Several first year flowering Coreopsis grandiflora were recently honoured with a Gold Medal and the new 'Presto' fits perfectly in this group. What does make 'Presto' unique is its flowers in combination with its natural short habit. The plant is so called semi-double, but produces more double flowers than any other and continues to flower over a significantly longer period. This and 'Presto's perfect ball shape of 20 cm diameter and height gives it a totally new look and makes 'Presto' both a perfect bedding plant as well as a unique pot plant.

In detail

Compared to common Coreopsis grandiflora that easily reaches 80 cm in height, the growth habit of the 2007 Gold Medal winner 'Presto' can almost be called dwarf-like. The plant forms a small globe of about 20-cm and is compact by nature. There is also no need for any type of growth regulation. Besides the growth habit, the flowering is also unique as 'Presto' is so called semi-double. However, this new variety has so many double flowers that the official description does not quite fit the bill as far as this detail is concerned. Still, no other Coreopsis grandiflora falls in this league. 'Presto' is available as a flowering plant one hundred days after sowing. This characteristic is similar to other Gold Medal winners previously decorated as first-year flowering Coreopsis. The first to receive gold was 'Early Sunrise' in 1989. 'Heliot' and 'Rising Sun' followed suit in followed in 2004 and 2005 respectively. These three created a market for the first-year flowering Coreopsis, which will certainly benefit 'Presto' in the most positive sense of the word. 'Presto' is everything the market and ultimately the end user could wish for. Firstly, this variety means an improvement of the supply in bedding plants. Its compact growth habit also means that 'Presto' is not only a perfect pot plant for patio, terrace and balcony use but also for use in containers. Planted in a large group in public gardens, it acts as a true eye-catcher.