The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Inc. announces selections for the 2023 Cut Flowers of the Year

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Inc. (ASCFG) announces its selections for the 2023 Cut Flowers of the Year. These varieties are chosen by the ASCFG’s 3,000+ members on their ease of culture, productivity and marketability.

Woody Cut of the Year: Hydrangea ‘Pinky Winky' is one of several excellent Hydrangea paniculata varieties, ‘Pinky Winky’ has large white panicles that open in mid-to-late summer. As summer becomes fall, the florets at the base of the panicles take on a clear, true pink as the flower panicles continue to grow, producing new white florets at the tip. The result is spectacular two-toned flower panicles that can reach up to 16 inches long. They are held up with exceptionally strong, thick stems, perfect for supporting the large flowers in cut bouquets.

Cut flower growers love the structure of these blooms, which provide gorgeous blooms, whether used fresh or dried.

Fresh Cut Flower of the Year: Lisianthus 'Voyage 2 Champagne' offers huge, ruffled blooms of blushy golden pink. One zone 6 grower reported stems at least 24 inches long grown in a tunnel. The flowers are ideal for wedding bouquets. This lisianthus provides a perfect color choice for later summer or early fall floral designs.

"This variety performed wonders in the field and in bouquets," an ASCFG member says. "The color was a joy to work with and folks adored them.”

Bulb Cut Flower of the Year: Double Tulip ‘Dream Touch’ has long, strong stems and a unique, moody flower color combination that make this a favorite of both growers and florists. The variety has a long postharvest life. Some tulips are challenging to design with, but the more rigid stems of ‘Dream Touch’ are perfect for bouquets.

“Tulips are at the top of my list for cut flowers, and ‘Dream Touch’ is stunning,” an ASCFG member says. "Others remarked that the green striping on the purple petals creates a unique color combination. Bulbs are consistently productive."

Cut Foliage of the Year: Eucalyptus ‘Silver Dollar' has long stems that are easy to work with in bouquets and wedding designs. Customers rave about its unique silvery color. It’s more fragrant than most eucalyptus, making it the most popular to sell retail. This variety is known for overwintering in plastic tunnels in zone 6, making it easy to grow and extremely low maintenance. It is disease and pest-resistant, and it can last as long as two weeks postharvest.

One grower noted, "‘Silver Dollar’ did amazing on our Colorado farm, lasting through to Thanksgiving without any type of protection.”

Click here to learn more about ASCFG.