Each year we enjoy gathering together the best of the best plants to share with you that have received designation as a “plant of the year” by various entities.
Plants included here have received a botanical award of merit or recognition based on varying criteria and from different organizations and sources. If we have missed any botanical honors of distinction, please let us know.
Watch the YouTube video on Plants of the Year, hosted by Tracy Blevins as she shares some of her favorites from this collection.
Not all plants have been awarded yet and are chosen at different times of the year as noted. Please check back to see more winners as they are announced.
Please join us in celebrating this year’s collection of Plants of the Year! We hope you will pick a winner to grow in your garden or landscape as well.
Plants of the Year winners from previous years can bee seen here:
And from Plants Map, we want to congratulate our MVPs (Most Viewed Plants) from 2019:
- The Compton Oak by Colonial Williamsburg Arboretum
- Peach Lemonade™ Rose by Bloomin’ Easy®
- Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Salsa’ by Tracy Blevins
2020 Plants of the Year
Annual of the Year from Proven Winners – The Diamond Collection of Euphorbia
Annual from National Garden Bureau – Year of the Lantana
Bulb from National Garden Bureau – Year of the Iris
- See Iris cristata ‘Tennessee White’ Crested Iris by Rare Roots on Plants Map
- See Iris reticulata ‘Spot On’ by Brent and Becky’s Bulbs on Plants Map
Conifers from the American Conifer Society – Collector Conifers of the Year 2020: Abies lasiocarpa ‘Green Globe’, Ginkgo biloba ‘Clica’, Picea abies ‘Acro-yellow’, Pinus koraiensis ‘Morris Blue’, Pinus contorta var. latifolia ‘Taylor’s Sunburst’, Pinus mugo ‘Paul’s Dwarf’, Pinus thunbergii ‘Shirome janome’.
- See Pinus koraiensis ‘Morris Blue by Fraker Conifer Collection on Plants Map
- See Ginkgo biloba ‘Clica’ by Conifer Kingdom on Plants Map
Cut Flowers of the Year the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers: To be announced.
Daffodil John and Gertrude Wister Award from the American Daffodil Society: ‘Sir Winston Churchill’
Dahlia Stanley Johnson Award from The American Dahlia Society: To be announced in September
Daylily Stout Silver Medal winner awarded by the American Hemerocallis Society: ‘I Lava You’
Edible from National Garden Bureau – Year of the Corn
- See Corn Sweet American Dream – 2018 AAS Winner by All-America Selections on Plants map
Edible 2020 Green Thumb Awards from the Direct Gardening Association: KangaRhu Rhubarb and Treasure Island Sweet Potatoes
Herb Notable Native Herbs from the Herb Society of America: Claytonia virginica and Hamamelis virginiana.
- See Hamamelis virginiana by Tracy Blevins on Plants Map
- See Claytonia virginica by Tracy Blevins on Plants Map
Herb of the Year™ from the The International Herb Association: Rubus species
Holly of the Year by the Holly Society of America: Ilex opaca ‘Dan Fenton’
Hosta of the Year by the American Hosta Growers: Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’
Hosta of the Year™ from Proven Winners: Hosta SHADOWLAND® ‘Coast to Coast’
Hydrangea of the Year™ from Proven Winners: Hydrangea arborescens Invincibelle® Ruby
Iris The American Dykes Memorial Medal from The American Iris Society: To be announced in May
Ornamental Plants, Bulbs and Seeds – 2020 Green Thumb Awards from the Direct Gardening Association: European Beech InstantHedge and Clematis ‘Lady Kyoko’
Perennial Plant of the Year™ by the Perennial Plant Association: Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’
Perennial from National Garden Bureau: Year of the Lavender
- See Lavandula angustifolia ‘Super Blue’ by Tracy Blevins on Plants Map
- See Big Time Blue Lavender by UpShoot LLC on Plants Map
- See Lavender x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’ by Rare Roots on Plants Map
Perennial Plant of the Year by the Garden Club of America: Geum triflorum
Perennial of the Year™ from Proven Winners: ‘Denim Lace’ Perovskia
Rose from American Garden Rose Selections™ Award – Belinda’s Blush, Canyon Road, Cole’s Settlement, Lemon Fizz, Naga Belle, Wedding Bells, Princesse Charlene de Monaco
- See Rose – Canyon Road by The Freckled Rose on Plants Map
- See Rose ‘Princess Charlene de Monaco’ by The Gardens at Kansas State University
Rose Master Rose Awards from the AmericanRose Trials for Sustainability™: To be announced in May.
Rose of the Year™ from Proven Winners: Oso Easy Double Red® Rose
TPIE 2020 Favorite New Foliage Plant Award: Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’
Canada Blooms Flower of the Year for 2020: Sincerity Dahlia
RHS Chelsea Plant of the Decade: People’s Choice Winner – Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum Kilimandjaro Sunrise (‘Jww5’) and RHS President’s Winner –Streptocarpus ‘Harlequin Blue’.
Shrub from National Garden Bureau: Year of the Hydrangea
Landscape Shrub of the Year™ from Proven Winners: Gem Box® Ilex glabra
Flowering Shrub of the Year™ from Proven Winners: Blue Chiffon® Hibiscus
Shrub Madness Winner from Proven Winners: Oso Easy Italian Ice® Landscape Rose
Tree Urban Tree of the Year by the The Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA): Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
- See Hackberry by Arboretum of Jefferson Memorial Park on Plants Map
- See Hackberry by Friends of the Rappahannock on Plants Map
Wildflower of the Year by the NC Botanical Garden and the Garden Club of North Carolina: Marsh-pink (Sabatia angularis)
Wildflower of the Year from the Virginia Native Plant Society: Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
2020 All-America Selections Winners – The best new varieties of vegetables and flowers grown from seed or young plants as determined by All-America Selections judges.
- See Delphinium Cheer Blue F1 by All-America Selections on Plants Map
- See Tomato Apple Yellow F1 by All-America Selections on Plants Map
Cover Photo:
What’s your favorite plant of the year? We would love to know. Add your favorite plant to Plants Map and share it’s growing story with our community and on social media. Remember to use our hashtag #Plantsmap.
Also See:
- Growing Garden Trends 2020
- Are blue flowers a pigment of our imagination?
- 2019 Plants of the Year
- 2018 Plants of the Year™
- 2017 Plants of the Year™
- 2016 Plants of the Year ™
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