Trial: Perennial
Years Trialed: 1998, 1999Good Qualities
Year 1
Great purple color (4); The long stems and the foliage was dark green and disease-free; Stood up well if given enough sun; Just keeps on going. Been cutting for approximately 6 weeks; Sturdy good looking plant.Year 2
Excellent purple color. Good stem length; Nice color, vigorous.Problems
Year 1
The plants did not produce many useable blooms and should be staked well to make it worthwhile. It made a thick green groundcover instead; A little short; Almost no flowers/plant, don't know what happened. Didn't last well in vase.Year 2
Not hardy in Zone 6/7. Killed first year with a 12°F low temperature; Hard to keep stems straight.Year 2
Set plants out in early October and lost all of them; Excellent flower, very productive in Zone 8-9; Good plant for cut flowers, upright stems, reasonable length.Trial Data
Year 1
| Yield (stems/plant)¹ | Stem Length (inches)¹ | Market Appreciation Rating² | Repeat Again Rating² | Ease of Cultivation Rating² | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 9.9 | 23.9 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.5 |
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.
Year 2
| Yield (stems/plant)¹ | Stem Length (inches)¹ | Market Appreciation Rating² | Repeat Again Rating² | Ease of Cultivation Rating² | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 19.3 | 24.5 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 4.8 |
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.
Comments
Year 1
'Sour Grapes' is typically a heavy bloomer with a long bloom time in Athens. Possibly needs another year for a good yield. The stems are sufficiently long but not upright. Perhaps this is a first year problem, as this does occur with other first year perennials; Hope it overwinters. Look like good promise of lots of stems per plant; Began harvest July 15. As of September 30 lots of stems in bud. The purple color could be nice for the fall; Good growth. Little blooming;