Plant Awards

Kentucky's Theodore Klein Plant Awards

Winston Dunwell
Nursery Crops Development Center
UKCA Department of Horticulture
Kentucky Grown Landscape Plant Availability Guide

Image credit to Winston Dunwell or designated photographer is appreciated.

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006, 2007 , 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Award Winners below
Founding Committee Members
Current Committee Members

Theodore Klein Plant Award Handout
2011 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster
2010 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster
2009 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster
2008 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poste
2007 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster
2006 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster
2005 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster
2004 Theodore Klein Plant Award Poster

In 1995 a plant award program to select and promote outstanding ornamental woody and perennial plants for Kentucky Landscapes was initiated. The plant awards are named to honor the late Theodore Klein, Yew Dell Nursery, Crestwood, KY and selected by The Kentucky Theodore Plant Award Committee, an independent committee, that is sponsored by: the University of Kentucky Nursery/Landscape Program, Yew Dell Gardens, the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association, and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture "Kentucky Proud" program .

The goals of the Kentucky Theodore Klein Plant Award program are: to promote enthusiasm for and interest in plants among gardeners; to encourage development of new cultivars and hybrids by Kentucky Nurserymen; to increase the recognition, reputation, and profitability of the Kentucky nursery and landscape industries.

Plants are selected based on the following criteria. The plants nominated for consideration must be able to: be efficiently propagated and produced; be found established in Kentucky and at least two good examples of the plant be established within driving distance of a majority of the Kentucky population; and be pest resistant. Plants hybridized, selected, or introduced by Kentuckians will be given priority.

Plants are selected at least two years in advance of promotion to the gardening public. The Kentucky Theodore Klein Plant Award winners are announced at the Kentucky Landscape Industries Winter Conference and Trade Show. The nursery/landscape industry is notified of the award winners through this site, HortMemo and the KNLA Nursery Views Newsletter.

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1999 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Aesculus parviflora - Bottlebrush Buckeye
Amsonia hubrechtii - Arkansas Blue Star
Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' - Hummingbird Summersweet
Dianthus grantianopolitanus - 'Bath's Pink' - Bath's Pink
Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf Hydrangea
Ilex opaca 'Judy Evans' - Judy Evans Holly

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2000 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Eupatorium maculatum 'Gateway' - Gateway Joe Pye Weed
Fothergilla major 'Mount Airy' - Mount Airy Fothergilla
Heuchera americana 'Pewter Veil' pp 8984- Pewter Veil Coral Bells
Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' - Virginia Sweetspire
Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk' - Japanese Tree Lilac
Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' - Winterthur Viburnum

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2001 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners
Amelanchier x 'Cumulus' pp 3092 - Cumulus Serviceberry
Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum' - Sulphureum Epimedium (Barrenwort)
Malus 'Donald Wyman' - Donald Wyman Crabapple
Viburnum 'Eskimo' - Eskimo Viburnum

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2002 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Acer triflorum- Three-flower Maple
Hamamelis x intermedia - Witchhazel intermediate hybrids of H. japonica x H. mollis
Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite' - Red Sprite Winterberry
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' - Variegated Fragrant Solomon's Seal

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2003 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Aster oblongifolius 'Raydon's Favorite'
Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Amazing Grace'- Amazing Grace Weeping Katsura
Cornus mas 'Golden Glory'
Ginko biloba 'Autumn Gold'

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2004 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners pdf poster

Cladrastis kentukea - Yellowwood
Helleborus x hybridus (H. orientalis) - Lenten Rose
Picea orientalis - Oriental Spruce
Taxodium distichum 'Mickelson' Shawnee Brave™ - Shawnee Brave Bald Cypress

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2005 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners pdf poster

Abies nordmanniana, Nordmann Fir
Cercis canadensis 'Appalachian Red', Appalachian Red Redbud
Quercus bicolor, Swamp White Oak
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola', Golden Japanese Forest Grass

2006 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' - Wolf Eyes Dogwood
Nyssa sylvatica - Blackgum
Viburnum 'Mohawk' - 'Mohawk' viburnum
Baptista australis - blue false indigo
Rohdea japonica - sacred lily

2007 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners
Acanthus spinosa – spiny bears breeches
Bignonia capreolata - Crossvine cultivars: 'Atrosanguinea', 'Tangerine Beauty', 'Jekyll'
Magnolia virginiana var. australis – Sweetbay Magnolia cultivars: 'Henry Hicks', 'Northern Bell', 'Aiken County', 'Green Bay' syn. 'Green Shadow'
Metasequoia glyptostroboides – Dawn Redwood
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Seward' , Summer Wine™

2008 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners
Fagus sylvatica 'Asplenifolia'or 'Lanciniata' – Fernleaf or Cut Leaf European Beech
Parrotia persica – Persian Parrotia
Cercis canadensis ‘Silver Cloud’ – Silver Cloud Red Bud
Asimina triloba – Paw Paw
Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Karmina’ – Karmina Geranium

2009 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners
Calycanthus 'Hartlage Wine' – Hartlage Wine Sweetshrub
Magnolia × loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ – Leonard Messel Magnolia
Platanus x acerifolia 'Yarwood' – Yarwood Planetree
Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ – Walker’s Low Catnip
Panicum virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’– Cloud Nine Switchgrass

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2010 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners
Cornus florida ‘Appalachian Spring’ – Appalachian Spring Dogwood
Pinus bungeana - Lacebark Pine
Chionanthus retusus - Chinese Fringetree
Dryopteris x australis – Dixie Wood Fern
Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae - Wood Spurge, Robb's Euphorbia

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2011 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Acer griseum x maximowiczianum (A. nikoense) ‘Girard’s’ – Girard’s Maple
Aucuba japonica 'Longifolia'
Fargesia rufa Green Panda™ - Green Panda Bamboo
Gelsemium sempervirens 'Margarita' - Margarita Carolina Jessamine (Jasmine)
Lespedeza thunbergii 'Gibraltar’ - Gibraltar Bush Clover
Spigelia marilandica Indian Pink

2012 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Amsonia tabernaemontana  ‘Blue Ice’
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Yoshino’
Hypericum x ‘Blue Velvet’
Lagerstromia indica x faueri hydrids. Examples: ‘Acoma’, ‘Hopi’, 'Nachez'       

Founding members of the Theodore Klein Plant Award Selection Committee

Winston Dunwell, UKCA Dept of Horticulture
Richard Fiest, Hummingbird Nursery
Steve Foltz, Cincinnati Zoo
Mike Hayman, Louisville Courier Journal, Seneca Gardens
Buddy Hubbuch, retired Bernheim Arboretum Chief Horticulturist
Kathy Lowrey, TKPA Chairman, Lowrey Perennial Farm
Melvin Moffitt, Snow Hill Nursery
Tony Nold, Horticulture Design and Development
Dennis Raymond, Raymond Landscape Nursery
Casey Schott, KNLA President when the TKPA was founded, Leichhardt Landscape Company

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Current members of the Theodore Klein Plant Award Selection Committee

Paul Cappiello, Yew Dell Gardens, Crestwood
Ben Cecil, Loma Vista Nursery, Olathe, KS previously of Sunny Ray Nursery, Elizabethtown, KY
Kevin Collard, Pine View Nursery, Leitchfield
Winston Dunwell, University of Kentucky, UKREC, Princeton
Steve Foltz, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanic Gardens, Ohio
Mike Hayman, Louisville Courier Journal, Seneca Gardens
Tony Nold, Horticulture Design and Development/Plant Kingdom, Louisville (St. Matthews)
Rebecca Schnelle, University of Kentucky, Lexington
Mary Vanaanen, Jellito Seeds, Louisville

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