Trial: Perennial
Year Trialed: 2004, 2005Good Qualities
Year 1
Rich ruby color (4); Growing well, should do something next year, a few flowered, I kept them in pots this year and that was probably a mistake, they look like they would have done fine in the field; Late summer cut; Strong healthy plant; It looks good.Year 2
Beautiful color; Bees like the flower; This is a very nice cultivar, I just get too much damage on the flowers to sell them - insects love these things.Problems
Year 1
We live in Zone 5 plants are listed Zone 6 - up, cut at variety of stages of development, only stage they would not wilt at outside markets was full bloom; We had a long fall and I am concerned about frost in a normal year (zone 5).Year 2
Needs to have support; Weak plant; Time consuming to harvest; Did not overwinterYear 2
One trialer reported the postharvest life as 10 days; This plant did not perform like it did last year. I had great expectations for 'Ruby Slippers'.Trial Data
Year 1
| Plants flowering (%) | Plants dead at end of summer (%) | Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating¹ | Repeat Again Rating¹ | Ease of Cultivation Rating¹ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale | Retail | Consumer | |||||||
| Average | 77 | 12 | 5.6 | 31.2 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| Range of Responses | 0-100 | 0-40 | 2-10 | 20-48 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4-5 | 4-5 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Year 2
| Plants Surviving (%) | Yield (stems/plant)¹ | Stem Length (inches)¹ | Market Appreciation Rating² | Repeat Again Rating² | Ease of Cultivation Rating² | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 48.0 | 9.5 | 27.2 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Range of Responses | 0-85 | 9.5 | 26-30 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 2-3 |
¹Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.
²1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Terra Nova P.O. Box 23938 Tigard, OR 97281-3938 800-215-9450 x305 503-263-3150 x305 FAX 503-263-3152sales@terranovanurseries.com
Comments
Year 1
Planted 21 in field with other 'Fan' series, lobelia outside, This would be my pick for flower of the year, wholesaler sold 10 stem bunches for $6.50; Two trialers reported on vase life: 8 and 10 days, respectively.