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  • Over 500 cultivars and species of herbaceous perennials have been evaluated in the perennial trials since it’s inception in 1999.
  • The botanical name for daylily is Hemerocallis, derived from the Greek words meaning beauty and day. This refers to the ephemeral nature of the blooms which individually last for about one day.
 

Alberta Perennial Trials

With the challenges of our climatic conditions and the shear number of herbaceous perennials that are introduced into the market annually, it is often difficult for home gardeners to select plant material that will perform well in our region. The Alberta Perennial Trials is a research and demonstration project that evaluates new and newer herbaceous perennial introductions. This project is funded by the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund (ACIDF) and is also supported by horticultural growers and retailers across western Canada.

Project Overview

New and newer perennial introductions are evaluated at three test sites:  the Calgary Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Olds College and the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton.  Plant material is evaluated for three seasons for hardiness, growth and vigor, pest and disease resistance, bloom time and overall landscape value.  The test plots are unique in that they are arranged to showcase the possibilities of perennial plant design.  Information and inspiration are the goals of the project.  Colourful results brochures are available at the North Star Gift Shop.

Current and Previous Trial Plants

Some of the past graduates and current participants in the Alberta Perennial Trials are:
Wolfsbane, Japanese anemone ‘Party Dress’, variegated rock cress, Spanish thrift, Frikart’s aster, Chinese astilbe, Siberian bugloss, bugbane, New Millenium delphinium, variegated tufted hair grass, umbrella bamboo, cranesbill, echinacea selections, Lenton rose, day lily Happy Ever Appster® series, day lily Trophytaker® series, tree mallow, gooseneck loosestrife, orange flame grass, variegated moor grass, Jacob’s ladder, cinquefoil, naked coneflower, fringe cups, globe flower.