All-America Selections announces 2011 winners

All-America Selections judges have made their evaluations and 4 flowers and 3 vegetables were chosen as best performing varieties for 2011. The plants were grown at independent trial sites across North America. Additional winners are expected to be announced in January.
Flower winner Gaillardia ‘Arizona Apricot’, bred by Ernst Benary of America Inc., produces 3- to 3½-inch flowers with yellow edges that deepen to a rich apricot in the center. This 12-inch tall, long-flowering perennial is hardy in USDA Zones 2-10.
Cool season winner ‘Glamour Red’ ornamental kale, which was bred by Takii & Co. Ltd., is the first AAS winning kale (edible or ornamental) in 78 years of trialing. This F₁ Brassica oleracea is a fringed leaf type with a flower head size of 10-12 inches. Plants, which measure 12 inches tall by 14 inches wide, begin to show leaf coloring when night temperatures drop below 55°F for about 2 weeks.
Salvia coccinea ‘Summer Jewel Red, bred by Takii & Co. Ltd., is a compact (20 inches tall by 16 inches wide) densely branching plant. It produces flower spikes that are covered with ½-inch bright red flowers.
Cool season winner Viola cornuta F₁ ‘Shangri-La Marina’ from Tokita Seed Co. is an early-flowering, mounding plant. This vigorous 6-inch tall frost-tolerant biennial kept a low-growing habit in the trials and produced prolific 1¼-inch blooms. The flowers have light marina blue petals with a velvety dark blue face that is surrounded by a narrow white border.
Vegetable award winner ‘Hijinks’ pumpkin from Sakata Seed America Inc. produces small-sized, 6-7 lb. fruit, of a very uniform size and shape. The fruit have a smooth deep orange skin and strong durable stems. Plants spread up to 15 feet. Early to mature, ‘Hijinks’ is ready for harvest in about 100 days from sowing or 85 days from transplant.
Two tomatoes from Pro-Veg Seeds Ltd. were also vegetable award winners.
‘Lizzano’ is the first late blight tolerant cherry fruited semi-determinate variety on the market. The low-growing, trailing plants reach 16-20 inches tall and a spread of 20 inches. It produces abundant yields of small, bright red, 1-inch cherry sized fruits that weigh about 0.4 ounces.
‘Terenzo’ is an easy-to-grow determinate bush variety reaching 16-20 inches tall and 20 inches wide. It produces standard size red cherry fruit measuring 1¼ inches with an average weight of 0.7 ounces. The crack-resistant fruit have a brix sugar content of 6%.