Trachelium 'Lake Louise Purple'
Trial Started: 2005
Year of Trial: First (from 2005 report)
Good Qualities:
Wonderful color/texture (2); Florists liked the blue/purple; Great flower/stem/leaf color combo; Nice color on stem. Seems to have strong stem; Significantly taller than 'Devotion Purple'.
Problems:
Leaves appeared to have a "blight"; I just can't grow this stuff- I've tried! - it never really 'purpled up'- looked either pre or post harvest at harvest, short, was mulched well, tended well and still did not perform - I give up; Short stems here; Perhaps it's just too hot for trachelium here - I never have luck with them - The few that lived to bloom were about 8 inches tall and pathetic; Didn't germinate; About one week later than the earliest varieties in our trial: 'Devotion Purple'.
Postharvest:
See separate postharvest report in this issue for results from NC State University postharvest evaluations.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | Average Spacing (in2) | Average Postharvest Life (days) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 6.6 | 12.9 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 98 | 11.3 |
| Range of Responses | 2-17 | 9-18 | 1-4 | 1-4 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 16-324 | 6-14 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
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Supplier
PanAmerican Seed
P.O. Box 438
West Chicago, IL 60186
www.panamseed.com
Comments:
Just too short of stem; We trialed both trachelium in 3 colors of plastic mulch - red, green and black - no noticeable differences in height or number of stems; General comments on trial (Zone 5): Plants were transplanted to tunnel and field into shallow beds, 4 rows/bed, mulched with green plastic and trickle irrigated, two reps in field and in tunnel, an infestation of tarnished plant bugs midseason in the tunnel may have reduced yield, but difficult to see detrimental effects.