A decade in, Arkansas Diamonds program continues to shine
These are plants selected to be brown-thumb-proof.
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
June 16, 2025
Fast facts:
- Arkansas Diamonds released first recommendations in 2015
- Four new plants being tried in 2025
(599 words)
(Newsrooms: with art of plants; image of sample publication)
LITTLE ROCK — Ten years later, the Arkansas Diamonds program is doubling down on its plant trials as it continues to parse the best plants for Natural State Gardens
The program is a partnership between the Arkansas Green Industry Association, the Cooperative Extension Service, local growers and independent garden centers. The emphasis has generally been on plants with vibrant blooms and foliage that fare well in Arkansas’ soils and climate.
Anthony Bowden, extension ornamental specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that instead of a one-year trial period, new selections for the Arkansas Diamond program will have a two-year trial period.
The longer period allows “for a more comprehensive and reliable picture of the performance across variable environmental conditions,” Bowden said. “A single growing season may not capture the full range of stressors that influence plant health and ornamental value, such as unusually mild or extreme weather, pest outbreaks, or inconsistent rainfall.”
Reflecting the variety in Arkansas’ soils and microclimates, Bowden has 37 trial plots in 32 counties including plots at and Hope and Little Rock.
“Plant selection for trial purposes is a strategic process that prioritizes species and cultivars with demonstrated regional adaptability, commercial availability, and potential horticultural value,” Bowden said. “Preference is given to plants readily available from wholesale nurseries or breeding programs to ensure accessibility for growers and retailers if the trial results are favorable.”
Candidate plants are evaluated for durability under such stressors as heat, drought, poor soil fertility and their ability to resist insects and disease. Of course, aesthetic appeal and overall landscape performance are big factors too, he said.
“Feedback from industry stakeholders, including growers, extension agents, and retail garden centers, also informs plant selection to ensure the trials remain relevant to market needs and consumer preferences,” he said.
Bowden said Arkansas Diamonds are ones that can withstand the state’s high summer temperatures, varied rainfall patterns and soil types ranging from sandy loams to heavy clay.
These are plants selected to be brown-thumb-proof.
“Because the trials are designed to reflect low-input residential and public landscapes, plants are evaluated for performance with minimal irrigation, fertilization, or pest control beyond standard cultural practices,” he said. “Preference is given to plants that maintain ornamental value and vigor throughout the growing season under these conditions.”
So how does a plant reach candidate-hood for this program?
“Personally, I like selecting plants for the trial program that have performed well in the All-American Selection trial program across the country,” Bowden said. “That is about a rigorous process as it can get.
Bowden is currently testing four plants: an impatiens called ‘Solarscape XL Salmon Glow,’ a French marigold ‘Bonanza Flame,’ an ornamental pepper called ‘Quick Fire,’ and a ‘Pink Delicious’ tomato.
“For example, the impatiens that is in this year's trial is an AAS winner from 2024 and it was an absolute showstopper in the garden at Hope last year as well as other trial gardens I visited at our neighboring universities, so I knew it needed to be evaluated on a statewide basis,” he said. “There hasn't been a marigold Diamond selection in 10 years, so there was a need to evaluate a popular industry variety to see if it would make sense to be an Arkansas Diamond.”
Bowden has a new set of fact sheets about the four selections deemed “Best of the Decade,” are available for download from the Cooperative Extension Service site.
- Arkansas Diamonds Plants: Polka Dot, FSA6169
- Flamethrower Series Coleus, FSA6170.
- Arkansas Diamonds Plants: Silver Falls, FSA671
- Arkansas Diamonds Plants: Bubblegum®, FSA6172
The full list of Arkansas Diamonds can be found online.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhigthower@uada.edu