Tesselaar announces 2011 plant introductions: Everest carex and Bonfire Choc Pink and Choc Red

Two exciting new plant introductions – Everest carex and two chocolate-leaved versions of the popular Bonfire begonia series, Choc Pink and Choc Red, will make their debut this coming spring from Tesselaar Plants.

The company also announced that Tropicanna Black, a beautiful but so far elusive member of the Tropicanna canna collection, will be widely available to gardeners next season.

“All these plants reflect our desire to help more people—their experience level aside—grow beautiful, distinctive gardens with confidence and success,” said Anthony Tesselaar, president and co-founder of Tesselaar Plants.

Initially released with the Novalis Plants that Work group in 2010, Carex oshimensis Everest is now available to all growers nationally. With its bright-white margins and architectural, linear foliage, Everest is stunning as a container and patio plant or as a filler with bedding and specimen plants.

The wildly popular Bonfire begonia series now includes the high-impact Choc Pink and Choc Red varieties featuring dark “chocolate” foliage. Developed by New Zealand Plant and Food Research and managed by Tesselaar Plants, Choc Pink and Choc Red are now sold through the Ball Horticultural Company network as part of the Selecta First Class catalog of products.

With its purplish-black leaves and coral-colored blooms, Tropicanna Black has been in high demand, but hard to find.

“Although Tropicanna Black has been on the market for a number of years, some propagation issues prevented us from distributing it widely,” explained Anthony Tesselaar. “So realistically, this is the first year it will be nationally available.”

Pictured above: Everest carex