Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 2001Good Qualities
Excellent color (4); Stiff stems but weak; Excellent heat tolerance, lived all summer in Chicago, once main shoot falls prostrate-all secondary shoots develop; Many stems, lacey effect; Nice filler for bouquets, was well accepted; Clear white flowers that don't discolor always a big plus; Interesting flower and open space; Very productive; Long lasting - best colors of any linaria; 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!; Quick germination - 1 day; Cool weather plant, good for extending the cutting season, interesting change from the usual fillers.Problems
Too short (3); Stems not substantial (3); Not a cut, flowers and dies quickly (fast crop time); Better as a seasonal annual than as a cut in Chicago; No useable stems; Doesn't bloom long into the season -- died out when we had extreme heat for prolonged period of time, stems were stiff, but thin; Plants needed support for quality stems and like 'Lace Violet', had to be cut very early to avoid blossom drop; Melted in heat; White is boring; White color not rich, nowhere nearly as interesting as the 'Lace Violet'; Too hot this year to get full potential.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 | 6.2 | 14.3 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 130 |
| Range of Responses | 0-25 | 14-30 | 1 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 2-5 | 36-432 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Comments
Dislikes hot weather (zone 6b); All the linerias are worth another try; I'm trying it again this year, starting it in the fall, to see if it will produce thicker stems; Too short to cut - but maybe a direct seeded or cold frame cultivation would produce longer stems or an over wintered seeding.