Plants & colors for 2024
At this time of the year , there is a lot of news stories about the word of the year , the sports move of the year and lots of celebrity news . The horticulture world is no different , except we do plants of the year and a color of the year .
For 2024 the Pantone Color Institute has chosen Peach Fuzz as the color of the year . According to their website , Peach Fuzz is “ poetic and romantic with a vintage vibe .” Plants that highlight that color are a Coneflower known as Echinacea Supreme Cantaloupe , Yarrow Achillea Firefly Peach Sky and a Coral Bells with the peach-colored foliage known as Heuchera Primo Peachberry Ice .
The National Garden Bureau has been designating plants as the year of for several years . They name an annual , perennial , a houseplant , bulb and a shrub .
The annual for this year is Angelonia , also known as the Summer Snapdragon . Angelonia grow to a height of 8 inches , and come in colors ranging from pink to purple to white . It does well in full to part sun locations and enjoys regular watering . Angelonia also does well in containers .
The edible plant of the year is squash . Summer and winter varieties are both featured . Crookneck or straight neck squash , Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash are the featured summer squashes . While the winter squashes are Acorn , Butternut and Pumpkins . All squash plants require space to
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send their vines out in your garden . There are a few varieties that form more of a bush type of plant and do not vine . One main insect problem for them is the Squash Vine Borer . This hidden insect lives in the vines and the only way to notice if you have them is a pile of grass sitting next to the vines . Full sun and lots of water help to keep your squash plants healthy !
For those of us who prefer houseplants , this year ’ s plant is a tried-and-true heritage plant , the African Violet . African violets bloom in pink , white , purples , violet and bi-colors . Even the foliage can be variegated , along with the flowers . My grandmother and great-aunt grew wonderful violets . Their cedar chests , and window sills were brightened with those colors in mid-winter in Minnesota . It was always nice to see those colors . Bright indoor light , and watering from the bottom are the recommendations to keep your violets healthy . Being given a leaf cutting is a way to keep this plant growing for generations .
For other outdoor plants , the bulb of the year are lilies . These plants grow tall with a very striking 5 or 6 petal flower in colors ranging from pink and white to oranges . They are a great cut flower and enjoy some partial shade .
To attract pollinators the shrub of the year is Buddleia or Butterfly Bush . Butterfly Bush grows to a height and a width or up to 4 feet tall and wide . There are a couple of varieties that are suited for containers , with a height and width of 18 inches . The flowers emerge on a panicle that droops with small trumpet shaped flowers . White , purple and even yellow are the choices for colors . There is some concern that this plant could become invasive , but new varieties have been developed with low seed count per the United States Department of Agriculture .
The last plant of the year is one that deer enjoy a lot , and we don ’ t see much of in Hosta . The Hosta is the perennial plant of the year . The size of Hostas varies from a variety known as Mouse ears to one that has leaves over three feet long and wide . Shades of green , variegated with white , shades of blue , make Hostas a great perennial . In our parts of Texas , growing them in full shade is recommended . They will do well in containers also . When I was doing plant sales , I did not see many Hostas in the market here . But in the northern climates , Hostas are a standard in the landscape in any full to part shade location .
Just a reminder that the Johnson County Master Gardener Plant Sale is coming up in April . This column will have more information as it becomes available . Enjoy your winter by planning your gardens for next spring . Spring will be here faster than we think . Keep on gardening !
Joyce Block gardens and writes about gardening from Alvarado .