Allan Armitage

Horticulturist, Writer, and Traveler

About Allan Armitage

Dr. Allan Armitage is well known as a writer, speaker and researcher throughout the world. He has evaluated garden plants in Montreal, Canada; East Lansing, Michigan and Athens, Georgia, gaining an appreciation of plant development in the North and South. He holds his B.Sc from MacDonald College of McGill University, Quebec, M.Sc. from University of Guelph, Ontario and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in Lansing.

At the University of Georgia, he runs the research gardens where new plant material from most of the flower breeders in the world is evaluated. The Trial Gardens at UGA are among the finest trial gardens in the nation. They are open to the public throughout the year.

As a teacher and speaker, Dr. Armitage has lectured in Canada, the United States, Colombia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe and is in constant demand. He has visited research and production centers throughout the world and studies annuals, perennials, cut flowers and greenhouse crops in various climates. His courses include Greenhouse Production, Greenhouse Crop Management and Herbaceous Plant Identification and Use. He is a highly engaging teacher and his courses fill rapidly.

Awards and honors: His awards and honors are rather predigious, and are listed on another page.

New Crop Research

His long-standing interest in New Crops for the garden, greenhouse and landscape has taken him to gardens all over the world and has resulted in numerous introductions to the ornamental industry.

A few introductions to the industry from Allan Armitage:

Verbena 'Homestead Purple' (introduced with Dr. Michael Dirr)
Ipomoea ‘Margarita’
the Sunlover Series of Coleus
Cleome 'Linde Armstrong'
Gaillardia 'Georgia Sunset' (with Dr. David Knauft)
Ruellia 'Ragin Cajin'
Tibouchina 'Athens Blue'
Plectranthus ‘Athens Gem’
Dicentra 'Athens Yellow'
Aruncus 'Misty Lace' (introduced with Dr. Hazel Wetzstein)
Pennisetum 'Prince' and 'Princess' (with Dr. Wayne Hannah)
Gaillardia 'Georgia Yellow' (with Dr David Knauft)

Armitage's work with heat- and humidity-tolerant crops resulted in the national marketing program called Athens Select. Approximately 30 plants have been introduced under the “Athens Select” label, including Pennisetum 'Princess', Iochroma 'Purple Queen , Ruellia ‘Ragin Cajin’ and Begonia 'Bonita Shea'.