plant named ‘Zalsamin’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zalsamin’, characterized by its erect and strong flowering stems; vigorous growth habit; dark red-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Description

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Zalsamin’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a cut flower Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zalsamin’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut flower Alstroemeria cultivars with desirable flower and plant qualities, attractive foliage and flower coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May, 2003, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 02-0107-15, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 02-2001n-os, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in June, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by rhizome divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since September, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zalsamin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zalsamin’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant:

• • 1. Erect and strong flowering stems.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Dark red-colored flowers.
  • 4. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the female parent have lighter red-colored flowers than plants of the new Alstroemeria.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in plant height as plants of the male parent selection are shorter than plants of the new Alstroemeria.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tiesto’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed primarily from plants of ‘Tiesto’ in flower color as plants of ‘Tiesto’ had flowers that had larger stripes and a distinct white-colored band.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Zalsamin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in a glass-covered greenhouse in ground beds. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and description had been growing for one year. The photograph and the description were taken in the late summer. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Zalsamin’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 02-0107-15, not patented.
    • Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 02-2001n-os, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By tissue culture.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days.
    • Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; close to 155D in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.
    • Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 10 cm to 30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 10 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 155D.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Upright; freely branching, bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.
    • Time from planting to harvest of cut flowers.—About 80 to 90 days.
    • Number of flowering stems produced per year.—About 200 to 240.
    • Plant height.—About 135 cm to 160 cm.
    • Plant diameter (spread).—About 35 cm.
• Flowering stem description:
  • • Aspect.—Erect.
    • Length.—About 120 cm to 147 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 6 mm to 11 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 2 cm to 6.5 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Color.—Close to 147B.
• Foliage description:
  • • Appearance.—Leaves asymmetrical; sessile.
    • Length.—About 19.6 cm to 24 cm.
    • Width.—About 3.2 cm to 4.6 cm.
    • Shape.—Lanceolate.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Venation pattern.—Parallel.
    • Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in compound umbels. Flowers face mostly outwardly. Perianth segments separate. Freely and continuously flowering.
    • Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous during the spring in The Netherlands.
    • Fragrance.—Not detected.
    • Flower longevity on the plant.—About four weeks; flowers not persistent.
    • Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About 12 to 16 days.
    • Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 5.5 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape: Roughly ovoid. Color: Close to 187B.
    • Umbel height.—About 14 cm to 16 cm.
    • Umbel diameter.—About 20 cm to 23 cm.
    • Number of flowers per umbel.—About 10 to 24.
    • Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm.
    • Flower length (height).—About 7.5 cm to 8.5 cm.
    • Flower depth.—About 7.5 cm to 8 cm.
    • Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Outer perianth, lateral segments: Length: About 6.2 cm to 6.6 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm to 3.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Embedded pointed. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 46B; towards the apex, greenish overtones. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46B; towards the apex and venation, greenish overtones. Outer perianth, median segment: Length: About 7 cm to 7.4 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm to 3.8 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Embedded pointed. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 46B; towards the apex, greenish overtones. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46B; towards the apex and venation, greenish overtones. Inner perianth, lateral segments: Length: About 6.9 cm to 7.5 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Wishbone-shaped. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 46B; center, close to 162B; stripes, close to 183A. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46B. Inner perianth, median segment: Length: About 5.8 cm to 6.2 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Wishbone-shaped. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 46B; stripes, close to 183A. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46B.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 6 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 30° C. from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six. Anther shape: Elliptical. Anther length: About 8 mm. Anther diameter: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 177B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 152B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Style length: About 4.5 cm to 5 cm. Style color: Close to 59D. Stigma color: Close to 60B. Ovary color: Close to 146C.
    • Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed development has not been observed.
• Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Alstroemeria.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about −5° C. to about 40° C.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zalsamin’ as illustrated and described.