plant named ‘LOBZ0006’

Abstract

A new Lobelia plant named ‘LOBZ0006’ particularly distinguished by large, violet-purple flowers with deeper violet markings, strong stems with long inflorescences, medium green foliage, narrow leaves, medium sized, free branching, tight and upright plant habit.

Description

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Lobelia erinus L.

Varietal denomination: ‘LOBZ0006’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘LOBZ0006’.

‘LOBZ0006’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large, purple-violet flowers with deep violet markings, strong stems with long inflorescences, medium green foliage, narrow leaves, free branching, and a medium sized, tight and upright plant habit.

‘LOBZ0006’ originated from a hybridization made in May 2010 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary Lobelia plant designated ‘LOB08-279-1’, having smaller flowers, darker green leaves and a trailing plant habit, while plant habit of ‘LOBZ0006’ is distinctly more upright.

The male parent of ‘LOBZ0006’ was the proprietary Lobelia plant designated ‘LOB07-206-2’, unpatented, having blue flowers with an eye, more gray and hairy foliage, and thicker stems than ‘LOBZ0006’.

The resulting seeds were sown in June 2010 and ‘LOBZ0006’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in September 2010 in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘LOBZ0006’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the summer of 2011 in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the spring of 2012 in Andijk, The Netherlands, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘LOBZ0006’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘LOBZ0006’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar was applied for with the European Union on Jun. 26 2014, No. 2014/1695. ‘LOBZ0006’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Lobelia as a new and distinct variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph drawing shows typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘LOBZ0006’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1 a close-up of the flowers, and in FIG. 2 a flowering potted plant of the new variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in April 2014 from plants grown in a greenhouse trial in Andijk, The Netherlands. These plants were grown in 10.5 cm pots and were approximately 12 weeks of age. The close-up photograph was taken at the same time.

The observations and measurements were taken in Andijk, The Netherlands on Sep. 5, 2014, on 19 to 20 week old plants that were growing outdoors in 45 cm containers. Culture of these plants had started in mid April 2014 with the planting of rooted cuttings, 5 plants per container, and pinching about two weeks later.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2001.

TABLE 1
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VAREITY
‘LOBZ0006’ and A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY
		‘LOBMOUNLILA’ (U.S. Plant
		Pat. No.18,410, commercially
	‘LOBZ0006’	known as ‘Laguna Violet’)
Flower color:	Dark violet-purple	Light violet
Flower, diameter:	Larger: 2.1 cm	Smaller: 1.4 cm
Pubescence on leaf	Little	Very slight
and stem:
Plant habit:	Upright	Trailing

• Plant:
  • • Growth and habit.—Vigorous growth habit; dense, and freely branching with short internodes, mounding.
    • Height.—About 10-11 cm (from top of soil).
    • Height (inflorescence included).—About 30 cm.
    • Width (horizontal diameter).—From 45-50 cm.
    • Branching characteristics.—6 main stems, each with 3-4 secondary branches.
    • Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 12 weeks for a 12 cm pot.
    • Garden performance.—Used as patio planters, in mixed container plantings, or in garden beds.
    • Time to initiate and develop roots.—21-28 days at 20-23° Centigrade.
• Roots:
  • • Number of days to initiate roots.—About 15 days at about 22 degrees C.
    • Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-25 days.
    • Type.—Fibrous and freely branching.
    • Color.—RHS N155B.
• Foliage:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate.
    • Leaf shape.—Oblanceolate.
    • Apex.—Obtuse.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire to slightly incised.
    • Leaf length.—3.5-5.5 cm.
    • Leaf width.—0.5-0.9 cm.
    • Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.
    • Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 138B.
    • Mature color upper surface.—RHS 146A.
    • Mature color lower surface.—RHS 147C.
    • Venation type.—Pinnate.
    • Venation color, upper surface.—Same color as leaf blade.
    • Venation color, lower surface.—A little protruding, same color as leaf blade.
    • Texture.—Weak pubescence, both surfaces.
    • Petiole.—No petiole, leaves are sessile.
• Stem:
  • • Characteristics.—With slightly strengthened, protruding edges, side branches are developed at almost every node.
    • Stem length.—9-10 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.3-0.5 cm.
    • Internode length.—3-4.5 cm.
    • Color.—Mainly RHS 145B.
    • Texture.—Finely pubescent.
• Inflorescence:
  • • Type.—Raceme, composed of single flowers in an alternate arrangement with one flower per node, subtended by a small leaflet.
    • Blooming habit.—Continuously through the growing season from spring to the fall.
    • Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 200 per container/40 per plant.
    • Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.—Up to 17 open flowers, and additional buds.
    • Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—3-6 days, depending on temperature.
    • Fragrance.—None.
    • Inflorescence length.—20-23 cm.
• Peduncle:
  • • Color.—From RHS 143A to RHS 144A.
    • Length.—7-8 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.2 cm.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
• Pedicels:
  • • Color.—RHS 147A, upper side overlain with anthocyanin RHS N186B.
    • Length.—1.4-1.7 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.1 cm.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
• Flower:
  • • Corolla type and shape.—Single, zygomorphic; upper lip is formed by two small petals, lower lip has three larger petals; petals are fused at the base forming a relatively long funnel-shaped tube.
• Flower bud:
  • • Shape.—Elongate.
    • Length.—0.8 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.4-0.5 cm.
    • Color (at tight bud).—RHS 157B (greenish white) and RHS N79B (purple).
• Immature flower:
  • • Main color upper surface.—RHS N81A.
    • Main color lower surface.—RHS 84A for the top, RHS 155A at the base.
    • Immature flower, width.—0.9 cm.
• Mature flower:
  • • Flower, (horizontal) length.—2 cm.
    • Flower, (horizontal) width.—2 cm.
    • Flower, vertical length (depth).—2.1 cm.
    • Color upper lip, upper surface.—RHS N80A.
    • Color upper lip, lower surface.—RHS N80B.
    • Upper petal lobes, length (from the tube opening).—1-1.1 cm.
    • Upper petal lobes, width.—0.2-0.3 cm.
    • Color lower lip, upper surface.—RHS N81B.
    • Color lower lip, lower surface.—RHS N82B.
    • Nectaries at base of lower petals.—RHS N81A.
    • Lower petal lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—1-1.2 cm.
    • Lower petal lobes, width.—0.6-0.9 cm.
    • Tube, color (outside).—RHS 77A.
    • Tube length.—0.9-1 cm.
    • Tube width.—0.3-0.4 cm.
• Petal (lobes):
  • • Shape.—Obovate.
    • Apex shape.—Mucronulate.
    • Base.—Fused, funnel-shape.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture upper surface.—Glabrous.
    • Texture lower surface.—Short hair, mainly along the mid vein.
• Calyx:
  • • Shape.—5 sepals in a whorl, slanting outwards, fused at the base.
    • Sepal color.—RHS 187A, very dark.
    • Sepal length (free ends).—0.7 cm, respective 0.9 cm when incl. the funnel shaped part.
    • Width.—0.1 cm.
    • Shape.—Ligulate.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Fused.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
• Reproductive organs:
• Stamens:
  • • Quantity.—5.
    • Filament, color.—RHS N81A.
    • Filament length.—0.6 cm.
    • Filament, diameter.—0.1 cm.
    • Anther color.—RHS 202A to RHS 202B.
    • Anther length.—0.2 cm.
    • Pollen amount.—Little.
    • Pollen color.—RHS 3B to RHS 3C.
• Pistil:
  • • Quantity per flower.—1.
    • Length.—0.9 cm.
    • Stigma color.—RHS 147A.
    • Stigma length.—0.25 cm.
    • Style color.—RHS 145B.
    • Style length.—From 0.6 to 0.8 cm.
• Fruit and seed set: Occasionally observed outdoors.
• Disease and insect resistance: Resistance and susceptibility typical for the species, no special observations made.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘LOBZ0006’ as shown and described herein.