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.

Field Trial

 

View of Hanging Basket & Container Trial

 

Container Trial

 

View of shade structure over Shade 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 Cultivate (formely OFA), 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 and visit the new green roof on Howlett Hall.

To view the evaluation results, please click here.

Questions? Contact Dr. Claudio Pasian (pasian.1@osu.edu), trials director, or William Barnhill (barnhill.24@osu.edu), trials manager.