Top 10 New Plants for 2015
Updated: May 17, 2023
These brand-new plants received top honors from the All-America Selections judges.
Instead of our annual debut plant list, we wanted to give you some plants you can get your hands on right now! Rest assured, these plants are still fresh additions to the gardening world, as most were introduced in 2013 and 2014. Each one is an award-winner crowned by All-America Selections, a nonprofit that tests new varieties and introduces only the best performers to the industry as winners. So head to the garden center and start experimenting with some of these newbies.
African Sunset petunia
Petunia x hybrida, Annual
Love bright colors? Then this one’s for you! African Sunset is one of the first true orange petunias grown from seed. The All-America Selections judges gave it rave reviews for both its stunning color and garden performance.
Why we love it: Gardeners often struggle with petunias, but this one is known for growing evenly and uniformly, with a wealth of season-long blooms.
Serenita Pink angelonia
Angelonia angustifolia, Annual
You might know angelonia as summer snapdragon. Serenita Pink will get about a foot tall, and pairs well with other plants. Put this pretty pink stunner in a mixed container or among other soft-hued plants in the landscape.
Why we love it: Requiring very little maintenance, this angelonia is a superb option for beginning gardeners. Don’t worry if you forget to water it every once in a while—it’s drought-tolerant!
Akila Daisy White osteospermum
Osteospermum ecklonis, Annual
With a classic daisy shape, bright white color and yellow center, this osteospermum is a real showstopper. It gets high praise for surviving summer heat, even in the South.
Why we love it: Once established, it’s drought-tolerant and a really easy, low-maintenance annual.
Arabesque Red penstemon
Penstemon hartwegii, Zones 6 to 9
This is the first penstemon to be an All-America Selections winner! The committee even goes so far as to say it’s “essential for your garden.” For a show of continuous red and white bicolor blooms, remove spent flowers.
Why we love it: The bell-shaped blooms are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies throughout the summer.
Profusion Double Hot Cherry zinnia
Zinnia x hybrida, annual
From spring to frost, this gorgeous zinnia will impress you with deep rose, double-petal blooms. Like others in the Profusion series, Double Hot Cherry isn’t picky. In fact, it’s easy to grow, will perform well in a wide range of climates and is disease-resistant.
Why we love it: Look for this top performer in a pink-orange color called Profusion Double Deep Salmon.
Pinto Premium White to Rose geranium
Pelargonium x hortorum, Annual
Good news! It’s not necessary to remove the spent blooms on this geranium. New blooms will quickly cover old ones, making this the perfect garden addition for any laidback gardener.
Why we love it: Five-inch, long-lasting blooms. Need we say more? The petals start off white and deepen to pink as the flowers mature.
Summer Jewel White salvia
Salvia coccinea, Annual
A recent 2015 winner, this white salvia is the third in the Summer Jewel series. It’s a compact grower, but has an abundance of blooms. Plant it in the sun in containers or small garden beds.
Why we love it: Summer Jewel White salvia blooms about two weeks earlier than other white salvias and those blooms are an excellent magnet for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
South Pacific Scarlet canna
Canna x generalis, Zones 8 to 11
For the flashiest blooms, plant this canna in full sun. It’s a heat lover, so South Pacific Scarlet will perform best in warm, humid climates. It’s sure to impress, though, with 4-inch scarlet blooms and heights of over 2 feet.
Why we love it: Unlike other cannas, this variety can be grown from seed and bloom the same season. It’s also more vigorous and uniform in size.
Cheyenne Spirit coneflower
Echinacea x hybrida, Zones 4 to 9
Here’s an exciting version of your average coneflower. It blooms in a wide range of colors like purple, pink, red, orange, yellow and even white. Cheyenne Spirit will bloom in summer and wow you into fall. Plus, expect Cheyenne Spirit to grow about 2 feet tall.
Why we love it: This award-winner has been touted as the quickest, brightest, most resilient coneflower yet.
New Guinea Florific Sweet Orange impatiens
Impatiens hawkeri, Annual
The blooms of this impatiens variety are bicolored, ranging from light salmon to deep orange. New Guinea Florific Sweet Orange will add that often-lacking pop of color to shade gardens.
Why we love it: It’s resistant to downy mildew, which is a serious problem with other impatiens.
