2026 Proven Winners National Plants of the Year

2026 Proven Winners National Plants of the Year

2026 Proven Winners® Plants of the Year

Proven Winners® selects Plants of the Year to spotlight varieties that combine eye-catching beauty with reliable garden performance. The 2026 selections range from bold foliage stars to reblooming shrubs and show-stopping annuals — perfect if you want quick inspiration or want to recommend retail-ready picks to customers. Below are the 2026 Plants of the Year.

Shop 2026 Plants of the Year:

Petunia of the Year

Supertunia® Hoopla® Vivid Orchid™ (Petunia)

A true show-stopper: Hoopla® Vivid Orchid produces bold purple blooms edged in crisp white that look fresh from spring through frost. It has a vigorous, well-branched habit that quickly fills containers and baskets, and it’s bred to perform without daily deadheading — a big win for low-maintenance designs and busy shoppers.

Annual of the Year

Safari® Dusk™ (Jamesbrittenia / South African Phlox)

Safari® Dusk brings rich violet-purple flowers highlighted by a luminous yellow eye. It forms a neat, mounded habit, tolerates heat well, and holds color reliably in summer — making it a versatile filler for sunny containers and mixed beds that need dependable season-long color. 

Landscape Annual of the Year

Señorita Rosalita® (Cleome)

A modern, garden-friendly cleome: Señorita Rosalita® is thornless, mostly sterile (so it won’t self-seed aggressively), and self-cleaning. It gives height and airy texture with lavender-pink blooms that draw pollinators — all without the maintenance headaches of older cleome varieties. Great for vertical accents and pollinator pockets. 

Caladium of the Year

Heart to Heart® ‘Chinook’ (Caladium)

‘Chinook’ is a bold foliage performer with large, heart-shaped leaves that blend salmon-pink centers and fresh green edges. Loved for its dramatic tropical look, it shines in shade containers, mixed borders, and porch planters — where foliage impact matters more than blooms. Trials show it has excellent habit and color.

Perennial of the Year

‘Dark Side of the Moon’ (Astilbe)

This astilbe stands out for its almost-black, deep-chocolate foliage that creates dramatic contrast in shady beds. Raspberry-colored buds open to rosy-purple plumes, so you get various seasonal interest: striking foliage plus elegant summer flowers that attract pollinators. It’s a terrific choice for woodland and moisture-loving borders.

Hosta of the Year

Shadowland® ‘Hope Springs Eternal’ (Hosta)

A refined hosta with strong presence: Shadowland® ‘Hope Springs Eternal’ forms a lush mound of ruffled blue-green leaves edged in creamy white, producing an architectural, low-maintenance focal point in shade gardens. It offers good substance and attractive late-spring flower stalks that add seasonal texture.

Landscape Perennial of the Year

Decadence® ‘Lemon Meringue’ (Baptisia / False Indigo)

Decadence® ‘Lemon Meringue’ is a robust, long-lived perennial with upright charcoal stems topped by cool lemon-yellow blooms. It provides strong structure in mixed borders, attracts pollinators, and keeps attractive foliage after flowering — a modern, low-maintenance native choice. 

Flowering Shrub of the Year

Double Play® Dolly (Spirea)

Double Play® Dolly refreshes the spirea family with bright chartreuse foliage that transitions to vivid magenta-pink blooms. Compact and showy, it delivers multi-season color with minimal care — an excellent pick for small landscapes, mass planting, or low-maintenance beds.

Rose of the Year

Rise Up® Lilac Days (Rose)

Rise Up® Lilac Days is a unique mini-climbing rose with a rare lilac-blue flower color and a powerful, heady fragrance. It’s versatile (can be grown as a compact climber or trained as a shrub), offers repeat blooming, and brings classic rose scent and vertical interest without the space of full climbers.

Hydrangea of the Year

Let’s Dance® Lovable (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Let’s Dance® Lovable is a dependable reblooming bigleaf hydrangea that flowers on old and new wood. Expect abundant mophead blooms whose color can shift with soil pH — pink to blue — making it a crowd-pleasing, versatile addition to foundation plantings, containers, and mixed borders.

Landscape Shrub of the Year

Limelight Prime® (Hydrangea paniculata)

An improved panicle hydrangea, Limelight Prime® offers stronger stems, earlier color, and the same signature lime-to-pink panicles that make Limelight so popular. It’s an excellent specimen or hedge plant that provides dependable cut-flower quality and multi-season interest.

Heat Loving Shrub of the Year

Jazz Hands® Variegated (Loropetalum)

Jazz Hands® Variegated is the first variegated loropetalum, offering new growth splashed with pink and white that matures to rich purple foliage, plus hot-pink fringe flowers in spring. It’s an eye-catching evergreen for warm-climate foundations, specimen beds, or mixed shrub borders. 


Not currently available at Bast Brothers Garden Center.

Houseplant of the Year

Endless Cascades™ Shining Sea Star™ (Hoya)

Part of the Endless Cascades® hoya series, Shining Sea Star™ is a trailing houseplant with glossy foliage and fragrant, star-shaped flower clusters. Its slow, cascading habit makes it ideal for hanging baskets, shelves, or sheltered patios where a low-maintenance trailing tropical look is desired.

Tree of the Year

Show Time™ (Crabapple / Malus)

Show Time™ crabapple puts on a dramatic spring display of densely clustered fuchsia-red flowers, followed by small ornamental fruit and vivid fall color. It’s compact and disease-resistant, making it a strong choice for residential streets, small yards, and flowering-tree collections.


Not currently available at Bast Brothers Garden Center.

2026 Proven Winners Plants of the Year List:

  • Supertunia® Hoopla® Vivid Orchid™ (Petunia)

  • Safari® Dusk™ (Jamesbrittenia / South African Phlox)

  • Señorita Rosalita® (Cleome)

  • Heart to Heart® ‘Chinook’ (Caladium)

  • ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ (Astilbe)

  • Shadowland® ‘Hope Springs Eternal’ (Hosta)

  • Decadence® ‘Lemon Meringue’ (Baptisia)

  • Double Play Dolly® (Spirea)

  • Rise Up Lilac Days® (Rosa)

  • Let’s Dance Lovable® (Hydrangea macrophylla)

  • Limelight Prime® (Hydrangea paniculata)

  • Jazz Hands Variegated® (Loropetalum)

  • Endless Cascades™ Shining Sea Star™ (Hoya)

  • Show Time™ (Malus)

Summary

The 2026 Proven Winners Plants of the Year were selected for strong garden performance, long bloom times, and reliability across a range of growing conditions

This year’s lineup includes standout annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, and houseplants, making it easy to build cohesive landscapes from containers to foundation beds

Annual highlights like Supertunia® Hoopla® Vivid Orchid and Safari® Dusk deliver season-long color and perform well in heat

Foliage stars such as Heart to Heart® Chinook caladium and Shadowland® Hope Springs Eternal hosta bring texture and color to shaded spaces

Flowering shrubs including Rise Up® Lilac Days rose, Double Play® Dolly spirea, and reblooming hydrangeas like Let’s Dance® Lovable and Limelight Prime® offer structure and multi-season interest

Compact woody plants like Show Time™ crabapple provide ornamental value without overwhelming smaller landscapes

The 2026 selections emphasize low maintenance, extended interest, and garden-tested performance, making them ideal choices for modern home gardens.

2026 Plants of the Year FAQ:

What are the Proven Winners Plants of the Year?

Proven Winners Plants of the Year are standout plants selected annually based on extensive trials for performance, reliability, and garden impact. Each plant is chosen because it excels in real home garden conditions.

What types of plants are included in the 2026 lineup?

The 2026 collection includes a mix of annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, and houseplants. This makes it easy to incorporate Plants of the Year into containers, landscape beds, foundation plantings, and indoor spaces.

Are the 2026 Plants of the Year beginner-friendly?

Yes. These plants are selected for strong growth habits, disease resistance, and dependable performance, making them a great choice for both new and experienced gardeners.

Do the 2026 Plants of the Year require special care?

Most of the 2026 selections thrive with basic garden care like proper sunlight, well-draining soil, regular watering during establishment, and seasonal pruning or deadheading as needed.

Can these plants be grown in containers?

Many of the 2026 Plants of the Year perform exceptionally well in containers, including annuals, compact shrubs, and even some woody plants. Containers are a great way to highlight their color and form.

Are these plants suitable for a variety of climates?

Proven Winners trials plants across multiple regions. While specific hardiness varies by plant, the 2026 lineup includes options for a wide range of growing zones and light conditions.

Why choose Plants of the Year for your garden?

Plants of the Year take the guesswork out of plant selection. They are chosen for proven performance, long seasons of interest, and strong visual appeal, helping gardeners create successful, beautiful spaces with confidence.

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