plant named ‘Balneplud’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Nepeta plant named ‘Balneplud’, characterized by its medium violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Nepeta hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Balneplud’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nepeta plant botanically known as Nepeta hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balneplud’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, the Netherlands during August 2015. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Nepeta cultivars having a long flowering season with an upright-mounded growth habit.

The new Nepeta cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Manchu Blue’, not patented, characterized by its medium violet-blue colored flowers having dark violet-colored calyxes, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Blue Dreams’, not patented, characterized by its medium violet-blue colored flowers with medium violet-colored calyxes, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during July 2016 in a controlled environment in Hem, the Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2016 in Hem, the Netherlands and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balneplud’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Nepeta plant:

• • 1. Medium violet-blue colored flowers;
  • 2. Medium green-colored foliage; and
  • 3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having more green-colored sepals, more compact growth habit and reduced growth vigor. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having darker violet-blue colored flowers and more a more compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Nepeta cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Neptune ‘Bokratune’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,556. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Bokratune’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have lighter blue-violet colored flowers than plants of ‘Bokratune’; and
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger flowers than plants of ‘Bokratune’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balneplud’. The plants were approximately four months old. The plants were grown as three plants per pot in one-gallon containers for approximately 11 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. followed by 1 week in an open-sided polyhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at approximately one week before transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balneplud’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Balneplud’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in June 2019 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately four-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown as three plants per pot in one-gallon containers for approximately 11 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. followed by 1 week in an open-sided polyhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at approximately one week before transplant. Greenhouse temperatures in Elburn, Ill. were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18.3° C. to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (12.8° C. to 15.6° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

• Botanical classification: Nepeta hybrid ‘Balneplud’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—‘Manchu Blue’, not patented.
    • Male parent.—‘Blue Dreams’, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 5 to 6 weeks.
    • Root description.—Fine to medium, fibrous.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Herbaceous perennial; moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.
    • Hardiness.—USDA Zone 5a (−20° F. to −15° F./−28.9° C. to −26° C.).
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 27.0 cm. Width: Approximately 45.0 cm
    • Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances lateral branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 9.
    • Lateral branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong, flexible. Length to base of peduncle: Approximately 17.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of young and mature stem: 146B.
• Foliage description:
  • • General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch: Approximately 12. Fragrance: Moderate minty. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.
    • Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem with blade perpendicular and tips slightly downward turning with age. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Serrate with slightly rounded teeth. Apex: Acute. Base: Rounded. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 5.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Moderately pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Densely pubescent. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 137B to 137C with venation of 137A. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 147B with venation of 147C.
    • Petiole.—Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 146C.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Balneplud’ is a long-day obligate, freely flowering blooming from late spring through summer under outdoor growing conditions.
    • Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 6 to 7 days.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • General description.—Type: Terminal, dense, multi-flowered head-like cyme. Quantity of open inflorescences per plant: Approximately 10. Fragrance: None detected. Length or height of inflorescence: Approximately 6.0 cm. Width of inflorescence: Approximately 6.5 cm. Quantity of fully-open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 8 to 13.
    • Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 146B.
• Flower description:
  • • Type.—Single, zygomorphic.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Clavate. Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 146C tinted with 91A.
    • Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate with a bell-shaped tube, upper lip of two lobes and lower lip having three lobes. Aspect: Facing outward. Width: Approximately 1.1 cm. Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Depth: Approximately 3.0 cm.
    • Upper lip lobes.—Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded. Length from throat: Approximately 6.0 mm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Sparsely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper (inner) surface when first and fully open: 90D. Color of lower (outer) surface when first and fully open: N88C.
    • Lower lip, lateral lobes.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded. Length from throat: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Moderately glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper (inner) surface when first and fully open: N88C. Color of lower (outer) surface when first and fully open: N88D.
    • Lower lip, central lobe.—Shape: Fan-like with a central ridge. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Emarginate. Length from throat: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Densely pubescent at throat opening and on central ridge. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper (inner) surface when first and fully open: NN155D with spots of 90A. Color of lower (outer) surface when first and fully open: N88D.
    • Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width at opening: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width at base: 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Moderately pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of inner surface: N88C to N88D. Color of outer surface: 91A.
    • Calyx.—Shape: Funnel with 4 tips. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.
    • Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 4. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of inner surface: 147C. Color of outer surface: 146C with an overlay of N186A on tips.
    • Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute angle. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 146C.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4 per flower. Stamen length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Filament length of free portion: Approximately 0.9 mm to 1.3 cm. Filament color: N88D. Anther shape: Divergent, opening by a common slit. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: N89A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: NN155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Stigma shape: Bifurcate. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: N88D. Style length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Style color: NN155D with an overlay of N88D near stigma. Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: N144D.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Nepeta has not been observed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nepeta plant named ‘Balneplud’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.