Let me clarify and ask more questions: I'm in zone 4, so I'm thinking that I should treat Amazon Neon (hardy to zone 5) as an annual in my garden.

The photo I've seen is of 'Rose Magic.' I've read that it has 3 colors in one cluster (too harlequin for my taste--much like what I described in my first post). I've also read that Duo comes in 2 colors. I'm getting the impression that the mix of seeds contains 2 colors--magenta and cherry rose--but that each cluster is all of one color, either magenta or cherry rose. Or does each cluster have both colors, somewhat like impatiens with flowers of different ages? All corrections or confirmations appreciated regarding Amazon Neon, as well as suggestions for how you use this.

NEON DUO CONSISTS OF 2 seperate colors, a cherry red (Reddish pink) and purple (Nice grapey but bright purple.) The colors reallly glow and the stems are strong. The flowers last a long time in bouquets. They are very pretty mixed with other flowers. The rose magic does change , not color but amount of pink in the color, with every shade between pinkish white and deep pink on the same cluster at one time. It can be pretty in the right mix but it is not as popular as the neon cherry and grape. As to what to use it with, I like them with trachelium, dark purple, white or blue. The blue is nice with the rose magic dianthus. They are also lovely with larkspur, delphinium, well, anything in a different shape and color,basically! SO many different effects with so many other flowers! Ammi goes beautifully with them...so do snapdragons, or anything lime green, or pale yellow or.......

The Amazon series wasn't bred for perennial production. It's to be treated as an annual. Pan American Seed actually bred this F1 hybrid for commercial greenhouse and field cutflower programs.

There are four available in this series: Neon Cherry, Neon Purple, Neon Duo (mix of cherry and purple), and Rose Magic. Rose Magic isn't Neon; however, it is part of the Amazon series.

The colors of the Amazon Neon are saturated. The entire series is heat tolerant. They are also disease resistant. Because they are heat tolerant and require no vernalization period, the benefit to commercial growers is they can be succession planted all season just as we do with many of our other cutflower crops.

The customer doesn't recognize the Amazon series as dianthus because they're blooming during the summer, their flower heads are larger, and the stems are stronger. They generally assume that it is phlox.

The Rose Magic isn't that popular with market customers, florists, and growers; however, not because of what you referred to as a "clown effect." People usually expect that Sweet William is going to have that look. The spring blooming Sweet Williams are harlequin (Electron and Hollandia). That is the joy of those varieties. The reason that Rose Magic isn't widely accepted is because the color is too muted and faded looking.

Trish

Trish - I'm trying Rose Magic for the first time this year, so I appreciate your comments about it. It'll be interesting to see if my Tx florists like it or not. BTW, it appears Amazon Neon can be grown down here as a perennial, 12 months and still going strong. I transplanted a few left overs to my garden to see how they last.

Jan - the deal with the Purple and Cherry is PUNCH. These colors stand out big time and can really add pizzazz to florists arrangements. They love it. So do I.
Cheers - Kim
Billabong Fresh Flower Farm

Jan,
I use the neon duo and find it just great, and very useful. Once you have it, you won't find any problems making bouquets with it. It is also pretty frost tolerant which is a big plus. I can't really succession plant much of anything, too short of season, but with a hoop house or high tunnel, you could definitely extend the season on it, probably both early, and late. It worth trying, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Cheryl

I like the Rose Magic in very simple bouquets, by themselves or with something white, with maybe a little Bells of Ireland or some other greenery. Not really good for sale, except at a low price, but nice in my own house. As for Neon Duo, I can't imagine NOT growing them, even though I won't be selling flowers any more. There just isn't anything like them for performance. I like both colors but don't tend to use them together. Growers' bunches of either neon color were popular for sale at my stand. Bunches of both together weren't quite as popular, but they sold.

Oh, and by the way, they AREN'T winter-hardy in zone 5. I let a few go through the winter, just out of curiosity, last year. They were dead as dead can be in the spring.

Jeanne

Thanks, everyone. You have convinced me to go with Duo. I do love bright colors, but I also like color unity. Mixing bright pink OR bright purple with other colors doesn't sound so difficult. It was the multicolor of 'Rose Magic' that really had me wondering. Now that I know what they'll be, I'm looking forward to the punch and the size.

I know this post is old, but I just found it today. :)

A couple of pics of my Amazon Neon:

Cherry http://www.backyardgrown.com/amazonneoncherry.jpg

Purple http://www.backyardgrown.com/amazonneonpurple.jpg

Hope that gives you a better idea of how they look. They really are neon. I like mine paired with bright orange or yellow flowers.

Thanks for giving links to your photos. Since I love really bright colors and purple in particular, they will be a great addition next year.
Glenn