As gardeners, let’s just admit it…it’s impossible to know everything we need to know about plant varieties, which ones do well here, and how to take care of all these plants. There’s just too much…even for those of us who are supposed to know about plants. And this is complicated by new cultivars being released each and every year.

Because of this, Oklahoma State University has a program they call Oklahoma Proven. The goal of Oklahoma Proven is to find and test plants that are not only tolerant of our growing conditions but actually thrive here. The back story being that if we are able to know which plants do well here, we might be better able to select plants to grow in our landscape. OSU has been doing this since 1999 and each year they select a tree, shrub, perennial, and an annual. Sometimes these are plants you may not have heard of or sometimes you might have heard of it but it’s never been scientifically tested to see how the does here. So, let’s take a look at the 2025 Oklahoma Proven selections.

The tree for 2025 is the Horstmann Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica). Now you may be familiar with Blue Atlas Cedar, but this one is a smaller, more compact version. When I say smaller, I mean that the Horstmann can grow up to 12’ high and 8’ wide. Now you may say that’s not a small tree, but it is when you consider the typical Blue Atlas Cedar can grow to about 60’ in height and 30’ in width.

This tree is going to do best in a location that gets full sun and that has well-drained soil. It will not do well in locations that are overly wet. And with a USDA growing zone rating of zones 6-9, it should survive our oftentimes schizophrenic winters. Once established, this tree is drought tolerant but until it is established, you’ll need to water regularly. Its size and durability make it a great selection for smaller spaces.

The shrub for 2025 is Allspice or Sweetshrub (Calycanthus). This deciduous shrub is a native that can grow to reach a height of 6 to 12 feet and about the same in width. In its native habitat it is typically found growing in shady, woodland areas and along the banks of streams. The name Sweetshrub comes from the fact that it produces beautiful spring flowers with a fragrance similar to pineapple, strawberry, and banana. Typically, the flowers are a dark reddish-brown but there are varieties with red, yellow, or white flowers. Another good thing about this shrub is that it will do well in full sun or deep shade meaning you can plant it just about anywhere. With a USDA cold hardiness rating of Zones 4-9, this one should be able to take whatever winter throws its way.

This year’s perennial is the Swamp or Narrow-Leaf Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius). This is another native perennial which can grow to about 8 feet tall that produces flowers later in the season…think Halloween or early November. Pruning this plant in June will encourage branching. If 8 feet is too high for you, there are shorter cultivars like First Light or Low Down.

These flowers prefer moist or even occasionally wet soil in a full sun location. They might need some extra support by staking in a location that is windy. Birds and pollinator insects are attracted to this flower, and it will also play host to the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly larvae. The seeds will attract songbirds, quail, and mourning doves during the winter. If you have a location along a stream, pond, or rain garden, this would be a good choice.

The annual for 2025 is the Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena). I’m a sucker for pink/purple flowers so I might need to add some of these to my garden, but they come in a variety of colors such as pink, red, purple, lilac, violet, orange, and white. The name comes from its globe-shaped flowers that will bloom all summer long. Globe amaranth doesn’t mind the heat and is drought tolerant but will do best when watered regularly.

For me, these flowers are very interesting with their little bursts of color at the end of a rather long and lanky stalk. They will do best in full sun which will help you see the amazing quantity of pollinator insects that visit this flower each day.

While we don’t have any of the 2025 selections in our annual plant sale/fundraiser, we do have 48 Oklahoma Proven selections from previous years available. To shop for these and over 200 other selections, just visit our website (www.tulsamastergardeners.org). In this fundraiser, you can shop online until March 16^th. Plant pick-up day will be April 17^th at the Exchange Center on the Tulsa Fair Grounds. This is a great way to support the Tulsa Master Gardeners and also get good, quality plants that you know should do well here in Oklahoma. To learn more about Oklahoma Proven selections over the years, just do an internet search for Oklahoma Proven. See you in the garden!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: OSU Ag. Comm.