plant named ‘AMIECH1609’

Abstract

A new and distinct Echeveria agavoides cultivar named ‘AMIECH1609’ which is characterized by succulent foliage with an upright attitude, tightly arranged into a compact rosette. The foliage is green to greyed-green with vivid red margins and a darker red apex; the lower leaf surface, in particular, becomes progressively suffused with a red coloration where exposed to ultraviolet light. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Description

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Echeveria agavoides.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘AMIECH1609’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘AMIECH1609’ is a seedling selection resulting from the self-pollination of the species, Echeveria agavoides (an unnamed plant). The crossing was made by the inventor in the autumn of 2010 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Seed from said cross was harvested, then germinated, and the resulting seedlings were then grown to a mature size. In summer of 2012, one seedling was observed to exhibit unique foliage characteristics and growth habit. The seedling was isolated for further evaluation in order to confirm the distinctness and stability of the characteristics first observed. Upon confirmation of distinctness and stability, ‘AMIECH1609’ was selected for commercialization in the summer of 2013.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH1609’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in the spring of 2014 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. Through five subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘AMIECH1609’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, 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 ‘AMIECH1609’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘AMIECH1609’ as a new and distinct Echeveria agavoides cultivar:

• • 1. ‘AMIECH1609’ exhibits succulent foliage with an upright attitude, tightly arranged into a compact rosette; and
  • 2. ‘AMIECH1609’ exhibits broad ovate to near oblong foliage with an acuminate apex; and
  • 3. ‘AMIECH1609’ exhibits a green to greyed-green general coloration of the upper leaf surface with vivid red margins and a darker red apex; and
  • 4. ‘AMIECH1609’ exhibits a green to greyed-green general coloration of the lower leaf surface with vivid red margins and a darker red apex; the foliage becoming progressively suffused with a red coloration where exposed to ultraviolet light.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘AMIECH1609’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 9 months old, shown planted in a 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘AMIECH1609’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the foliage color from the center of the rosette (juvenile foliage) to the outer most whorl of the rosette (mature foliage) of ‘AMIECH1609’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIECH1609’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in October of 2016 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 9 months old ‘AMIECH1609’ plants grown in 11 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria which consisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, and chemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug and Botrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMIECH1609’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘AMIECH1609’ and a comparison with the parent which is the closest known comparator, an unnamed plant of Echeveria agavoides, is provided below.

• Plant description:
  • • Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a non-branched basal rosette.
    • Plant shape.—Flattened globular.
    • Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—9.7 cm.
    • Plant spread.—Average of 17.4 cm.
    • Growth rate.—Moderate.
    • Plant vigor.—Moderate.
    • Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting — Approximately 21 to 35 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 18 to 22 weeks to produce a marketable plant in an 11 cm container.
    • Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria agavoides pests and diseases has been observed.
    • Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10 to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once established; high tolerance to wind.
• Root system:
  • • General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.
• Stems:
  • • Branching habit.—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosettes; no main branches or lateral branches present.
• Foliage:
  • • Arrangement.—Rosette.
    • Division.—Simple.
    • Attachment.—Sessile.
    • Quantity.—Approximately 52 leaves per rosette.
    • Shape.—Thick, succulent leaves which are obovate to near oblong.
    • Dimensions.—8.4 cm long, 3.6 cm wide, and 1.35 cm thick, on average.
    • Aspect.—Flat to slightly convex.
    • Apex.—Acuminate.
    • Base.—Broad cuneate.
    • Margin.—Entire; not undulated or lobed.
    • Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and moderately glossy; lightly pruinose.
    • Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and moderately glossy; lightly pruinose.
    • Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191A, with the distal portion of the leaf suffused with greyed-red, nearest to RHS 181A; margins are greyed-red, RHS 181A; apex is greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 183A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — In between yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148D, and greyed-green, in between RHS 194A and 194B, with the distal portion of the leaf suffused with greyed-purple, in between RHS 184A to 184B; margins are greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 184A to 184B; apex is greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 183A. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148B, and suffused with greyed-green towards the apex, in between RHS 197A and 197B; margins are greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 183C; apex is darker, nearest to RHS 183A. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148C, and suffused with greyed-green towards the apex, nearest to RHS 197A; where exposed to ultraviolet light or cooler temperatures, the foliage becomes progressively suffused with greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 183C; margins are greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 183C; apex is darker, nearest to RHS 183A.
    • Venation.—No venation is visible.
    • Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile.
• Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT AND CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH1609’ differ from the parent, an unnamed plant of Echeveria agavoides, which is also the closest known comparator, in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1
		Echeveria agavoides
Characteristic	‘AMIECH1609’	(unnamed plant)
Leaf attitude, outer	More erect.	More relaxed.
whorls of the rosette.
General coloration	Green with red margins	Green with a red apex.
of mature foliage,	and apex.
adaxial surface.
General coloration	Green with red margins and	Green with a red apex.
of mature foliage,	apex, and heavily suffused
abaxial surface.	with greyed-purple.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveria agavoides plant named ‘AMIECH1609’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.