All-America Selections announces the first AAS winners for 2012

All-America Selections (AAS) has announced the first of the newest group of AAS Winners. Following a trial period where these new, never-before-sold varieties are “Tested Nationally and Proven Locally,” AAS judges, have submitted their recommendations and scores from this year's trials. Only those entries with superior garden performance are granted an AAS Award.

With this announcement, these varieties become available for immediate sale. Commercial growers should inquire with their favorite seed supplier. AAS Winner tags are available from several tag suppliers. Consumers will find these seeds for sale in the coming months from mail-order companies and various websites. AAS Winners will also be available as young plants in lawn and garden retail stores next spring.

Salvia ‘Summer Jewel Pink’
AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner
Sister to earlier AAS Winner Salvia ‘Summer Jewel Red,’ this dwarf sized, compact plant has a prolific bloom count throughout the growing season. As a bonus, the blooms appear almost two weeks earlier than the other pink salvias used as comparisons. Commercial growers will appreciate the earliness, excellent pack performance and uniformity. Bred by Takii & Co. Ltd.

Ornamental Pepper ‘Black Olive’
AAS Flower Award Winner
The AAS Judges said this entry was a standout, especially in the Southern gardens where heat was a major presence during the 2011 trials. All season long this beauty kept its upright habit with nicely draping leaves and dark purple/black fruit which appeared in small clusters along the stems. As summer progresses, the fruits mature to red giving a beautiful contrast against the dark purple foliage and bright purple flowers. Retailers and growers can sell this multi-use ornamental as a 20-inch border plant, a great color splash for containers or as a cut flower in mixed bouquets. Bred by Seeds By Design.

Pepper ‘Cayennetta’ F1
AAS Vegetable Award Winner
‘Cayennetta’ is an excellent tasting mildly spicy pepper that is very easy to grow, even for novice gardeners. This 3- to 4-inch chili pepper yielded bigger fruits from a very well branched upright plant. It required no staking, which would make it a perfect plant for container or patio gardens. Unique to this variety is that it has good cold tolerance as well as dense foliage cover to protect the fruits from sun scorch and it handled extreme heat very well. Market growers will benefit from the heavy yield and prolific fruit set from each plant. Everyone will love the excellent pepper flavor that outshone all the comparison varieties. Bred by Floranova Ltd.

Watermelon ‘Faerie’ F1
AAS Vegetable Award Winner
‘Faerie’ is a non-traditional watermelon in that it has a creamy yellow rind with thin stripes yet still yields sweet pink-red flesh with a high sugar content and crisp texture. Home gardeners will like growing something unique in their garden and the fact that the vines are vigorous yet spread only to 11 feet. Each 7- to 8-inch fruit weighs only four to six pounds making it a perfect family-size melon. Professional growers will appreciate the disease and insect tolerance as well as the prolific fruit set that starts early and continues throughout the season. Bred by Known-You Seed Company.