When it comes to choosing cut flowers, there are more choices than ever. Here are details on some award winning varieties.


Cleome Senorita Rosalita

Senorita Rosalita is one of the Proven Winners plants. This hybrid was named one of the top five varieties at the Colorado State University trials in Fort Collins. This pink-flowering variety blooms all summer long.

The spider flowers are best known for the large, spider-like flowers with petals that have a unique shape. These blossoms can have a striking fragrance all their own. However some new varieties have no scent. Ones without thorns are preferred for cut flowers. Cleome Rosalita is a sturdy, upright plant that reaches four feet in height.

Cleome stems have a vase life of about a week or so. The stems are used as a large form flower. The cleomes need full sun and a well drained, reasonably rich, moist soil.


Tiki Torch echinacea

Tiki Torch echinacea received a Classic City Award winner from the University of Georgia Trial Gardens in Athens. It is one of the unusually colored echinaceas for this group is no longer restricted to purplish-pinks.

Tiki Torch has eye popping, vivid orange blooms—the darkest of all the orange flowered echinaceas. These are 4½ inches in diameter. They have an enchanting spicy fragrance. The tall, erect stems are three feet in height.

This is recommended for zones four through nine. Thriving in poor soils, the echinaceas need full sun.

As cut flowers, these have a vase life of about a week. The echinaceas are used as a large mass flower. They’re a favorite for mixed bouquets during the summer months.


Gateway Joe-pye-weed
One of the joe-pye weeds was named a Great Plants selection. These selections are suitable for the Great Plains in Nebraska. This program is a collaboration between the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.
Gateway joe-pye-weed is suited to zones three through nine. The red blossoms open during the late summer months. Though the individual flowers may be small, they form very large branched heads. These can be faintly scented.
This perennial needs full sun. As cut flowers, the joe-pye-weeds have a vase life of about two weeks or so.