Ball FloraPlant Earns Top Honors at 2025 Plant Trials

Need to Know

• Multiple Ball FloraPlant varieties earned top honors and near perfect 5.0 scores at leading university and industry trials, including Raker Trial Gardens, CSU, UGA and Young’s Plant Farm.
• Standout Angelonia, Impatiens, Lantana, Salvia, Brunnera, Geranium, Calibrachoa and Portulaca delivered exceptional garden performance, heat tolerance, uniformity and season long color in ground, container and hanging basket trials.
• Judges consistently praised these trial winners for strong branching, vibrant color, low input needs and high pollinator attraction — making them smart, market proven choices for growers and retailers.

Congratulations to the standout varieties that were recognized at this year’s plant trials. The following varieties from Ball FloraPlant received accolades and high scores from a number of trials this summer.

Raker Trial Gardens

With a perfect 5.0 score from Raker Trial Gardens, Ball FloraPlant was recognized for two of its Angelonia: Archangel (Cherry Red 26 and Fuchsia) and Guardian Angel Pink, as well as two Impatiens varieties: Clockwork Orange Glow Glimmer New Guinea Impatiens and Glimmer Double Impatiens (Purple Stardust, Strawberry Sparkler).

In-ground varieties that scored a perfect 5.0 included two varieties of Lantana and a Salvia: Landmark Yellow 26 and Lantana Shamrock (Lavender, Lemon Glow and Yellow), as well as Salvia Mystical White.

Standouts in hanging basket with a 5.0 score: Calibrachoa Cha-Cha Diva Orange and Petunia Jewel Radiant Ruby.

MixMasters Combos with a perfect score included:

Flame On

Happy Dance

Heavy Petal

Passion Week

Colorado State University (CSU)

Congratulations to this year’s Best of Show at the CSU Trials: Salvia Mystic Spires from Ball FloraPlant! Judges said, “Tried and true! In our evaluation ratings, from 0 to 5, ‘Mystic Spires’ received an almost near perfect score! No mystery about it, this salvia is a consistent, show stopping performer! It was easy to spot the deep, blue-purple spires across the garden—all season! The sturdy, well-branched, robust plants with deep green foliage were free flowering in the heat of the summer and well into the fall. Plus — this plant is a pollinator’s delight, attracting a wide array of pollinators!”

A Top Performer at CSU Flower Trial Gardens included Lantana Shamrock Red (container). "This lantana is intense! The individual flowers open an orange-yellow, and mature into an intense, bright red, creating a dynamic floral display ALL summer and into the fall. A great pollinator and butterfly magnet. The well-branched, uniform plants filled out the container well and would be great to use in hanging baskets. The foliage adds a lemony-citrus fragrance too!” said the judges.

Another winner this year was Geranium (Interspecific) Solera Lavender (container). “Not a surprise, a Solera geranium was at the top of the list this year! Solera ‘Lavender’ has large umbels sporting intense lavender color florets, with a faint white ‘eye’. The sturdy ‘lollipop-like’ inflorescences, surround a canopy of a medium dark green foliage! These did well in the heat of the summer and work great for containers and hanging baskets,” commented the judges.

Purslane Rio Grande Frosted Strawberry (container) was also a Top Performer at CSU. Comments included: “This new introduction boasts copious amounts of bicolored flowers—with a deep, strawberry pink, splashed with light pink to white, creating a vibrant display. One almost feels tempted to serve them over some shortbread for dessert! The well-branched plants filled out the container well and would work well in hanging baskets. Another great pollinator plant and selections for low water input situations.”

Other plant highlights from summer 2025 trials

Lantana Shamrock Lavender at Young’s Plant Farm Trials was a standout variety at this Southeast summer trial garden.

Ageratum Monarch Magic is still impressing judges, especially after scoring a perfect 5.0 at the Penn State Flower Trials.

At the University of Georgia Trials (UGA), Calibrachoa Cabaret Hot Pink 26 received the Classic City Award and a perfect 5.0 rating for Sun Containers. This Ball FloraPlant variety was also said to be “attractive to swallowtail butterflies” throughout the trial.