One plant grew very tall, filled the pot and flowered all summer long. 

I am expecting that Salvia Unplugged Pink will be just as spectacular and I will be giving it a place this spring in another very large container.   

Height: 35 cm - .91 cm.                   Spread:  30 cm – 50 cm.

Grow Unplugged Pink in a part sun to sunny location.  Proven Winners classifies this plant as a “Thriller” in their container recipes.  As you can see the flowers are pink to fuchsia with a black calyx (centre) and the plant features deep green foliage. 

Unplugged Pink blooms continuously all summer long into the fall.  No deadheading required.  It is sterile and will not set seed.  This salvia is also heat and drought tolerant once established.   

Plant in a fertile soil with good drainage.  At the time of planting, incorporate some slow-release fertilizer into the soil.  Water regularly and fertilize every two weeks with a half-strength application of 20-20-20 or a water-soluble bloom booster.

Prune back Unplugged Pink at any time to encourage branching and more flower production. 

This salvia will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.  It is deer resistant.

Pesto Besto Basil – Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

Pesto Besto Basil  Ocimum hybrid

A sweet Italian Basil. 

This basil is a powerhouse of flavor and is very mildew resistant!  The more you harvest and pinch back this plant, the better it grows. 

Height: 45 – 91 cm.              Spread: 30 – 60 cm.

Pesto Besto does best in full sun, indoors or out in a sheltered spot.  Plant in a rich, well draining soil mix and keep moist.  Fertilize with a balanced organic or water-soluble fertilizer such as a half strength application of 20-20-20 once per month. 

Remove any flowers when they appear.  Flowers usually appear later in the season but do keep an eye out for earlier blooming buds.  If allowed to flower, this will adversely affect the leaf flavor.    

FYI: 

Pesto Besto Basil has little or no seed set. 

Bonus New Annual 

Chives AlliYum – Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

This spring grow annual Chives AlliYum; a new garlic chive plant that is both edible and ornamental!

Height:  25 – 40 cm.          Spread:  30 – 45 cm.

AlliYum has a mild onion, garlic flavor.  It will bloom for 3-4 weeks and the flowers are balls of lavender and edible. Use this plant in containers or in border plantings. 

Plant Chives AlliYum in a fertile soil and keep moist.  Fertilize every two weeks with an all purpose organic or a half strength application of the water- soluble fertilizer 20-20-20.

The flowers will attract bees and butterflies.  It is deer resistant.