Information on the use of petunias in our Louisiana home landscapes.

(Distributed 01/18/08) With the New Year come announcements of ornamental plant winners. One popular competition is the All-America Rose Selections. AARS winners for 2008 are Mardi Gras and Dream Come True.

Pointy and pretty, no flower quite has the petal power of poinsettias at the holidays. And the selection would be far fewer in Louisiana were it not for the LSU AgCenter. Although AgCenter horticulturists do not develop new varieties of poinsettias, they do evaluate the varieties that come on the market and test them for their suitability to grow here.

Louisiana in August may not be the most enjoyable time to work in the yard, but rose bushes need attention to ensure good performance this fall, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

Yards and gardens generally look a little frayed by this time of the year. The final really hot days that usually come at the end of a long, hot summer are especially hard on plants, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill.

A rose can say a lot. The beautiful blossoms speak of love, sorrow and appreciation. If a dozen roses can say so much, then the rose garden at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Center speaks volumes. The garden has 150 varieties of roses and more than 1,500 individual plants. Research on this popular flower is conducted at this station in Baton Rouge.

Daylilies are one of the most popular flowering plants for late spring and early summer landscapes in Louisiana. Many new flower forms and flower colors are now available.

With the start of the new year comes the announcement of the All-America Rose Selections. AARS winners for 2007 are Rainbow Knock Out, Moondance and Strike It Rich.

Gladiolus, or sword lily, has been a favorite of Southern gardeners for generations.

One of the newest groups of zinnias catching on the last five years have been the Profusion series. These zinnias are rapidly gaining popularity among home gardeners and landscape professionals.