plant named ‘Atomic Red Ray’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Atomic Red Ray’, particularly distinguished by purple-violet colored flowers, floriferous with healthy foliage, good mildew resistance, and well-branched, compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Veronica hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Atomic Red Ray’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant botanically known as Veronica hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Atomic Red Ray’. The new cultivar originated from an open pollination in 2005 in a nursery location in Haarlem, The Netherlands between unknown male and female Veronica hybrida plants. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Veronica cultivars with improved branching, unique flower coloration, and compact habits.

The new cultivar was selected from the results of the open pollination in 2007 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since the summer of 2007, has shown that the unique features of the Veronica are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Haarlem, The Netherlands:

• • 1. Purple-violet colored flowers;
  • 2. Floriferous with healthy foliage;
  • 3. Good mildew resistance; and
  • 4. Well-branched, compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Veronica cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Atomic Violet’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,780. However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Red Ray’ differ from plants of ‘Atomic Violet’ in at least flower color. Plants of ‘Atomic Red Ray’ have a flower color that is darker than plants of ‘Atomic Violet’.

In addition the new cultivar can be compared to the commercially available cultivar ‘Purpleicious’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,639. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Red Ray’ differ from plants of ‘Purpleicious’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color that is darker than plants of ‘Purpleicious’; and
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar are less branched than plants of ‘Purpleicious’.

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 differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Atomic Red Ray’. The plant was field grown for approximately 2 years in Haarlem, The Netherlands in an outdoor nursery location. The plant was transplanted into a container for photography purposes.

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

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Atomic Red Ray’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Atomic Red Ray’.

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, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken in October 2011 on 2-year-old field grown plants which were planted and grown outdoors in daytime temperatures between 14° C. and 28° C. and nighttime temperatures between 5° C. and 18° C. No pinching, growth retardants or photoperiodic treatments were used. Observations were made when the plants were in natural daylight conditions.

• Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida cultivar ‘Atomic Red Ray’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.
    • Male parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Vegetative cutting.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 30 days with average soil temperature of 14° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grey in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Moderate density, poorly branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Type.—Herbaceous perennial. Overall shape: Oblong. High temperature tolerance: Tolerant to at least 35° C. Low temperature tolerance: Hardy to at least USDA Zone 4. Excellent garden performance.
    • Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 months from rooted cutting to a finish flowering plant.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Upright, moderately vigorous.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 45.2 cm. Width: Approximately 31.3 cm. Rate of growth: In spring, approximately 10 cm per month.
    • Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Pinching not required, but will improve basal branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 6.
    • Branches.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 28.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Slightly glossy, densely pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of pubescence: Approximately 0.3 mm. Color of young and mature stems: 144A.
• Foliage description:
  • • General description.—Quantity of leaves per stem: Approximately 22. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Durability to stress: High.
    • Leaves.—Shape: Narrowly ovate to lanceolate. Margin: Serrate with approximately 4 teeth per cm. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 7.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 2.9 cm. Texture of upper surface: Slightly glossy, moderately pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Texture of lower surface: Slightly glossy, moderately pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of pubescence upper and lower surfaces: Approximately 0.3 mm. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 143B to 143C and venation of 144C to 144D. Color of lower surface of young foliage: 143C to 144B with venation of 144D. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: 137B and venation of 144C to 144D. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 138B with 147B to 147C and venation of 144D.
    • Petiole.—Shape: V-shaped. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Height: Approximately 2.5 mm. Color: 147D.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from July through mid-October in The Netherlands.
    • Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately 7 days.
    • Flowering response time.—Approximately 60 days.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, self-cleaning. Fragrance: Faint. Height: Approximately 13.3 cm. Width: Approximately 2.5 cm. Quantity of opened flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 300 for main and 100 for secondary. Rate of flower opening: Approximately 20% of the flowers open at any stage.
    • Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Main inflorescences erect and secondary inflorescences at approximately 25° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 24.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.
• Flower description:
  • • General description.—Type: Single. Shape: Campanulate. Aspect: Outward.
    • Bud just before opening.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 250. Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color: 72B. Rate of opening: Approximately 20% of buds open at once, all open within approximately 8 weeks.
    • Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Height: Approximately 9.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 8.0 mm.
    • Petals.—Quantity: 4. Arrangement: Approximately lower 45% of each petal fused into a narrow tube. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Length: Approximately 8.5 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm with lower petals approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color of upper surface when first open: N81A to N81B. Color of lower surface when first open: N81A to N81B. Color of upper surface when fully open: N81A fading to 83B. Color of lower surface when fully open: N81B.
    • Calyx.—Shape: Rotate. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.
    • Sepals.—Quantity: 4. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate, lower 10% fused. Length: Upper sepals approximately 2.0 mm with lower sepals of approximately 3.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color of upper and lower surfaces of immature sepals: 143A to 143B. Color of upper and lower surfaces of mature sepals: 143A to 143B.
    • Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Approximately 50° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per flower, dorsifixed. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Filament length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Anther color: 64B. Filament color: 77B. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 4D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma shape: Clavate. Stigma color: N77D. Style length: Approximately 8.5 mm. Style color: 77A. Ovary color: 145B.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Good mildew and rust resistance. No particular resistance or susceptibility to other diseases or insects noted to date.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Atomic Red Ray’, substantially as herein shown and described.