National Garden Bureau 2019 plants of the year Email
Written by Cherie Courtade   
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 01:00 AM

Pumpkin, National Garden Bureau edible plant of the year

The National Garden Bureau (NGB) has released its four “year of” plants for 2019. Each plant represents one of four categories: annual, perennial, bulbs, and edibles. Gardeners and other landscape professionals may notice trend-watching consumers asking about these plants.

Snapdragons offer pollinator-friendly color and, according to local garden centers, remain a popular bedding plant with Colorado gardeners. The wide range of colors available include some coral shades that might satisfy those looking to incorporate Pantone’s 2019 color of the year.

Salvia nemorosa represents another class of plants that attract pollinators. Bees and hummingbirds are drawn to these hardy ornental plants.Plant Select offers a number of salvia plants that are especially suited to Colorado climates.

Dahlias, a tuber native to Mexico and Central America, represent the bulb category. With 42 species and 20,000 cultivars, there is plenty of variety. CSU-Hort blog claims that while they do need to be dug up to survive the Colorado winter, they require little maintenance and make a big impact in the garden.

Gardeners looking for edible plants can choose pumpkins for more than just pies. Pumpkins come in a variety of colors and sizes are rich in fiber, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, B and C. PlantTalk ColoradoTM recommends Howden for carving and Baby Bear for cooking.

In naming its plants of the year, NGB looks for hearty plants that can adaptable to many zones. For more information on the program, visit https://ngb.org/year-of-2019/.

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
Leadership Academy returns for 2019
Networking and EXPO Hall highlights at ProGreen EXPO 2019

National Collegiate Landscape Competition returns to Colorado in 2019

ALCC announces 2019 Board of Directors