Fresh from CAST: New herb and edible varieties to add to your benches
Give customers something fresh to grow with these standout new edible varieties showcased at California Spring Trials (CAST).
Rosmarinus ‘Incredible Edibles Gourmet’
This variety’s sun-kissed yellow foliage has pure white undersides. Hardy to Zone 7b.
Plant Haven International
Basil ‘Monteverde Genovese’
This fast-growing variety provides classic Genovese flavor and resistance to downy mildew. It offers a continuous harvest throughout summer.
PanAmerican Seed
Lavender ‘La Diva Garnet Rouge’
French lavender ‘La Diva Garnet Rouge’ is first-year flowering and has an upright habit. Drought and heat tolerant, it’s a magnet for pollinators.
Dümmen Orange
Thyme ‘Pom Pom’
Compact and highly scented, ‘Pom Pom’ has broad and distinctive leaves. In summer, it produces white pom pom-shaped flowers attractive to pollinators.
Hishtil
Lavender ‘Butterfly Garden Poppin’ Pink’
Lavender ‘Butterfly Garden Poppin’ Pink’ is part of a new disease-resistant series. A Valentine’s program is in the works for 2027.
Darwin Perennials
Fragaria ‘Pretty, Tasty Ruby’
‘Pretty, Tasty Ruby’ is a new ornamental-edible strawberry bred for retail performance and greenhouse production. The variety produces red blooms and clusters of edible red berries over an extended period.
ThinkPlants
Lavender ‘Scent Mini Blue’
First-year flowering ‘Scent Mini Blue’ has a mounded habit and is topped with deep purple and white blooms.
Syngenta Flowers
Photos by Teresa McPherson.
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