For the past two weeks, I have been writing about the All-America Selections winners. The AAS program trials the plants at test gardens all over the country, and judges rate the plants all during the growing season. The Green Thumb Awards program winners have been announced, so let us talk about them today.
Winners of the 2025 Green Thumb Awards were chosen by two groups. There are People’s Choice Awards voted on by the public and Professional Choice Awards voted on by horticulture experts at the National Garden Bureau. I am a member of the NGB, but I did not vote this year. There are six categories and one winner in each.
The winning products were selected based on their uniqueness, technological innovation, ability to solve a gardening problem, or provide a gardening opportunity, and potential appeal to gardeners. The awards are sponsored by the National Garden Bureau, a nonprofit organization that exists to educate and inspire home gardeners.
Let’s start with the houseplant category since the same plant was picked by both sets of judges. Prismacolor Orange you Gorgeous is a Proven Winner brand climbing philodendron that has leaves with citrus-inspired colors. The 10-inch-long triangular leaves emerge a mottled bright orange color then slowly fade to a marbled gold and green. Leaf petioles, midribs, and margins remain orange. I grow the Prismacolor Sun Red, and it is incredible. The leaves of these philodendrons start one color and fade into green after a few weeks. When the plant is actively growing, there are several colors of leaves on the plants. They are easy to grow in normal indoor conditions; just be careful to not give them too much light, which can burn the new leaves.
In the annuals category, the public chose Calibrachoa Abstract Lemon Cherry. As the name suggests, the flowers are splashed in both red and yellow. Calibrachoas are short-lived evergreen perennials related to petunias native to dry areas in South America. They make great plants in containers and hanging baskets.
The professionals chose Cosmos Sea Shells Red in the annuals category. Each tubular petal surrounding the daisy-shaped flower head is light pink on the outside and dark pink on the inside. They make a great cut flower.
The public chose the Butterfly Bush Little Rockstars Red as their perennial winner. The flowers last all season. The plants are hardy in zones 5-9. The pros picked Hellebore JWLS Endless because the white flowers are held above the leaves and are pointed upward instead of the typical hellebore flower growing under the leaves. It blooms before just about any other plant in the garden, and it is also hardy in zones 5-9.
The public chose Broccoli Purple Magic F1, which is the first purple broccoli in the world, as their vegetable winner. In addition to the normal healthiness of broccoli, it is also high in anthocyanin. The pros chose the Basil Everleaf Lemon. It gets its name from the bright lemon flavor and the fact that it takes up to two months longer to bloom than regular basil.
You can’t go wrong choosing a hydrangea in the shrub category. The public liked the Hydrangea FlowerFull Smooth because it has two to three times more flowers that are borne on sturdy stems that don’t flop over. The pros picked the only seedless, sterile, noninvasive burning bush (Euonymus alatus) on the market. This is a game-changing plant as it allows people to have the red fall color without the plant becoming invasive.
Both sets of judges chose the same item in the gardening tool category. Crescent Too Circular Positive planters are made with UBQ(tm), a climate-positive material upcycled from landfill waste. With TruDrop Flex Self-Watering Containers and Emma Planters, these products promote a circular economy, promoting sustainable consumption while minimizing waste.
