If the Oscars didn't leave you on the edge of your seat, maybe something closer to home and a little more down-to-earth will: the winners of Georgia's Gold Medal plant awards.

For the past 14 years, a nonprofit group of about 30 commercial growers, Extension Service agents and University of Georgia faculty has selected several plants deemed superior for this state and climate. A tree, a shrub, a perennial, an annual and a vine are singled out annually based on their commercial appeal, seasonal interest, ease of care, productivity and climate tolerance.

(ENLARGE)

Admiral Semmes azalea.

RELATED • PHOTOS OF WINNERS

In a nutshell, the plants think Georgia rocks, in spite of the nasty clay soil.

And the 2007 winners are: an evergreen tree that's a good alternative to the disease-prone Leyland cypress (Green Giant arborvitae); a bright-yellow blooming shrub (Admiral Semmes azalea); a blood-red flowering perennial that loves wet feet (swamp hibiscus); a spiky, tropical-looking annual that attracts hummingbirds (firespike); and a fragrant evergreen vine that's even winter-hardy in North Georgia (Madison Confederate jasmine).

Later this spring, examples of the plants will join previous winners planted in a Georgia Gold Medal Garden in Centennial Olympic Park, across from the Georgia Aquarium, where consumers can preview them before buying them at the nursery. (Some of the plants are available at garden centers year-round, while others don't arrive until later in the spring.)

The awards are aimed at persuading gardeners to plant deserving but underused plants despite the obstacles of supply and demand; if a plant's not well-known, demand for it is low, so growers don't supply many, which keeps prices high, which keeps demand low — and that keeps superior plants out of the hands of consumers.

"It's a vicious cycle," says committee member Gary Wade, a UGA Extension horticulturist. "Plants have to go through a tough period of introduction. It can be a wonderful plant, but it takes awhile for it to break into the market."

Like actors, plants need that one big break, too.

2007 GEORGIA GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

• Tree: Green Giant arborvitae, Thuja standishii x plicata 'Green Giant': Fast-growing, evergreen. Gets 60 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Excellent pest resistance. Can define property lines, screen views, serve as a windbreak.

• Shrub: Admiral Semmes azalea, Rhododendron 'Admiral Semmes': Fragrant, heat-tolerant, mildew-resistant. Deciduous with lustrous, dark green leaves in summer that turn orange-bronze in the fall. Bright, medium-yellow flowers appear before the foliage for a flashy display in early May.

• Perennial: Swamp hibiscus, Hibiscus coccineus: Perfect for water gardens and pond edges but will thrive in normal soils with enough water. Grows 5 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, with continuous blood-red flowers 3 inches across from late spring until frost.

• Annual: Firespike, Odontonema strictum: A bold, tropical look in the landscape. Shiny, pest-free foliage and crimson-red flower spikes attract hummingbirds and butterflies from late summer through fall. Vigorous, shrublike annual grows 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

• Vine: Madison Confederate jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Madison': Has all the merits of the species plus an added shot of antifreeze to make it winter-hardy in North Georgia. Fast-growing, twining, evergreen vine. Creamy-white, star-shaped, phloxlike flowers emerge in spring and overshadow the foliage.