Centaurea americana 'Jolly Joker'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1998
Good Qualities:
Color (5); Interesting, different flower shape (5); Long lasting B 5-7 days (3); Long stems (2); Dried well (2); Customers love B sold bouquets for us; No pests bothered it; Big heads; Buds are thistle-like B very interesting; Beautiful flower Bespecially the 'netting' around the base of the flower head; Productive; Attractive flowers when fresh; Easy; Novelty cut flower; Performed well under drought conditions; Large, fluffy, thistle-like mauve flower; 73% Germination; Great texture flower; Wonderful dry buds.
Problems:
Germination slow and poor (2); Needs to be supported; 5 days refrigeration in flats did not help; Lygus bugs deformed some of the flowers B needs to be sprayed; A lot of the blooms were disfigured. Petals reflexed backwards a few days after cutting and was unattractive; Didn't get it supported in time B looked like a drown rat if it got wet; Water spots on flowers cause damage quickly
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 6.5 | 24.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Benary Seed
1444 Larson St.
Sycamore, IL 60178
Comments:
My customers either loved or didn't, most liked it better before the flower opened. They thought the flower bud was more interesting; Need to evaluate vaselife; Similar to Centaurea americana from Germania and to 'Aloha'; 2 plants produced white flowers; I liked it, but my customers didn't care for it. Had lots of comments it looked like the weed on the side of the road; Does not dry well B loses flower color; Novelty, great in field, attracts attention - best dried in bud stage - was direct seeded in Northern Alberta & still flowered.