All-America Selections Announces 2006 Winners

Information from AAS website, www. all-americaselections.org

Carrot F1 ‘Purple Haze’ Wow! A purple carrot! Imagine how much kids will want to grow this one. The 10- to 12-inch smooth purple carrots taper to a point and reveal a bright orange center when cut. These are the carrots to use raw on a vegetable tray, as their exotic colors turn to ordinary orange when cooked.
The vigorous upright plants reach 14 to 16 inches and spread the same distance. ‘Purple Haze’ can be harvested in about 70 days after sowing seed.

Salvia farinacea ‘Evolution’ This new color in salvias is lovely violet, distinctly different from the usual blue. The 6- to 7-inch flower spikes bloom on plants 16 to 24 inches tall, spreading 16 to 19 inches.
Although trials show these salvias to be drought tolerant, regular watering keeps them flowering consistently. They have few diseases or pests and are great for minimal maintenance gardens.

Dianthus interspecific ‘Supra Purple’ This dianthus interspecific cross has resulted in hybrid vigor for improved heat tolerance and prolific bloom. The 1.5-inch single purple flowers are lacy, with highly fringed petal edges. In full sun, ‘Supra Purple’ will reach 12 inches and spread 10 inches. From sowing seed to bloom will be about 10 to 12 weeks.

Capsicum annuum Pepper F1 ‘Carmen’ ‘Carmen,’ an improved Italian -type sweet pepper, is a week earlier than similar peppers. The upright plant is 28 inches tall and spreads 16 inches. This pepper’s flavor is very sweet when ripe red, whether raw or cooked. The new pepper is widely adaptable and is productive in a wide temperature range. You will harvest unusually sweet peppers 75 days after planting transplants started indoors.

Nicotiana x Sanderae ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ This nicotiana was bred for its delicate evening fragrance and unique deep purple color. The single, 2-inch star-shaped flowers are produced in abundance. Plants are 20 inches high and spread 15 inches. ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ can be used in containers or in semi-shady areas.   Easy to grow and undemanding, ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ seed and plants will be available in garden centers.Capsicum annuum

‘Black Pearl’ ‘Black Pearl’ is a unique ornamental pepper with pure black leaves when grown in the sun. ‘Black Pearl’ also describes the small, black shiny peppers growing upright on the plant. The young plants will have green leaves when gown indoors or in a greenhouse, but turn black in the sun. The vigorous plants are quite heat tolerant and will grow to 18 inches tall, spreading about 12 to 16 inches.