All-America Selections National and Regional Winners have been tested for garden performance by a panel of expert judges. Varieties that perform best over all of North America become AAS National Winners. Entries that performed particularly well in certain regions are named AAS Regional Winners. The AAS Winners offer gardeners reliable new varieties that have proven their superior garden performance in Trial Grounds across North America, thus, our tagline of “Tested Nationally and Proven Locally®.”
Here are the two AAS 2023 winners in the perennial category: Echinacea Artisan™ Yellow Ombre F1® and Leucanthemum Carpet Angel®.
Echinacea Artisan™ Yellow Ombre F1
Artisan Yellow Ombre is a great plant for anyone wanting vibrant color all season long in their perennial garden, or to use as a cut flower. This is the first F1 hybrid Echinacea series that comes in individual colors. This winner, with an intense golden-yellow bloom along with graduated colors of yellow, is a gem in the garden. AAS Judges were impressed with the uniform growth habit, vibrantly colored flowers, and multi-branched plants that produce a prolific number of blooms. Pollinators will flock to this Echinacea, and gardeners will love this low maintenance, long-blooming beauty. Hardy in zones 4a to 10b USDA.
Details
Winner Type: Regional (Southeast, Northwest)
Class: Echinacea
Variety Name: Artisan Yellow Ombre F1
Genus: Echinacea
Species: x hybrida
Year: 2023
Common Name: Coneflower
Type: Perennial
Breeder: PanAmerican Seed
Close Market Comparison: Mellow Yellows
Needs
Duration Type: Perennial
Hardiness Zone/Hardy to Zone: 4a — 10b
Light Needs: Full sun
Water Needs: Dry to normal
Dead Heading Recommended: No
Staking Required: No
Characteristics
Foliage Color: Green
Plant Habit: Bushy
Plant Height: 24–34 inches
Bloom Time: Summer to frost
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Color Pattern: Ombre
Bloom Size: 3–4 inches
In the Garden
Container: Yes
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Days to First Flower (Sowing seed): 100-150, subject to season and climate
Days to First Flower (Transplant): 70-115, subject to season and climate
Weather Tolerance: Cold, Drought, Frost, Heat, Rain, Wind
Disease Resistance: General High Resistance against Botrytis and downy and powdery Mildew and Rusts. Similar as other Echinacea, in general under normal weather conditions, is resistant to most of the fugue diseases.
Garden Spacing: 15-20 inches
Low Edging: Yes
Medium Height Divider: Yes
Cut Flower: Yes
How to Grow
Plant in full sun with well-drained soil for best overwinter performance; Attracts birds and butterflies.
Judge’s Observations
- “A more saturated bright yellow flower color”
- “A very nice yellow Echinacea. Consistently better than comparisons”
- “Due to the saturated color of the entry, it deserves an award.”
- “Flower color lasted all season.”
- “The foliage was cleaner and slightly larger.”
Leucanthemum Carpet Angel®
The first ever ground cover Shasta Daisy as well as the first-ever AAS Winner from this breeder! Green Fuse Botanicals’ First Light Perennials is a program of first-year flowering perennials that are day length neutral meaning earlier blooms that continue all season long. Large 3-inch flowers boast a second inner frilly bloom adding to the unique look of Carpet Angel. Growing only to a height of 6 inches, this unique Leucanthemum can act as a ground cover spreading up to 20 inches wide. Fantastic branching on this new AAS winner means more flower stems sporting beautiful pure white blooms that look like angels dancing over a carpet of dark green foliage. A little deadheading of spent flowers will reward you with even more blooms. Hardy in zones 4a-10b.
Details
Winner Type: Regional (West/Northwest and Mountain/Southwest)
Class: Leucanthemum
Variety Name: Carpet Angel®
Genus: Leucanthemum
Species: superbum
Year: 2023
Common Name: Shasta Daisy
Type: Perennial
Breeder: Green Fuse Botanicals
Close Market Comparison: Paladin
Needs
Duration Type: Perennial
Hardiness Zone/Hardy to Zone: Zone 4a-10b
Light Needs: Sun or part sun
Water Needs: Normal
Dead Heading Recommended: Yes
Staking Required: No
Characteristics
Foliage Color: Dark green
Plant Habit: Spreading
Plant Height: 4-6 inches
Bloom Time: All growing season
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Color Pattern: Semi-double
Bloom Size: 3 inches
In the Garden
Container: Yes
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Garden Spacing: 18-20 inches
Low Edging: Yes
Ground Cover: Yes
Judge’s Observations
- “Flowers were unique shape and color.”
- “Plants were a nice dwarf size.”
- “Very good winter hardiness”
- “The performance is exceptional, surviving many challenges that proved too much for the comparison.”
- “The habit and bloom time on this trial is much better than the comparison.”
As usual, I want both of them!
I’m interested in both of these plants as well as a couple of AAS tomato selections. Unfortunately, I’ve had no luck trying to source these in southern Ontario. Any suggestions?