2021 All-America Selection Vegetable Winners

For 2021, All-America Selections (AAS) announces three vegetable award winners – ‘Crème Brulee’ echalion, ‘Pot-apeno’ pepper and ‘Goldilocks’ squash. To see pictures of these and other great plants visit the All-America Selections website.

Echalion ‘Crème Brulee’. An echalion, also called a banana shallot, differs from standard shallots by having an elongated 4-5” bulb, which is easy to peel and cut. ‘Crème Brulee’ has a bright coppery pink outer skin and pretty rosy-purple interior with thick rings. The sweet tender bulbs are perfect for caramelizing and have a mild shallot-like flavor when used raw.

Scallions and shallots are very closely related, both members of the Allium family, A. cepa. Scallions are biennials and shallots are perennials, winter hardy in Zones 2-9, but both are usually treated as annuals in home gardens. Shallots are grown from seed, divisions or small bulbs harvested the previous year. ‘Crème Brulee’ is available as seed and is easy to grow in the home garden. Choose a full sun location with rich, well-drained soil. Provide consistent moisture and eliminate weed competition for the best growth.

‘Crème Brulee’ can be grown in containers, raised beds or traditional gardens. Seed plants 2 inches apart in rows or, for the most efficient garden usage, create wide row plantings with plants 2 inches apart in all directions. Plants reach 24-36 inches in height and are ready to harvest when the leaves begin to turn brown and fall over. Source 1.

Pepper ‘Pot-a-peno’ – This fun new jalapeno cultivar has a compact growth habit, making it perfect for containers or even hanging baskets. Plants reach 12-15 inches in height and 12-18 inches in width. They form a dense and bushy mounded form. his cultivar is early to mature, meaning you’ll have peppers to harvest sooner than other jalapeno cultivars.

The traditional jalapeno fruits, 3-4 inches in length, can be harvested either green or allowed to mature to red. Expect 35-50 fruits per plant, each with a mild heat. ‘Pot-a-peno’ is available as seed, so order yours soon and start this summer’s transplants right away. Source 3.

Squash ‘Goldilocks’– This new acorn squash isn’t the traditional dark green you would expect, instead it’s skin is bright orange. Fruits can double as fall ornamentals, almost like miniature pumpkins, as well as great edibles with a rich nutty flavor. Judges really loved the flavor! Each fruit is about 4 inches by 4 inches or one pound in weight. Expect about 10 fruits per plant.

As a National AAS winner, ‘Goldilocks’ performed well across the national in summer trial gardens, producing vigorous plants, with resistance to powdery mildew. Plants are bushy and compact; allow about 2 feet by 6 feet for each. Sources 2 & 4.

Plant sources include

1. Johnny’s Selected Seeds.
2. Osborne Seed.
3. Park Seed.
4. Territorial Seeds.

Note - credit images to All-America Selections.

1. Eschalion 'Creme Brulee'
2. Goldilocks squash
3. Pot-a-peno pepper