PERENNIAL PLANT EVALUATION PROCESS
Each year, the committee selects 10 perennials to evaluate. The plants are sourced and purchased by growers on the committee who nurture them in pots before giving them to the evaluators. In late summer, evaluators plant the perennials. The 3-year evaluation begins the following spring. Evaluators record plant performance data, such as flower color, bloom period, height and spread and other attributes—positive and negative. The evaluations are compiled, analyzed and summarized in “Perennial Snapshots.” The Snapshots for each plant are available here and provide industry professionals and consumers with plant performance information for the Chicagoland area.
Current Evaluations
2017-2020
Agastache ‘Blue Boa’
Allium senescens ‘Blue Eddy’
Amsonia ciliata var. filifolia ‘Georgia Pancake’
Astilbe ‘Chocolate Shogun’
Boltonia astroides ‘James Crocket’
Brunnera ‘Alexander’s Great’
Geranium cinereum ‘Jolly Jewel Purple’
Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Denim ‘n Lace’
Sedum ellacombianum ‘Cutting Edge’
Vernonia ‘Southern Cross’
2016-2019
Allium ‘Windy City’
Andropogon gerardii ‘Red October’
Anemone ‘Macane’ Wild Swan
Aruncus ‘Misty Lace’
Belamcanda chinensis ‘Freckles Face’
Iris sibirica ‘Kabluey’
Panicum virgatum ‘Hot Rod’
Penstemon digitalis ‘Pocahontas’
Rudbeckia ‘American Goldrush’
x Sedoro ‘Blue Elf’ (aka x Hylostachys ‘Blue Elf’)
Completed Evaluations
Agapanthus ‘Blue Yonder’ (2013-16)
Agastache bolero (2013-16)
Alcea ‘Spring Celebrities Purple (2014-17)
Amsonia [Rhazia orientalis] ‘Blue Ice’ (2004-07)
Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’ (2014-17)
Aruncus ‘Horatio’ (2010-13)
Asparagus ‘Purple Passion’ (2013-16)
Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’ (2004-07)
Astilbe x arendsii ‘Beauty of Ernst’ (Color Flash®) (2005-08)
Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (2002-05)
Athyrium niponicum ‘Red Beauty’ (2006-09)
Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ (2005-08)
Baptisia ‘Solar Flare’ (2010-13)
Baptisia x bicolor ‘Starlite’ STARLITE PRAIRIEBLUES™ (2009-12)
Baptisia x variicolor ‘Twilight’ TWILITE PRAIRIEBLUES™ (2007-10)
Bergenia ciliata (2007-10)
Brunnera ‘Looking Glass’ (2007-10)
Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ (2002-05)
Brunnera macrophylla ‘Sea Heart’
Buddleja ‘Bicolor’ (2006-09)
Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta (2002-05)
Campanula glomarata ‘Freya’ (2012-15)
Campanula ‘Samantha’ (2004-07)
Campanula ‘Sarastro’ (2003-06)
Carex ‘Banana Boat’ (2014-17)
Carex dolichostachy ‘Gold Fountain’ (2004-07)
Carex pensylvanica (2009-12)
Carex platyphylla (2004-07)
Caryopteris divaricata ‘Snow Fairy’ (2006-09)
Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’ (2011-14)
Chelone ‘Tiny Tortuga’
Coreopsis ‘Mercury Rising’ (2014-17)
Coreopsis ‘Star Cluster’ (2014-17)
Cyrtomium fortunei (2010-13)
Cystopteris bulbifera (2008-11)
Dicentra ‘Burning Hearts’ (2014-17)
Digitalis ‘Spice Island’ (2007-10)
Echinacea ‘Art’s Pride’ ORANGE MEADOWBRITE™ (2004-07)
Echinacea purpurea ‘Vintage Wine’ (2005-08)
Echinacea ‘Razzamatazz’ (2003-06)
Echinacea ‘Reuben Glow’ (2003-06)
Epilobium canum ssp. garrettii ‘Orange Carpet’ (syn. Zauchsneria garrettii) (2007-10)
Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ (2009-12)
Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Purple Pixie’ (2010-13)
Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae (2006-09)
Eurybia divaricatus (formerly Aster divaricatus) (2008-11)
Gentiana ‘True Blue’ (2011-14)
Geranium maculatum ‘Album’ (2009-12)
Geranium ‘Orkney Cherry’ (2011-14)
Geranium pratense ‘Hocus Pocus’ (2003-06)
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (2003-06)
Geranium soboliferum ‘Butterfly Kisses’ (2013-16)
Geranium wallichianum ‘Buxton’s Blue’ (2003-06)
Geum ‘Mai Tai’ (2011-14)
Gillenia trifoliata (2010-13)
Hakonechloa macra ‘Beni-kaze’ (2008-11)
Helenium ‘Rubinzwerg’ (2003-06)
Helenium ‘Short ‘n’ Sassy’
Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Merlin’
Helleborus Winter Thrillers™ Series-Mixed (2011-14)
Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’ (2005-08)
Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ (2005-08)
Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’ (2002-05)
Heuchera villosa ‘Citronelle’ (2008-11)
Hibiscus ‘Midnight Marvel’ (2014-17)
Hylotelephium ‘Pure Joy’ (fomerly Sedum ‘Pure Joy’) (2012-15)
Hylotelephium telephium ‘Beka’ AUTUMN DELIGHT™ (formerly sedum telephium ‘Beka’) (2008-11)
Hylotelephium ‘Thundercloud’ (formerly Sedum ‘Thundercloud’) (2010-13)
Iris x robusta ‘Gerald Darby’ (2012-15)
Kalimeris incisa ‘Blue Star’ (2012-15)
Kalimeris incisa ‘Blue Star’ (2004-07)
Kirengoshoma palmata (2008-11)
Knautia ‘Mars Midget’ (2005-08)
Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’(formerly Dicentra spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’) (2010-13)
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Niko’ PHENOMENAL™
Leucanthemum ‘Daisy Duke’ (2010-13)
Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Ryan’s White’ (2002-05)
Lobelia cardnalis ‘Monet Moment’ (2013-16)
Meehania cordata
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Little Kitten’ (2008-11)
Molinia caerulea ssp. caerulea ‘Heidebraut’ (2009-12)
Monarda bradburiana (2012-15)
Oenothera ‘Cold Crick’ (2009-12)
Paeonia ‘Memorial Gem’ (2007-10)
Panicum amarum ‘Dewey Blue’ (2004-07)
Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Piglet’ (2007-10)
Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’ (2009-12)
Penstemon strictus (2004-07)
Penstemon ‘Sunburst Amethyst’ (2014-17)
Perovskia ‘Lacey Blue’ (2014-17)
Phlox divaricata ‘Plum Perfect’ (2007-10)
Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ (2013-16)
Phlox paniculata ‘Lord Clayton’ (2012-15)
Phlox paniculata ‘Pink Bouquet’ (2007-10)
Phlox pilosa ‘Bungalow Blue’
Polemonium ‘Heaven Scent’ (2009-12)
Polygonatum ‘Prince Charming’ (2010-13)
Prunella ‘Freelander Blue’ (2013-16)
Rodgersia ‘Bronze Peacock’
Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’ (2013-16)
Ruellia humilis (2004-07)
Salvia ‘Madeline’ (2012-15)
Sanguisorba ‘Red Thunder’ (2005-08)
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’ (2013-16)
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘MinnblueA’ BLUE HEAVEN™ (2008-11)
Sedum ‘Dazzleberry’ (2014-17)
Silene caroliniana ssp. wherryi ‘Short and Sweet’ (2011-14)
Solidago ‘Wichita Mountains’ (2009-12)
Spigellia marilandica (2012-15)
Stachys officianalis ‘Pink Cotton Candy’ (2011-14)
Stokesia laevis ‘Elf’ (2011-14)
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’ (formerly Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’ ) (2003-06)
Thermopsis chinensis ‘Sophia’ (2010-13)
Vernonia glauca (2007-10)
Vernonia lettermannii ‘Iron Butterfly’ (2011-14)
Veronica longifolia ‘Eveline’ (2004-07)
Veronica ‘Tidal Pool’ (2012-15)
Veronica ‘Spike’
