Looking to put a ruffle in the pansy market, Goldsmith introduced its Contessa Mixture of ruffled-petaled pansies. Plants flower as early as other pansy series and produce 2-inch flowers in shades of yellow, white, blue, red and rose shades. The blue, white and yellow flowers have the most ruffled petals. Under heat stress, the ruffled edge diminishes.

Not to be out-ruffled, Floranova's Chalon series of ruffled-petaled pansies was re-introduced with two new shade colors (blue shades and red shades) in the mix. The mix also contains white picotee and red wing shades. The company plans to eventually offer separate colors.

If you're trying to introduce a new series into an already crowded market, what better way to do it then to offer something different with a twist? Waller Flowerseed's Panola certainly fits the bill. The company has trademarked the Panola name for its cross between a pansy and a viola. The Panola Panache series derives the best qualities from each species and comes in seven colors and a mix. Plants produce 1 3/4- to 2-inch flowers on short peduncles, have a good mounding habit and overwinter well.

Waller may have Panolas, but Ball Seed has the Hedgiflora petunia. The name is derived from the dense, mounded hedge formed by the new Dramatica series. Available in Cherry and Hot Pink, the seed-produced cultivars reach 2-3 feet tall. These shrublike plants, which are less daylength sensitive than the Waves, still need long days to flower. Plants are covered with 2-inch-diameter flowers. They were promoted this spring in Southern Living magazine and were available in 8-inch pots from Lowe's.

Sakata's Infinity impatiens series replaces its Pride series in 2000. Infinity plants have a more vigorous habit and larger flowers (2-inch diameter). Available in 11 separate colors and a mix, Infinity has a germination rate of 90 percent plus. Plants can be used in landscape plantings as well as hanging baskets.

Daehnfeldt's F1 Queen fibrous begonia is the first double-flower series from seed. When plants initially begin to flower, there are 60-percent double and 40-percent single. As plants mature, they produce 85-percent double, 10-percent semi-double and 5-percent single. Colors available are red, pink and white and more are being developed along with a bronze-leaf series. Since the double flowers don't shed like the singles, these plants are being recommended for patio containers and hanging baskets rather than for mass plantings. The Queens' production requirements and flower power is similar to Daehnfeldt's Ambassador series.

The Symphony multiflora petunia series from American Takii has a good mounding habit and is available in seven separate colors and a mix.

. © 1999 Branch-Smith Publishing