Home › Cultivar trials

Cultivar Trials

Welcome to the OSU Cultivar Trials!

The cultivar trials, located at Ohio State University's Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens, are conducted each year in order to evaluate ornamental bedding and container plants.  The objective of these trials is to observe the performance of new and recently introduced cultivated plant varieties under environmental conditions typical of central Ohio.

We offer four different trials over the summer:
  • Field Trial - ornamental bedding plants are grown in the ground, in full sun
  • Container Trial - ornamental container plants are grown in plasic containers, in full sun
  • Shade Trial - ornamental bedding & container plants are grown in plastic containers, under a shade structure
  • Hanging Basket Trial - ornamental trailing plants are grown in baskets
 
Trial general viewView of field trial

It is our hope that growers, landscapers, homeowners, and plant enthusiasts will benefit from our evaluations.

We invite everyone to come and see our trials. The field trial beds are located in an open space in what it is called the Ag Campus, at the southeast intersection of Woody Hayes Drive and Fyffe Road.  The container trial is located south of Howlett Hall. The shade trial is located in the fenced nursery area, just west of the Howlett Greenhouses head house.  While the containers and ground beds can be visited at any time, the shade containers can only be visited Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
 

During the OFA Short Course, buses from the Columbus Convention Center bring growers to our trials. We also host the Ohio Industry Open House in August, during which local growers & landscape contractors have an opportunity to browse our trial garden.

 
We are fortunate to be located within the beautiful Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens. During your visit to the trial gardens, plan for time to explore the Arboretum.
 

To view the evaluation results, please click here.

Questions? Contact Dr. Claudio Pasian (pasian.1@osu.edu), trials director, or Lindsay Pangborn (pangborn.9@osu.edu), trials manager.