EHR 101 is an investment in better decision-making for our customers

EHR has released the 2026 EHR 101 New Varieties Report, an annual guide to standout new and improved plant introductions headed to market. Varieties are selected for retail pull, production efficiency, overall performance, and availability.

Now in its 22nd year, EHR 101 distills hundreds of annuals, tropicals, foliage selections, and program-ready crops into a working shortlist of 50+ varieties scouted by the EHR team during spring trial season. Each featured variety is selected with growers and retailers in mind, with emphasis on retail pull, production efficiency, landscape and container performance, and overall program value.

This year’s report highlights a category in motion, from the fully expanded glow-in-the-dark Firefly petunia collection to Bloomin’ Easy’s tufted Solar Sisters rudbeckia. The edition also leans into several key trends shaping 2027 planning, including petite subseries for small-space gardening, sun-tolerant foliage upgrades, novel color stories, improved heat performance, and scaled-up varieties designed for larger containers and landscape impact.

“EHR 101 is an investment in better decision-making for our customers. Growers and retailers are evaluating hundreds of new introductions every year, and each one has to be considered through the lens of program fit, production efficiency, retail appeal, and profit potential,” said Melanie Byrne, VP of Operations at EHR. “Our goal is to help customers narrow the field by identifying genetics with strong potential to perform, sell, and drive stronger margins. By combining trial observations, breeder insight, and supplier availability, we are giving customers a practical tool they can use to build more profitable programs with greater confidence.”

As the back cover states, EHR 101 is “part California adventure down Highway 101, part essential cheat sheet for growers and retailers preparing for the next season.” That spirit remains central to the publication: making new genetics easier to understand, easier to source, and easier to turn into stronger, more profitable programs.

The digital edition of the report is available at the link here.