plant named ‘HDPU165’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘HDPU165’, characterized by its compact, mounding, dense and bushy plant habit; serrated dark-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescence form; large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Description

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HDPU165’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HDPU165’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact container Dahlia plants that have dark-colored leaves, large inflorescences and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Lisse, The Netherlands in 2007 of a proprietary seedling selection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse, The Netherlands in 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings since the spring of 2009 in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment 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 ‘HDPU165’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HDPU165’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

• • 1. Compact, mounding, dense and bushy plant habit.
  • 2. Serrated dark-colored leaves.
  • 3. Freely flowering habit.
  • 4. Daisy-type inflorescence form.
  • 5. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets.
  • 6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact, mounding and denser than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent selection have reddish brown-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahlia hybrida ‘HS Juliet’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,907. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘HS Juliet’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Dahlia were shorter and denser than plants of ‘HS Juliet’.
  • 2. Leaves of plants of the new Dahlia were darker in color than leaves of plants of ‘HS Juliet’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘HS Juliet’ differed in ray floret color as plants of ‘HS Juliet’ had purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can also be compared to plants of the Dahlia hybrida ‘Roxy’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘Roxy’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Dahlia were stronger and sturdier than plants of ‘Roxy’.
  • 2. Inflorescences of the new Dahlia were more upright than inflorescences of plants of ‘Roxy’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Roxy’ differed slightly in ray floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant. The photograph show 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 Dahlia plant. The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HDPU165’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lisse, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, 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: Dahlia hybrida ‘HDPU165’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at soil temperatures of 15° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at soil temperatures of 15° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days at soil temperatures of 15° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days at soil temperatures of 15° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.
    • Tubers.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About 14 cm. Texture: Corky. Color: Brownish.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit; inverted triangular plant form; freely basal branching with about six lateral branches per plant; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; vigorous, dense and bushy growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 35 cm.
    • Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.
    • Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 cm. Internode length: About 6 cm to 16 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 52A; towards the apex, tinted with close to 187A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or compound with three or five leaflets.
    • Shape.—Ovate.
    • Apex.—Acuminate.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Serrate; sinuses divergent.
    • Length.—Single leaves: About 7 cm. Compound leaves with three leaflets: About 11 cm. Compound leaves with five leaflets: About 13 cm.
    • Width.—Single leaves: About 3 cm. Compound leaves with three leaflets: About 7.1 cm. Compound leaves with five leaflets: About 8.1 cm.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 200A and 202A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 200A and 202A; venation, close to 187B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 187A.
    • Petioles.—Length, all leaves and leaflets: About 3 mm. Diameter, all leaves and leaflets: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 187A. Color, lower surface: Close to 187C.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • Appearance and flowering habit.—Rotate daisy-type inflorescences with ray and disc florets developing acropetally on a receptacle; inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright; freely flowering habit with about 37 inflorescences developing per plant.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 68 days after planting; flower continuously during the summer and autumn in The Netherlands.
    • Post-production longevity.—Good postproduction longevity; inflorescences maintain good substance for about 15 days on the plant and for about six days as a cut flower; inflorescences persistent.
    • Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 187A and 187D.
    • Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.2 cm. Depth (height): About 2.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.2 cm. Receptacle height: About 8 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 9 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 146C tinted with close to 187C.
    • Ray florets.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Mucronulate. Base: Attenuate. Aspect: Initially upright to roughly perpendicular to the peduncle. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About eight arranged in a single whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 72A; longitudinal stripes, close to 79B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 79A; longitudinal ribs, close to 80B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74A; longitudinal stripes, close to 71A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 64A.
    • Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Length: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 70. Color, immature: Apex: Close to 60A. Mid-section: Close to 25B. Base: Close to 1D. Color, mature: Apex: Close to 21A. Mid-section: Close to 25B. Base: Close to 21A.
    • Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 200A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: Terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 90° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets only: Quantity per disc floret: Five. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 3B. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 20B. Gynoecium, present on ray and disc florets: Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma color: Close to 12C. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to 150B. Ovary color: Close to 150C. Fruits: Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A. Seeds: Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm. Color: Close to 187A.
• Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘HDPU165’ as illustrated and described.