PDSI to display new releases at Cultivate’24
Plant Development Services (PDSI) will show several new varieties at Cultivate’24. With a strong focus on color innovations, the new releases highlight PDSI’s commitment to beauty, resilience and exceptional performance.
“The past year has been one of unprecedented growth for Plant Development Services,” said Kip McConnell, business development director, PDSI. “We celebrated the addition of two new brands and saw many of our new releases honored with prestigious industry awards. The road from a plant’s discovery to the garden center is made possible through meaningful partnerships. At Cultivate 2024, we’re delighted to shine a spotlight on the plants and partners making this growth possible.”
The following 2025 trade introductions will be offered through Southern Living Plant Collection, Sunset Plant Collection, and Encore Azalea.
Azalea ‘Encore Autumn Kiss’
The newest addition to the Encore collection features semi-double blooms with bright pink edges that gracefully fade into a soft pastel pink towards the center, ultimately blending into a nearly white core. This heavy bloomer reblooms in spring, summer, and fall against a stunning backdrop of verdant evergreen foliage. Autumn Kiss thrives in full sun and is hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 10, reaching 3 to 4 feet high and wide when mature.
Mahonia ‘Silver Caress’
Bring shimmery richness to shaded spaces with the feathery foliage of Silver Caress. Soft, bamboo-like foliage offers fine texture, movement, and a silver hue that shines in partial and full shade settings. An easy-care compact evergreen, Silver Caress offers year-round visual interest with the added bonus of cheerful yellow blooms in winter. With superior drought and heat tolerance, Silver Caress thrives in USDA Zones 7 to 9, reaching 3.5 feet high by 3 feet wide when mature.
Ilex ‘Nelliet’
Excellent branching and glossy dark green foliage characterize this low-maintenance holly. Offering an attractive pyramidal habit, this landscape star requires minimal pruning to maintain a dense, compact form. Nelliet is an ideal selection for privacy screening, woodland gardens, and hedges, with glistening red berries providing an additional pop of color as the weather cools. Reaching 15 to 25 feet high by 10 to 15 feet wide when mature, Nelliet thrives in full sun to part shade and is suitable for USDA Zones 6 to 9.
Aspidistra ‘Tokyo Skies’
Recipient of a 2023 Cultivate Retailer’s Choice Award, this eye-catching groundcover has garnered acclaim for its attractive dark green and white variegation and its exceptional resilience in the landscape. A waterwise groundcover that thrives in partial to full shade settings, Tokyo Skies also performs well as a houseplant beyond its USDA Zone 8 to 10 hardiness regions. Reaching 2 to 3 feet high by 1 to 2 feet wide when mature, Tokyo Skies thrives in containers, borders and accent plantings.
Additionally, this year, PDSI is celebrating the success of the debut limited release of the new Better Boxwood collection. With four varieties suited to a diverse range of landscape uses, Better Boxwood is reportedly the country’s first scientifically bred blight-resistant collection of boxwoods. With partnerships now in place with 31 licensed growers, the Better Boxwood collection will be available through retailers across the US and online in fall 2024 and spring 2025.
Photos courtesy of PDSI.
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