“Conoy,” a new viburnum released by the U.S. National Arboretumat Washington, D.C., has won the 1997 Gold Medal Award from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. It is the ninth Gold Medal Award winner developed by scientists with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and introduced by the arboretum. The Gold Medal Award honors new and little known trees, shrubs and vines of exceptional garden merit to promote these plants with the public, growers and retailers.

In its 70-year history, the ARS arboretum has developed more than 650 new varieties of trees, shrubs, ground covers and floral crops. Many have become industry standards, such as the “Shasta” viburnum.

“Conoy” is the first viburnum cultivar that is completely evergreen in the Washington, D.C., area. Its slightly fragrant, cream-white flowers appear in April with the young leaves. The flowers turn into glossy dark red fruit by mid-August and turn black in October. “Conoy” has withstood temperatures of minus 9 degrees F at Washington, D.C. It also resists bacterial leaf spot.

The February issue of ARS’ Agricultural Research magazine contains an article on “Conoy” and other Gold-Medal winning plants developed at the arboretum.

Scientific contact: Scientific contact: Ruth L. Dix and Margaret R. Pooler, USDA-ARS Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit, U.S. National Arboretum, Wash. D.C., phone (202) 245-4762/4568, e-mail rdix@ars-grin.gov.