Didiscus Caeruleus 'Sky Blue'

Trial: Annual

Years Trialed: 2001

Good Qualities

Great blue color (5); No support netting needed, good flower life in field, multiple buds, no insect or disease problems; More upright than Madonna, good symmetry, grew well under severe conditions; The flower type and strong stems; Good vase life; Fast growing; None.

Problems

Short lived (IL); Weak stems in floral arrangements; Root system poor - pulls out of the ground if not cut properly, also, 1st flower is below top of plant and second flower is above 1st, so it=s hard to bunch effectively; Difficult to decide when to cut - 1st flower open or as a spray; White flies were tough to control; None.

Comments

Have grown before and is well accepted by customers; Similar to scabiosa; 11 day vase-life in tap water at room temperature; Several companies have a didiscus like this; Rabbits ate plants; Don't like it; too sticky; everything in the air sticks to the bloom.


Trial Data

Didiscus caeruleus 'Sky Blue'
Yield (stems/plant) Stem Length (inches) Market Appreciation Rating¹ Repeat Again Rating¹ Ease of Cultivation Rating¹ Average Spacing (in2)
Wholesale Retail Consumer
Average 3.7 17.2 3.0 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.8 109
Range of Responses 0-10 6-32 2-4 2-4 2-5 1-5 1-5 21-216


¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.


Supplier

Benary Seed 1444 Larson St. Sycamore, IL 60178