Written collaboratively by Kristine Lang, Amy Knofczynski, Christopher Schlenker, Debra Brost, Laurie Carruthers, Cathy Fredrickson, Perry Johnson, Nancy Kadous, Alexandria Kub, Sharelle Meyer, Carrie Werkmeister
Introduction
Located on the campus of South Dakota State University, McCrory Gardens sits on the edge of the tallgrass prairie in Brookings, South Dakota. Beginning with just 2 acres in 1965, McCrory Gardens has grown to include 25 acres of formal gardens and a 45-acre arboretum. In the heart of the 70-acre botanical garden sits our Education & Visitor Center, a facility designed to further enhance our mission of ‘Connecting people and plants through education, discovery, research, and enjoyment of the natural and built landscape.’
This plant trial program, in addition to those conducted in the arboretum, are managed and maintained by the McCrory Gardens horticulture staff with evaluations conducted by SDSU Extension, McCrory Gardens staff, and SDSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers with the purpose of determining performance and survivability of varieties when tested against the unique environmental conditions of the northern great plains.
Number of Cultivars in Each Trial Category
- 44 Annuals
- 32 Perennials
- 20 Roses
- 4 Trees and Shrubs
Annual Top Performers
- Bidens Campfire® Marshmallow (Bidens)
- Sweet Alyssum White Knight (Imp) (Lobularia)
- Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista® Pink Cloud™ (Petunia)
- Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista® Yellow (Petunia)
- Petunia Supertunia® Hoopla® Vivid Orchid™ (Petunia)
Annual Honorable Mentions
- Coleus ColorBlaze® Wicked Witch™ (Coleus)
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine Sweet Caroline Medusa™ Black (Ipomoea)
- Lobelia Laguna® Royale Azure (Lobelia)
Perennial Top Performers
- Astilbe Firefly Fuchsia (Astilbe)
- False Sunflower Touch of Blush (Heliopsis)
- Goat’s Beard Goatee (Aruncus)
- False Indigo Grape Escape (Baptisia)
Perennial Honorable Mentions
- Stonecrop Rock ‘N Grow® Midnight Velvet (Sedum)
- Catmint Chartreuse on the Loose (Nepeta)
Acknowledgements
Cooperating Organizations and Companies
McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University Extension would like to thank the organizations and companies who collaborate with us for national and regional trials. Without their cooperation and support, the research completed at McCrory Gardens would not be possible. Company and organizational names are included for public information only and do not represent an endorsement by McCrory Gardens or South Dakota State University Extension.
Special thanks to Robin Buterbaugh for peer review of this publication.
About McCrory Gardens
Located on the campus of South Dakota State University, McCrory Gardens sits on the edge of the tall grass prairie in Brookings, South Dakota. Beginning with just 2 acres in 1965, McCrory Gardens has grown to include 25 acres of formal gardens and a 45-acre arboretum. In the heart of the 70-acre botanical garden sits the Education and Visitor Center, a facility designed to further enhance the mission of ‘Connecting people and plants through education, discovery, research, and enjoyment of the natural and built landscape.’
The formal gardens house a multitude of themed gardens and plant collections in addition to the annual and perennial plant trial programs. These plant trial programs in addition to those conducted in the arboretum are managed and maintained by the McCrory Gardens horticulture staff with evaluations conducted by SDSU Extension and McCrory Gardens staff with the purpose of determining performance and survivability of varieties when tested against the unique environmental conditions of the northern great plains.
