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2026 California Spring Trials Wrap-Up

Getting ready for this year’s California Spring Trials starts months ahead of the event.

Outdoor display for Osteospermum Akila Sunshine Yellow at CAST26

First true yellow Osteo from seed: Akila® Sunshine Yellow welcomes visitors at CAST26.

We work with our talented marketing team and collaborate on ideas for how best to display our new products here at PanAmerican Seed. Creating displays for our new introductions starts out with a sketch and gets developed through a combined effort.

We always try to tell a story here at PanAmerican Seed. From how we name and create that story about our new plants, we believe CAST sets the perfect stage. We’re able to tell our plant stories by creating these amazing displays that help showcase the benefits they offer our customers.

Introducing New Varieties for 2027

Here are just few of the standout new variety displays from PanAmerican Seed at CAST26:

Sketch image and Sunflower Always Sunny display at CAST26

Sunflower Always Sunny Gold

Always Sunny finishes faster than the competition. Tall and strong-stemmed, these golden-yellow flowers with dark centers keep coming all season on highly branched plants for a stunning display in landscapes and gardens.?More compact in the greenhouse for easier production. Well-branched plants don’t need to be pinched for a fast finish. Lasts in the landscape at least two weeks longer than the competition. Blooms are 100% pollen free, with lots of nectar that makes them a favourite with beneficial insects. Great for home garden cut flowers. Awards include Fleuroselect Gold Medal and Fleuroselect Novelty Winner.

Sketch image and Marigold Lanna Lace display at CAST26

African Marigold Lanna Lace

Lanna Lace features white double blooms that shake off water for a fresh look throughout Summer! Add it to your lineup for a full colour range of vibrant African marigolds that last! Dwarf white marigold has fully double flowers that shed water well and avoid turning brown for a longer period. Well-suited to garden beds and mixed containers.

Sketch image and Bacopa Galactic Mist White display at CAST26

Bacopa Galactic Mist White

Galactic Mist is the largest white-flowered seed bacopa on the market is now available. It has a larger flower size that is similar to several vegetative varieties,?providing a conversion opportunity in this class. And, the benefit of a seed input means no pinching and no cleaning before shipping.?It features a mounded, dense, controlled plant structure. Awards include Fleuroselect Gold Medal and Fleuroselect Novelty Winner.

Sketch image and Sedum Spectacular display at CAST26

Sedum Spectacular

Sedum Spectacular is the seed alternative for vegetative?Sedum spectabile!?Offers good plug quality, seeding uniformity and a convenient, multi-pellet seed product form. Features programmable production and flexibility in start time, along with less breakage and decreased shrink. Medium-sized flower clusters and shorter stems do not easily break or fall open. Ideal for patio and landscape markets. It is also an All-America Selections Winner.

Sketch image and E3 Easy Wave Midnight Marble display at CAST26

Petunia E3 Easy Wave® Midnight Marble

Midnight Marble is the latest colour, which offers a mid-blue and white bicolour pattern for the series. Kick off petunia sales at retail even earlier with E3 Easy Wave! With a manageable, uniform plant structure and vigour, the series offers simple production to save on labour costs. The plants can be grown at lower PGR rates than Easy Wave®, and stay full and lush longer at retail for increased sell-through and the eye-catching appeal consumers expect from the Wave® program.

Sketch image and Vinca Tatoo Boysenberry display from CAST26

Vinca Tatoo™ Boysenberry

Boysenberry is described like a ripening berry, in which the flowers display a purple-red ombre with a white centre. A truly distinct addition to the Tattoo series! The art of plants comes alive on every Tattoo bloom – each petal looks like it is inked or airbrushed with soft brush strokes of dark purple. Very floriferous and well-branched plants display one-of-a-kind flowers. Tight flowering window with an easy-to-grow, uniform, upright habit across all colours. This series is outstanding in hot and sunny conditions.

For more information and availability on the latest varieties from PanAmerican Seed, contact your preferred distributor to place your order today.

Also at CAST

When we were preparing for CAST26, we were very lucky to find out that it was also “The Year of…” for several of our seed varieties. This includes: “Year of the Hot Pepper,” “Year of the Sedum,” and “Year of the Impatiens.” Each year, the National Garden Bureau selects one of each crop, these plants are chosen because they are popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse, and versatile.

We also received a delightful visit from Mr Plant Geek™ himself, Michael Perry. He is listed as one of the “Top 20 most influential people in the gardening world,” by the Sunday Times and travels the world, searching for new plants and lecturing through his Weird and Wacky Plants Tour. He has various social media channels as well as his YouTube channel for all things plants. Here he filmed a segment in The PanAmerican Seed greenhouse at CAST26 featuring Sunflower Always Sunny!

Full 3-D tour of PanAmerican Seed at CAST26

Also, if you didn’t get the change to attend this year’s trials, check out everything we featured at this year’s California Spring Trials (inside and outside) with our virtual 3-D tours. See below and start exploring our products!

PanAmerican Seed (greenhouse)


PanAmerican Seed (outdoors)

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