Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 2002Good Qualities
Beautiful soft pink color (4); Fast to flower (wk 24), flowers are pale pink becoming white, gives a duality to the color; Could be direct seeded - long vase life (10 days), easy to pick, 2nd flush; Each stem like a bouquet of pink flowers; Even with the heat (Zone 7), this beauty did well for us, though the bloom time was short - We cut it hard, but only got one cut - no rebloom; Quick growing, very pleasing to the eye; Growth habit of plants was less dense than 'Ocean Pearls' and 'Purple Queen', making harvest easier; Augments 'Purple Queen' well.Problems
Doesn't like heat (Zone 8a); Weak stems; Harvest window and vase-life were slightly shorter than 'Ocean Pearls' and 'Purple Queen'; Color fades quickly, not as disease resistant as 'Purple Queen'; Couldn't get them to germinate (Zone 5); I feel Agrostemma is best as an overwintered annual here (Zone 7/8) - It would be a nice cut flower in the spring from a fall sowing - Too bad Agrostemma are not nearly as hot as they were 10 years ago; No germination, probably too hot, also poor germinating seed lot.Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating¹ | Repeat Again Rating¹ | Ease of Cultivation Rating¹ | Average Spacing (in2) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale | Retail | Consumer | ||||||
| Average | 6.6 | 21.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 150 |
| Range of Responses | 2-15 | 15-34 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-5 | 3-5 | 4-5 | 18-256 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Comments
Similar to 'Purple Queen' and 'Ocean Pearls'. We started too soon, as plants needed to be planted when the ground was too cold and wet - Planted in heated tunnel - This was a mistake - The stems were very weak - Will grow again later in season outside; I will probably grow this again.