ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS®
1311 Butterfield Road, Suite 310, Downers Grove, IL 60515-5625
PH: (630) 963-0770 FX: (630) 963-8864
www.all-americaselections.org
ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS LAUNCHES HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL TRIALING PROGRAM
ENDORSED BY, AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, THE PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DOWNERS GROVE, IL – April 8, 2015 – All-America Selections (AAS) has a long, 80+-year history of
being the only independent North American trialing organization that trials new varieties then grants
branded awards to the best performers. That 80-year history has proven to be a good model with trialing
protocols that have been refined to withstand the test of time and basics that will work with perennial
entries as well as annuals and edibles.
Perennial Plant Association (PPA) is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, educators,
landscape designers and contractors that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial
industry. Together, the two organizations have determined the details necessary to conduct a thorough
and horticulturally sound perennial trial and PPA actively endorses this new AAS trial.
The perennial trial will follow many of the basics of the recently launched AAS Vegetative Ornamental
trial. Entries accepted will be herbaceous perennials propagated from seed, cutting, tissue culture or bare
root. A seed entry can be trialed against a vegetative or TC comparison and vice-versa. Entries will be
trialed next to comparisons, in order to continue the AAS legacy.
The primary difference with the AAS Herbaceous Perennial trial is that it will be a three winter trial
allowing the AAS judges to measure and record winter survivability and subsequent growing season
performance. Other AAS trial entries will continue to be trialed over one growing season. Breeders who
wish to have their herbaceous perennials tested for first-season performance can continue to use the
one-season trial. All other herbaceous perennials would be placed in the three year perennial trial.
For the long-term, entries have to be new, never-before-sold, but, after submission to the AAS
Herbaceous Perennial Trial, they may be introduced commercially. After the trial is completed, if the entry
scores high enough to be become an AAS Winner, after criteria is met and the announcement is made by
AAS, the breeder may then market that variety as an AAS Winner.
However, for the first entry year (entries submitted by July 1, 2015), AAS will accept entries that have
been on the market for twelve months or less.
Dallas Arboretum Director of Horticulture and AAS Judge, Board of Director and Perennial Trial Task
Force member Jenny Wegley comments: “I’m very happy to have helped All-America Selections get to
this point of trialing perennials. Because of an 80+ year history in doing great plant trials, this is a natural
step and a great service to the industry and to home gardeners. It will be very interesting to trial the
perennial entries we receive then share the results.”
“National perennial trials are important for both the industry and the consumer. As a previous trial
program director and AAS Trials Judge, I know how important it is to have the program properly
structured and managed nationally. Rather than have both organizations (PPA & AAS) develop
competing perennial trail programs, it seemed the perfect solution was to instead team up and work
together. We think this collaboration is the key to finally executing a highly organized, thorough and wellmarketed perennial trial program that will benefit both PPA members and their customers.” PPA Southern
ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS®
1311 Butterfield Road, Suite 310, Downers Grove, IL 60515-5625
PH: (630) 963-0770 FX: (630) 963-8864
www.all-americaselections.org
Regional Director and Board of Directors Trials Chair, AAS Perennial Trial Task Force Member, Leslie F.
Halleck.
The pilot program of trialing perennials will begin immediately with entries due July 1, 2015. Those entries
will be sent to approximately 24 trial sites beginning in early 2016. The first AAS Winners from the
Perennial Trials will be announced in 2019.
For additional information, please contact Diane Blazek at dblazek@aas-ngb.org or 630-963-0770.
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All-America Selections is a non-profit organization founded in 1932 to test new flowers and vegetables for
home gardening. We utilize a network of 70 judges in over 40 trials grounds across North America to rate
entries against comparisons. We then use an active publicity program to promote the best performers that
are declared AAS Winners.