plant named ‘Balfluttdelu’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant named ‘Balfluttdelu’, characterized by its medium violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Scabiosa columbaria.

Variety denomination: ‘Balfluttdelu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant botanically known as Scabiosa columbaria and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balfluttdelu’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during September 2009. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Scabiosa cultivars that have large inflorescences with rich flower colors and a compact growth habit.

The new Scabiosa cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Butterfly Blue’, not patented, characterized by its light violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, low growth vigor and semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during July 2010 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2010 in Guadalupe, Calif., 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 ‘Balfluttdelu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant:

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

Of the many commercially available Scabiosa cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the female parent ‘Butterfly Blue’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker flower color than plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’;
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have shorter peduncles than plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’; and
  • 3. Plants of the new cultivar have a more compact habit than plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’.

In addition, plants of the new cultivar can be compared to plants of ‘Vivid Violet’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,260. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Vivid Violet’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have a smaller diameter inflorescence than plants of ‘Vivid Violet’;
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have a floret color that is lighter than plants of ‘Vivid Violet’; and
  • 3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller florets, as measured by length and width, than plants of ‘Vivid Violet’.

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 ‘Balfluttdelu’. The plants were grown in 1 gallon containers for approximately 8 weeks in a greenhouse and 9 weeks outdoors in Elburn, Ill.

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

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

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 color values were determined in June 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 1 gallon containers for approximately 8 weeks in a greenhouse and 9 weeks outdoors in Elburn, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 60° F. to 68° F. (15.5° C. to 20° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (13° C. to 15.5° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

• Botanical classification: Scabiosa columbaria cultivar Balfluttdelu.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—‘Butterfly Blue’, not patented.
    • Male parent.—Unknown.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42 days.
    • Root description.—Fibrous, fine to medium, creamy white to light brown in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density.
• Plant description:
  • • Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous, compact-mounded.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 43.0 cm. Width: Approximately 51.0 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Basal rosette, freely branching, pinching enhances basal branching. Quantity of main stems per plant: Approximately 5, with each main branch having 6 lateral branches.
    • Main stems.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle: Approximately 18.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 3.2 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with appressed hairs. Color of young and mature stems: Close to 138A, appears lighter due to pubescence.
• Foliage description:
  • • General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 16. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.
    • Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem, tips turning downward with age. Shape: Overall obovate. Margin: Pinnatisect, less dissected earlier in season and as a young plant. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate, sessile. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 12.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 7.5 cm. Texture of upper surface: Margins moderately pubescent with appressed hairs. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent, venation moderately pubescent with appressed hairs. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation indistinguishable from leaf lamina except for midvein of 145C. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: 137C with venation indistinguishable from leaf lamina except for midvein of 145A.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Balfluttdelu’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from late spring through late summer.
    • Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the plant.—Approximately 8 to 10 days.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • General description.—Type: Involucrate heads. Corolla not persistent, bristled calyx persistent. Shape: Dome. Aspect: Facing upward to slightly outward. Arrangement: Terminal involucrate heads displayed above the foliar plane on long peduncles. Fragrance: None detected. Quantity per plant: Approximately 30. Diameter: Approximately 4.8 cm. Inner cushion diameter: Approximately 2.3 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm.
    • Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to slightly wiry. Length: Approximately 21.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with appressed hairs. Color: Close to 138A, appears lighter due to pubescence.
    • Inflorescence bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 4 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovate. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color: 145D with 91B at apex.
    • Outer florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 24. Arrangement: In two whorls. Shape: Funnel, 5 lobes, 3 broad upper lobes with the central lobe being the largest, and 2 small lower lobes. Lobes are fused at the base forming a tube. Length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Width: Approximately 1.4 cm. Upper lobes: Shape: Narrowly obovoid to oblong. Margin: Scalloped. Apex: Erose to rounded. Length of central lobe from throat: Approximately 1.2 cm. Width of central lobe: Approximately 7.0 mm. Length of lateral lobes from throat: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes: Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Central lobe and base of lateral lobes densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when fully open: N88B to N88C fades to N88D with age. Color of lower surface when fully open: N88D with NN155A at base. Lower lobes: Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex: Scalloped. Length from throat: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Base densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when fully open: N88B to N88C fades to N88D with age. Color of lower surface when fully open: N88D with NN155A at base. Tube: Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at base: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter at throat: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: NN155A.
    • Inner florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 26. Arrangement: In multiple whorls. Shape: Funnel, 5 lobes, 3 broad upper lobes with the central lobe being the largest, and 2 small lower lobes. Lobes are fused at the base forming a tube. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Upper lobes: Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex: Rounded. Length of central lobe from throat: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of central lobe: Approximately 2.0 mm. Length of lateral lobes from throat: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Central lobe and lower half of lateral lobes densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when fully open: N88C to N88D. Color of lower surface when fully open: N88D with NN155A at base, central lobe has overlay of 84B. Lower lobes: Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex: Rounded. Length from throat: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Lower half densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when fully open: N88C to N88D. Color of lower surface when fully open: N88D with NN155A at base. Tube: Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter at throat: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: NN155A.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: 2 whorls. Outer whorl: 5 fused sepals. Shape: Cup-like. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Apex: Scalloped. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: NN155D, translucent with base of 137A. Inner whorl: 5 pappus-like setae attached at base. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Color: 187A with base of 145A.
    • Floral bracts.—Quantity: One per floret. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: 137A, outer surface appears lighter due to pubescence.
    • Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 12. Arrangement: In a single whorl. Shape: Linear to lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 1.1cm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: 137A, outer surface appears lighter due to pubescence.
    • Receptacle.—Shape: Conical. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: Closest to N144A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium and gynoecium: Present on both inner and outer florets. Stamen quantity: 4 per floret, base of filaments adnate to corolla. Stamen length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Filament length of free portion: Typically 1.0 mm but can be up to 5.0 mm in inner florets. Filament color: NN155D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 84B aging to 161B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: NN155D. Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Stigma shape: Oblate. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Style length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Style color: NN155D with an overlay of N87B on upper third. Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: NN155D.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Scabiosa has not been observed.

Claims

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