PDSI previews a brighter lineup for 2026 MANTS
Plant Development Services (PDSI) is showcasing a colorful new slate of consumer releases. This year’s introductions are color innovations in electrifying magenta and coral, and captivating pastels. It’s a bold, joy-filled lineup crafted for growers and gardeners who want color paired with exceptional performance in the landscape.
“Color sparks emotion, and this year we wanted to give gardeners varieties that are joyful, vibrant, and boundary-breaking. These introductions celebrate that spirit. They inspire optimism and empower gardeners to succeed with the traits they prize most, from waterwise landscape anchors and season-spanning blooms to pollinator magnets,” said Kip McConnell, vice president of business development.
Among this year’s new releases from Plant Development Services’ line of brands are the following vibrant varieties:
Azalea ‘Encore Autumn Velvet’
Azalea ‘Encore Autumn Velvet’ sets a new standard for reblooming color with vivid, never-before-seen magenta azalea blooms that create a dramatic show from spring through fall. Reaching a compact 4 feet tall and wide, it delivers reliable performance in containers, landscapes and mass plantings. Dense, emerald-green evergreen foliage elevates its premium appeal and year-round structural interest for growers and homeowners in Zones 6 to 10. Available to the trade in 2026 through Encore Azalea.
Leucothoe ‘Some Like It Hot’
A versatile standout for landscapes, leucothoe ‘Some Like It Hot’ offers fast growth, exceptional heat tolerance and reliable evergreen interest in full sun to part shade in Zones 6 to 9. Its elegant, arching habit adds movement and texture, while new foliage emerges reddish-bronze before softly fading to a rosy-pink in fall. Spring brings a cascade of delicate white flowers, adding seasonal interest in a tidy, compact form that reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and wide at maturity. Available to the trade in 2026 through the Southern Living and Sunset Plant Collections.
Buddleia ‘Butterfly Candy Li’l Magenta’
Li’l Magenta adds a vibrant new dimension to the buddleia Butterfly Candy collection, offering a standout bloom hue that infuses any landscape with striking, high-impact color. This 2026 trade introduction delivers masses of rich magenta flower spikes that attract pollinators from late spring through frost, ensuring season-long interest in any display. Its tidy 2 to 3 foot habit makes it an ideal choice for containers, borders, and other small-space plantings. With dependable performance, vibrant blooms, and cold hardiness to Zone 5, Li’l Magenta offers a low-maintenance offering that shines on the bench and in the landscape.
Buddleia ‘Butterfly Candy Lil Cerise’
‘Butterfly Candy Lil Cerise’ brings an abundance of soft pink charm to the collection, contrasted by densely branched, lush foliage. A profusion of lightly fragrant flower spikes provides endless summer color and nectar for pollinators. Hardy to Zone 5 and maturing to a compact 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, Lil Cerise delivers dependable performance in both production and the landscape. Available to the trade in 2026 through the Butterfly Candy Buddleia collection.
Hydrangea ‘Blast from the Pastel’
Hydrangea ‘Blast from the Pastel’ lends a sophisticated new look to the landscape, showcasing voluminous panicles of white, star-shaped blooms brushed with soft yellow and pastel pink or blue tones. This distinctive coloration offers a balanced mix of classic appeal and contemporary style. Reaching 4 feet tall by 5 feet wide, it performs reliably in Zones 5 to 9 and thrives in full sun to part shade, making it a versatile choice for a range of landscape applications. Available to the trade in 2026 through the Southern Living and Sunset Plant Collections.
Loropetalum ‘Purple Charm’
Loropetalum ‘Purple Charm’ packs a punch in small spaces with its tidy, rounded form and colorfast, deep purple foliage. Maturing to 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, this versatile shrub showcases fine-textured oval leaves contrasted by vivid red fringe-like blooms that infuse high drama. Well-suited for borders, containers, and mass plantings, ‘Purple Charm’ offers a reliable evergreen structure for Zones 7 to 10 in full sun to part shade. Available to the trade in 2026 through the Southern Living Plant Collection.
Camellia ‘Early Surprise’
Camellia ‘Early Surprise’ delivers a fresh burst of fall color with its true-coral blooms that open in September, well ahead of traditional camellia varieties. This stately evergreen forms a dense, upright structure, maturing at 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, making it an excellent choice for foundation plantings, formal hedges and statement containers. Its warm-toned flowers contrast beautifully against glossy, deep green foliage, a high-impact aesthetic for a range of landscape styles. Suited for Zones 7 to 9 and tolerant of full sun to partial shade, ‘Early Surprise’ will be available to the trade in 2026 through the Southern Living Plant Collection.
Catch these colorful new releases at PDSI’s MANTS Booths 33 and 34, and find out what’s new with Better Boxwood in the PDSI and Everde Booth 142.
Photos courtesy of PDSI.
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