Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1998Good Qualities
Beautiful, deep, rich color (11); Long vaselife (3); Holds color well after harvest (2); Pollenless (2); Bronze/red coloring on stems & leaves very attractive; Easy stems to cut; Leaves dark & very graceful; Backs of petals are beautifully stripped; 2nd growth flowers had long enough stems; Nice flower; Customers like it; Always in bloom; Great in many combinations of bouquets; Strong stems; Small enough heads for everyday designProblems
Too short (2); Stems are weak (2); Tendency for heads to droop after cutting (terminal heads held up the best) (2); I didn't plant enough!!; Poor germination when direct seeded; In dark cooler they lose effectiveness because of dark color; Small flowers; Uneven branching pattern (some single stem, others very branching).Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating¹ | Repeat Again Rating¹ | Ease of Cultivation Rating¹ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 3.5 | 31.9 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.6 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Comments
Very well received in marketplace. Blooms good size for most floral work - nice intermediate size of flower. Great eye-appeal. Cut a bit early for sales (cut too late & they fade quickly); Darker than 'Evening Sun' - almost black-red; Will grow this next season; Should have grown for fall production, wrong color for summer. - Bad timing; Reported as lasting 7 days in vase, great market value!; Similar to 'Evening Sun' & 'Red Sun'; People either love it or hate it; doesn't seem to be any middle ground.