plant named ‘Fidahhypchepi’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhypchepi’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; early and freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Description

Botanical designation: Dahlia variabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDAHHYPCHEPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pot-type Dahlia plants that have a freely branching and flowering habit, attractive ray floret coloration and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Hillegom, The Netherlands of an unnamed selection of Dahlia variabilis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia variabilis 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 environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since 2010 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 environmental conditions 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 ‘Fidahhypchepi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidahhypchepi’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

• • 1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 3. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets.
  • 4. Good postproduction longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in ray floret coloration and plant shape.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Fidahhyppi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,254. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fidahhyppi’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more vigorous than plants of ‘Fidahhyppi’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Dahlia had darker colored ray florets than plants of ‘Fidahhyppi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs 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 side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidahhypchepi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were ten weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Fidahhypchepi’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Dahlia variabilis, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia variabilis, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at temperatures of about 22° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at temperatures of about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve days at temperatures of about 22° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days at temperatures of about 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; tuber development has not been observed on plants of the new Dahlia.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant form and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted triangle; three primary lateral branches develop, each primary lateral branch with numerous secondary branches; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; bushy and dense habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 27.5 cm.
    • Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.
    • Lateral branches.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Aspect: Erect to somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or compound with three or five leaflets.
    • Length.—About 9.5 cm.
    • Width.—About 5.5 cm.
    • Shape.—Ovate.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Serrate to dentate.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent; slightly rough.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 138B.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • Appearance and arrangement.—Rotate inflorescence form with ray florets forming acropetally on a receptacle; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; inflorescences face upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit, about 20 inflorescences develop per plant.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from spring through the autumn in The Netherlands; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about seven to eight weeks after planting.
    • Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.
    • Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to 144B.
    • Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 10 cm. Depth (height): About 4 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.5 cm. Receptacle height: About 3 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 2 cm.
    • Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 75 arranged in about seven whorls. Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Initially upright to eventually roughly perpendicular to the peduncle; ray florets cupped. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 57A; towards the apex and base, close to NN155D; color does not fade with development. When opening, lower surface: Close to N57B, N57C and NN157D.
    • Disc florets.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices obtuse. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 37. Color, when opening and fully opened: Close to 17A; towards the base, close to 145D.
    • Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five to six arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to 138A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Quantity per floret: About three. Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to 17A. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Not observed. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Dahlia.
• Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia plants.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 9.

Claims

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