Annual Color Trials
The Annual Color Trials at the JC Raulston Arboretum (JCRA) is a fantastic display of color year-round, with the highlight of the flowering season not to be missed during June-August. This area of the Arboretum is one of the 21 official All-America Selections (AAS) testing sites for new cultivars of bedding plants. AAS is a nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to testing and trumpeting outstanding new cultivars of flowers, bedding plants, and vegetables.
Each year at the JCRA, over 700 different annuals and tender perennials are planted and the performance of each of these plants is carefully recorded and evaluated. Ratings are based upon plant performance, appearance (size, shape, flowering), and susceptibility to other problems, such as, insects and diseases. The JCRA evaluates hundreds of plants in the spring through fall season and again during the winter season. Reports summarizing the results of this AAS research at the JCRA are published twice a year, and the reports are compiled within two months of data collection.