Athens Select :

Founded in 1999, The Athens Select™ program is a collection of unique heat-and humidity tolerant plant varieties, propagated from virus-indexed stock by members of Athens Select Marketing Association. Potential plants for the program are designated by Dr. Allan Armitage at The University of Georgia Trial Gardens, and final selection is accomplished by the members of Athens Select. Plants in the Athens Select™ program differ from other plants in the marketplace by being selected under conditions of high heat and humidity. Plants chosen for Athens Select are "heat and humidity tested" for two to three years at the University of Georgia Trial Gardens before entering the program. One of the key benefits of Athens Select™ materials is that all elite stock is tested for, and cleaned of viruses. Propagators of Athens Select material agree to test stock material, or purchase new elite material to maintain indexed status. Dupont Nursery is proud to be one of only 9 Athens Select distributors in the United States.