Trial: Annual

Years Trialed: 2001

Good Qualities

Excellent color (10); Flower quickly from seed (3); Productive (3); Excellent heat tolerance, lived all summer in Chicago, once main shoot falls prostrate-all secondary shoots develop; They didn't stand up well, stems were curved, so they were hard to bunch and mix; However, it is a wonderful plant for a colorful annual garden, and we will grow it again; Interesting flower and open space; The vase life is great; 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!; Very pretty, snapdragon-like flowers, dainty size, unusual; 24 hrs germinated; Cool weather plant, good for extending the cutting season, interesting change from the usual fillers.

Problems

Short stems (5); Stems not substantial (5); Florets fell off quickly (2); Only one stem per plant, pinching resulted in more spikes per stem, but no more stems per plant; Falls over, flowers and dies quickly; Better as a seasonal annual than as a cut in Chicago; Melted in heat; Quit blooming in heat of summer; Too hot this year to get full potential.

Comments

Dislikes hot weather (zone 6b); I'm trying it again this year, starting it in the fall, to see if it will produce thicker stems; I really liked this linaria - but they were too short for even our smallest buckets; I would like to try it as a greenhouse (cold frame) crop; It last well and has incredible colors.

Supplier

American Takii 301 Natividad Rd. Salinas, CA 93906