Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 2001
Good Qualities
Great color (10); Very productive (2); Excellent heat tolerance, lived all summer in Chicago, once main shoot falls prostrate-all secondary shoots develop; 5-7 day vase-life, good consumer response; Nice filler for bouquets, was well accepted; Interesting flower and open space; All colors were nice except white - it was OK; It doesn't like heat (zone 6b) and we had plenty of that; We are trying it as a winter crop; Customers loved it as a filler; We just need to grow it a different time of year; No insects or diseases!; Nice side shoots, very early; Quick germination - 1 day (24 hrs); Cool weather plant, good for extending the cutting season, interesting change from the usual fillers.
Problems
Too short (2); Stems not substantial (3); Better as a seasonal annual than as a cut in Chicago; Growth was very soft - not strong stemmed, floppy!; Post-harvest petal drop; Doesn't bloom long into the season -- died out when we had extreme heat for prolonged period of time, stems were stiff, but thin; Melted in heat; Too hot this year to get full potential.
Comments
Dislikes hot weather (zone 6b); All of these linarias are worth another try; I'm trying it again this year, starting it in the fall, to see if it will produce thicker stems.
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 | 8.9 | 14.8 | 1.0 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 111 |
| Range of Responses | 0-25 | 10-30 | 1 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 3-5 | 36-216 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
American Takii 301 Natividad Rd. Salinas, CA 93906
