Many factors in a greenhouse can contribute to the spread of disease. The warm temperatures and humid conditions make the ideal environment for diseases to thrive. Depending on the type of irrigation used, the foliage of plants may be wet for extended periods of time, which also contributes to disease development. Growers often space plants in close proximity to efficiently use their square footage, but this can also decrease airflow between plants and spread disease faster.
Verbena‘Superbena Pink Cashmere’ is one of the latest in a long line of Superbenas, all of which must meet Proven Winners’ extremely high standards for powdery mildew resistance. The winner of seven independent trials awards last year, it stands out from the crowd with its delicate color, extremely vigorous growth, and huge umbels
Fragrant white flowers attract pollinators and gardeners alike from mid-summer through fall, while eye-catching evergreen foliage shines in the coldest months of the year. Deer, disease, and pest resistant as well as drought tolerant, it thrives in full sun to partial shade.
New from renowned rose breeders Noack Rosen, the breeder of the Flower Carpet ground cover roses, comes a whole new series of disease-resistant roses – Flower Carpet Shrub Roses. Thanks to expert breeding and years of trials, this collection of fragrant shrub roses has the same hardiness and disease resistance of multiple award-winning Flower Carpet groundcover roses.
Sedum ‘Mocha Magic’ was trialed for eight years before its release and is a standout variety. Early summer blue foliage changes to gray-blue and then to chocolate-mocha color. Mildew-resistant foliage covers the stout, dark brown stems. One of the most resistant varieties for crown rot and Erwinia.
Strong stems grow to 15 inches tall and take on some red-purple coloration. Full sun; well-drained soil. ‘Lime Joy’, because of its hybrid vigor and parental genes from Hylotelephiumspectabile, are more resistant to a common fungal disease of sedum, Rhizoctonia, which causes root rot.
This perennial features rich blue flowers that bloom up to two weeks earlier than the comparisons. With excellent winter hardiness and heat tolerance, ‘Blue by You’ will be a new favorite in perennial, pollinator, cutting, and container gardens.
Every rose in the Oso Easy line of shrub roses is trialed and tested to ensure they are exceptionally resistant to black spot and powdery mildew, and the Proven Winners ColorChoice 2024 Rose of the Year, ‘Oso Easy Peasy’, is no different. This rugged beauty sends out continuous sprays of vivid pink flowers from early summer through frost.
NewGen Independence is a thoroughly modern cultivar with classic boxwood beauty for the formal landscape and foundation plantings. The deep green, glossy foliage boasts good resistance to boxwood blight plus good resistance to boxwood leafminer.
Echinacea purpurea is a highly ornamental, native perennial that’s often used in green infrastructureprojects. It continues to grow in popularity due to its function and instantly recognizableaesthetics.
As part of the mint family, this native bee balm appeals to pollinators and forms attractive clumps, less aggressively than other species of Monarda. Its distinctive globular flowers reach up to 2 feet tall, and with foliage that is resistant to powdery mildew, it is a highly valuable addition to any garden.
Bellini Crape Myrtles are unlike any other varieties on the market because of their breakthrough, compact size and delicious colors. They’re an excellent addition to the garden and are resistant to deer and powdery mildew.
The Gaura SteffiSeries packs loads of blooms on compact stems. These first-year flowering perennials require no vernalization or bulking. ‘Steffi White’ has shown good resistance to leaf spot on the foliage.
Selected for its stunning foliage, FiresideNinebark displays reddish new growth that matures to deep red-purple. Its foliage holds its color reliably all summer, including in Zone 8 trials in Georgia and at other test sites. Add to that, Fireside doesn’t show signs of powdery mildew in the field or in production.
A neat and tidy rosette of basal leaves that appear fresh throughout the growing season. The bright-pink coneflowers provide a welcome accent but no disease pressure.
Homerun is a mid-season Garden Mum series bred from family mutation for a well-matching program. Robinson is a mix of the Homerun varieties including Homerun Orange, Yellow Improved and Pink. They boast extremely large flowers and have an excellent shelf life that will appeal to garden centers and decorators. A quick blackout response time of six weeks makes it versatile for growers in shaded programs. The family series offers the option to mix and match fordifferent color combinations. All varieties in the Homerun family contain White Rust Resistance (WRR), powered by Intrinsa.
Confetti Garden Robinson Homerun Family (Dummen Orange)
Due to the ease with which disease can spread in a greenhouse, breeders are more focused than ever on developing varieties that are disease-resistant. Many new varieties have disease-resistance bred into the genetics, and breeders acknowledge that this is one of their goals with new products. Check out the slideshow above for a closer look at new disease-resistant varieties.
Carmen Wilkins is a writer and editor specializing in lifestyle, books, sports, education, and tech. She's a former professional soccer player who now spends her time playing on the weekends with her kids and husband.
