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DALLAS ARBORETUM 2007 SPRING BULB TRIAL Jimmy L. Turner-Director of Research Denise Robb-Trials & Greenhouse Manager
In December of 2006 we planted 214 different varieties of bulbs from Abbott Ipco, Inc. Out of the 214, 50 varieties were Narcissus, 129 were Tulips, and 37 were various different varieties of Alliums, Crocus, Iris, Muscari, Anemone, Camassia, Leucojum, Bellevalia, Hyacinth, and Wood Hyacinth. Our weather from January – April was much cooler than last year, January and February averaged temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s while March and April averaged temperatures in the 60’s. Along with our cool temperatures came some much needed rainfall! From January to April Dallas averaged 12” of rain which is almost 2” more than our normal precipitation levels. No fertilizer was used prior to planting nor after and irrigation was running for 10 minutes once a week for January and February then in March and April it was running twice a week. All of the varieties have been categorized by their type and have been scored in 4 different categories (Plant vigor, Leaf color and quality, Flower stalk display, and Flower uniformity) on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being the lowest score.
NARCISSUS Division 1 – Trumpets. We trialed 9 different varieties: Lemon Glow, Tropical Sunset, Mount Hood, Rosy Cloud, Unsurpassable, Dutch Master, Easter Bonnet, and Holland Sensation. Mount Hood was the best performer blooming 22 days with an average score of 4.22. Tropical Sunset, Lemon Glow, and Dutch Master were all slightly fragrant. Division 2 – Large Cup. This was the largest group of bulbs for the Narcissus. We trialed 15 different varieties: Pineapple Princess, Carlton, Chromacolor, Ice Follies, Red Hill, Accent, Fortissimo, Pink Charm, Monal, Dottie’s Dream, Mon Cheri, Pink Pride, Precocious, Salome, and Occasionally. The Large Cup type Narcissus performs really well for us in general. Most of the varieties grow in full and put on an excellent floral display. Chromacolor was our top performer blooming for 20 days and averaging a score of 4.32. The variety Occasionally set buds but never bloomed. Divison 4 – Double. We only trialed 4 different varieties of the Double types: Tahiti, My Story, Ice King, and Apricot Whirl. The best variety this year was Tahiti blooming for 17 days and averaging a score of 4.54 and was the only one with a slight fragrance. Division 5 – Triandrus. There were 3 varieties trialed: Katie Heath, Hawera, and Tete-a-Tete. Hawera was the best performer blooming 20 days and averaging a score of 4.32. Divison 7 – Jonquilla. There were 5 different varieties of Jonquilla type Narcissus: Kedron, Quail, Sailboat, Babymoon, and Suzy. Out of the 5, Quail was the best performer. It stayed in bloom for a total of 23 days and averaged a score of 4.23. The Jonquilla type Narcissus, in general, have always been good performers with excellent vigor and a longer than average bloom time. Division 8 – Tazettas. The Tazetta types are usually good performers as well. Six varieties were trialed: Inbal, Falconet, Minnow, Soleil D’Or, Avalanche, and Scarlet Gem. Last year Inbal was an excellent performer but this year it did not have as much vigor. This year Falconet was the best performer blooming 23 days and averaging a score of 4.31. Division 9 – Poeticus. We only trialed one variety of Poeticus, Actea. An oldy but a goody, this variety bloomed for 16 days averaging a score of 4.29. The foliage maintained an excellent color with blooms that were bright and clear. Divison 11 – Split Corolla. Overall this division did not perform as well. Either the plants lacked vigor or their length of bloom was below average. We trialed 5 different varieties: Paradise Island, Cassata, Louise de Coligny, Flyer and Border Beauty. The best performer out of this group was Cassata blooming for 15 days (which is below the overall overage of 17 days) and averaging a score of 4.20. Division 12 – Miscellaneous. There was only one variety trialed in this category and it performed quite well. Toto bloomed for 26 days and averaged a score of 4.06. It ranked 3rd best performer overall.
Overall, Narcissus has always performed well for us here in Dallas and will perennialize. We trialed one variety, Spring Essence, that actually was our best performer overall blooming 31 days and scoring 4.10 but we could not find what category it belonged to. Triandrus type Narcissus outperformed all the other varieties with average days in bloom of 19.80 and overall average of 4.17. Please look over the attached spreadsheet for further review.
TULIPS Division 1 – Single Early. We trialed 6 different varieties in this division: Flaming Coquette, Purple Prince, Mickey Mouse, Flair, Spryng, and Apricot Beauty. Flaming Coquette was the best performing variety in this division with an average of 3.80 and bloomed for 15 days. Flair was the only variety that bloomed at the base and began to stretch towards the end of its bloom cycle. Division 2 – Double Early. Five different varieties were trialed this year for the Double Early division. They were: Monte Carlo, Monsella, Red Princess, Alliance and Double Duarte. All of the varieties performed quite well and Monte Carlo was the only variety that bloomed at the base but then stretched and was also the best performer. It bloomed for 16 days and averaged a score of 3.96. Division 3 – Triumph. This was the second to the largest group of Tulips trialed with 25 different varieties. The varieties trialed were: Abu Hassan, Atilla, Bastogne, Candy Prince, Charmeur, Denmark, Dynasty, Golden Melody, Havran, Helmar, Hemisphere, Il de France, India, Leo Visser, Manhattan, Negrita, Passionale, Rajka, Rosalie, Shiun, Sjamor, Strawberry Ice, Thijs Boots, Verandi, and Yellow Present. Overall this division performed very well and bloomed for an extended period of time. My absolute favorite colors for this season were Strawberry Ice as well as Havran. There were a few varieties that did not have uniform heights at their peak bloom such as: Rajka, Leo Visser, Denmark, and Abu Hassan. There were also a few varieties that bloomed at the base and then stretched such as: Candy Prince, Charmeur, Leo Visser, Passionale, and Yellow Present. The best performer over all was Denmark, staying in bloom for 17 days and averaging a score of 3.93. Division 4 – Darwin. We trialed 18 different varieties in this division: Apricot Impression, Banja Luca, Beau Monde, Darwin Chique, Design Impression, Esmee, Garant, Hakuun, Hatsuzakura, Ivory Floradale, Marit, Momatarou, Olliules, Red Impression, Pink Impression, Voyager, World Perfect, and World’s Favorite. The Darwin Hybrids always have performed well for us. Only one variety bloomed at the base, Marit, and then stretched out of it and there were only 3 varieties that did not have uniform heights at peak bloom, Design Impression, Apricot Impression, and Voyager. Overall, our best performer for the Darwin Division was World’s Favorite blooming for 13 days and averaging a score of 4.30. World’s Favorite is definitely one of our favorites! Division 5 – Single Late. This division was the largest division we trialed overall with 31 different varieties tested. We trialed: Antoinette, Asta Nielsen, Batavia, Big Smile, Blue Amiable, Blushing Beauty, Blushing Lady, Clearwater, Cum Laude, Don Quichote, Dordogne, El Nino, Florette, Grand Style, Hocus Pocus, Kings Blood, La Courtine, Lucky Dragon, Maureen, Menton, Muscadet, Perestroyka, Pink Diamond, Renown, Sancerre, Silver Dollar, Temple of Beauty, Temple’s Favorite, Twister, and Violet Beauty. Like the Darwin Division, Single Late Tulips perform very well for us and bloom for longer periods of time. Antoinette was the only variety which had flowers begin blooming at the base of the plant and Grand Style was the only variety that had non-uniform flower heights at peak bloom. Kingsblood was the best performing variety staying in bloom for 20 days and averaging a score of 4.18. Division 6 – Lily Flowered. There were 5 varieties in this division tested. They were Claudia, Marilyn, Purple Dream, Synaede King, and White Elegance. Overall this division did not perform well this year. The foliar color and vigor of the plants were not very good and the overall quality of the flowers, as well as quantity, was average. The best out of the division was Synaede King blooming for 17 days and averaging a score of 3.54. Division 7 – Fringed. We trialed 8 varieties of fringed tulips this year such as: Barbados, Blue Heron, Cummins, Flair Fringed, Huis Ten Bosch, Lambada, Maja, and Matchpoint. Flair Fringed and Matchpoint were the only 2 varieties that bloomed at the base before stretching and Maja did not have uniform flower heights at peak bloom. I loved fringed tulips but they performed better for us last year than this year, especially the variety Huis Ten Bosch. The best performer for this division was Cummins blooming 16 days and averaging a score of 4.0. Division 8 – Viridiflora. There were only 3 varieties trialed in this division; Artist, Formosa, and Nightrider. Although they had good foliar color and vigor they did not stay in full bloom for very long. The best variety was Artist blooming for 11 days and averaging a score of 4.13. Divison 10 – Parrot. We trialed 4 varieties of Parrot Tulips; Super Parrot, Black Parrot, Bright Parrot, and Rococo. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous with amazing colors except they tend to be too top heavy and their flowers will lie over. The only variety that did not do this and was also the best performer out of the 4 was Black Parrot. Black Parrot bloomed for 14 days and averaged a score of 4.10. Division 11 – Double Late. There were 13 varieties trialed in the Double Late division; Abigail, Akebono, Angelique, Black Hero, Carnival De Nice, Crème Upstar, Ice Cream, Lilac Perfection, May Wonder, Mount Tacoma, Renown Unique, Verona, and Wirosa. Overall, the Double Late division performed well except for 3 varieties. Carnival de Nice, Crème Upstar, and Ice cream all bloomed at the base and Crème Upstar was the only one to grow out of it. Carnival de Nice stayed small. The best performer for this group was Abigail, blooming for 16 days and averaging a score of 4.40. Division 13 – Fosteriana. Only 3 varieties were trialed; Juan, Albert Heyn, and Sweetheart. Historically, the Fosteriana group does not perform well for us. There were foliar problems as well as growth vigor issues with 2 out of the 3 varieties. The best performer was Juan, blooming for 11 days and averaging a score of 3.50. Division 14 – Greigii. The 3 varieties trialed for this division were Rob Verlinden, First Impression and Casa Grande. Greigii tulips as a group bloom very short for us, have little vigor and short bloom spans. The best one trialed was Rob Verlinden blooming for 10 days and averaging a score of 3.63. Division 15 – Species. We trialed 2 clusiana species, Tinka and Chrysantha, as well as one bakeri species, Lilac Wonder. Tinka and Chrysantha performed very well, actually Tinka was the best performer blooming for 13 days and averaging a score of 4.50. Lilac Wonder did not emerge at all. We had one bulb out of 25 emerge and it only sent up one leaf as well as one tiny flower.
Tulips this spring performed overall quite well. However, on a good majority of the tulip foliage there was some unidentified brown discoloration that resembled pest damage. There were two varieties of tulip that we received that we could not find their division, they were Stunning Apricot and Sky High Scarlet and they performed magnificently for us! Stunning Apricot was the overall best performing Tulip blooming for 18 days and averaging a score of 4.38. The Single Late Division out performed all other tulip divisions blooming on average for 13.07 days and averaging a score of 3.96. Please see attached spreadsheet for more information.
HYACINTH/ WOOD HYACINTH We trialed 10 varieties of Hyacinthus and one Wood Hyacinth, Hyacinthoides ‘Excelsior’. The 10 Hyacinth varieties trialed were: Blue Jacket, Carnegie, City of Harlem, Delft Blue, Gypsy Queen, Jan Bos, Midnight Mystique, Sky Jacket, Valentino, and Woodstock. The best performing Hyacinth was Carnegie, blooming for 18 days and averaging a score of 4.05. The Wood Hyacinth had good foliar color and vigor averaging a score of 4.67 but only stayed in bloom for 8 days.
IRIS We trialed 7 different varieties of Iris hollandica, and one variety of Iris bucharica and Iris reticulata. The Iris hollandica varieties trialed were Blue Ribbon, Bronze Beauty, Golden Harvest, Hildegarde, Ideal, Imperator Blue and Rosario. All of the foliage this year did not get entirely eaten by rodents and actually had good foliar color and vigor. The variety Bronze Beauty did not bloom at all and we have incomplete data due to mechanical problems with Golden Harvest and Rosario, therefore we cannot provide a valid conclusion. Please see attached spreadsheet for further information. CROCUS/ MUSCARI/ LEUCOJUM/ ORNITHOGALUM The crocus, muscari, and star of Bethlehem were eaten almost completely by rodents, some almost right after they started blooming and others had a chance to bloom for a while before becoming food. Out of the data that I compiled the Yellow Crocus performed the best blooming for 23 days and averaging a score of 3.65. Out of the 2 varieties of Muscari trialed the blue one performed the best staying in bloom for 22 days and averaging a score of 4.16. Leucojum did not perform well but has in other parts in the garden. Normally, Leucojum will grow tall and bloom profusely and seems to do better in full shade than in sun. This rep did not have good vigor or a good floral display. Star of Bethlehem or Ornithogalum was completely eaten in a matter of 2 days after blooming and it never recovered.
ALLIUM/ BELLEVALIA/ ANEMONE We trialed 2 varieties of Allium this year, Allium schubertii and Allium ‘Globe Master’. Allium ‘Globe Master’ emerged but never set buds. Allium schubertii had nice vigor and only 6 bulbs bloomed. The foliage was chlorotic throughout most of its growth and began declining about 1 week before the flowers were spent. It bloomed for 22 days and averaged a score of 3.08. Bellevalia on the other hand performed quite well! The vigor and foliar color were good and though it bloomed for 23 days the flowers were in full glory for a little longer than a week and then only a few flowers clung to the top of the spike for the remainder of the time. The average score was 3.75. Anemone performed much better for us last year than this year. Only 3 varieties were trialed, St. Brigid, De Caen Mix, and Lord Lieutenant. Lord Lieutenant did not emerge at all and St. Brigid and De Caen Mix only had one or two flowers emerge. St. Brigid’s flower lasted 23 days and De Caen’s flower lasted 17. |
webmaster: jturner@dallasarboretum 214-515-6580
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