plant named ‘IFANSA’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Anemone plant named ‘IFANSA’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large semi-double flowers that are white in color; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Anemone hupehensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFANSA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anemone, botanically known as Anemone hupehensis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IFANSA’.

The new Anemone plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yamatsuri Fukushima, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and vigorous Anemone plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Anemone plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2014 in Yamatsuri Fukushima, Japan of an unnamed proprietary selection of Anemone hupehensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Anemone hupehensis, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Anemone plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yamatsuri Fukushima, Japan in September, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Anemone by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Yamatsuri Fukushima, Japan since May, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Anemone plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Anemone have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and various 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 ‘IFANSA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘IFANSA’ as a new and distinct Anemone plant:

• • 1. Relatively compact, upright and uniform plant habit.
  • 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 4. Long flowering period.
  • 5. Large semi-double flowers that are white in color.
  • 6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Anemone can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Anemone differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anemone are taller than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Flowers of plants of the new Anemone are larger than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Plants of the new Anemone and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the new Anemone have white-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Anemone can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Anemone differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anemone are much more compact than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Flowers of plants of the new Anemone are smaller than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Anemone can be compared to plants of Anemone x hybrida ‘Whirlwind’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Anemone and ‘Whirlwind’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anemone are more compact than plants of ‘Whirlwind’.
  • 2. Leaves of plants of the new Anemone are darker green in color than leaves of plants of ‘Whirlwind’.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Anemone have narrower sepals than flowers of plants of ‘Whirlwind’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Anemone 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 Anemone plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘IFANSA’ in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower and flower buds of ‘IFANSA’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘IFANSA’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Anemone production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were 15 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Anemone hupehensis ‘IFANSA’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Anemone hupehensis, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Anemone hupehensis, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—In vitro meristem culture.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at temperatures about 22° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 42 days at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, moderately fibrous; close to N199C to N199D in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; relatively compact, upright and uniform plant habit with basal stems and leaves developing in basal rosettes; numerous basal rosettes developing per plant; ovate in overall plant shape; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.
    • Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 29.5 cm.
    • Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 40.8 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 49 cm.
• Branch description:
  • • Quantity per plant.—About 23.
    • Length.—About 29.5 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 4 mm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Aspect.—Upright to about 5° from vertical.
    • Texture and luster.—Densely pubescent; moderately glossy.
    • Color.—Initially, close to 144B; with development, becoming closer to 144B to 144C and tinged with close to N200A.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement, basal leaves.—Alternate; compound.
    • Arrangement, cauline leaves.—Opposite or in whorls of three; compound.
    • Length, basal leaves.—About 9.5 cm.
    • Width, basal leaves.—About 7.8 cm.
    • Length, cauline leaves.—About 6.3 cm.
    • Width, cauline leaves.—About 4.8 cm.
    • Length, basal leaflets.—About 5.8 cm.
    • Width, basal leaflets.—About 3.4 cm.
    • Length, cauline leaflets.—About 4.1 cm.
    • Width, cauline leaflets.—About 2 cm.
    • Shape, basal leaves.—Ovate to broadly ovate; palmately three-lobed to trifoliate; depth of sinuses are shallow to medium and convergent.
    • Shape, cauline leaves.—Ovate; palmately three-lobed to trifoliate; depth of sinuses are shallow to medium and convergent.
    • Shape, basal and cauline leaflets.—Ovate.
    • Apex, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets.—Acute.
    • Base, basal leaves and leaflets.—Attenuate to truncate.
    • Base, cauline leaves and leaflets.—Attenuate.
    • Margin, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets.—Biserrate.
    • Aspect, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets.—Mostly flat to slightly convex.
    • Texture and luster, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent; slightly glossy.
    • Texture and luster, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent; matte.
    • Venation pattern, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets.—Laciniate.
    • Color, basal and cauline leaves and leaflets.—Developing leaves and leaflets, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves and leaflets, lower surface: Between 138B and 144A. Fully expanded leaves and leaflets, upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation, close to 143B. Fully expanded leaves and leaflets, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146D.
    • Leaf petioles.—Length, basal leaves: About 16.7 cm. Diameter, basal leaves: About 2 mm. Length, cauline leaves: About 3.2 cm. Diameter, cauline leaves: About 2 mm. Strength, basal and cauline leaves: Strong. Texture and luster, basal and cauline leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely to moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, basal leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. Color, cauline leaves, upper surface: Close to 146B heavily tinged with close to 197A. Color, cauline leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A.
    • Stipules.—To date, stipule development has not been observed on plants of the new Anemone.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double type rotate flowers arranged in terminal compound cymes; freely flowering habit with 115 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers face mostly upright to slightly outwardly.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Anemone flower during the late summer into the autumn in The Netherlands.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on the plant; flowers not persistent.
    • Inflorescence height.—About 14.3 cm.
    • Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.3 cm.
    • Flower diameter.—About 6.4 cm.
    • Flower length (depth).—About 1.8 cm.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to nearly orbicular. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Between 186C and 200A; proximally, close to 149B.
    • Petals.—Absent.
    • Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 17 arranged in two whorls. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic to obovate; slightly concave. Apex: Bluntly acute to obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN155D; proximally, close to 157D. When opening, lower surface: Close to NN155D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D; distally, slightly tinged with close to 76D; venation, close to NN155B; color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D slightly tinged with close to 76D; venation, close to NN155B; color does not change with development.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Aspect: About 22.5° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 146A strongly tinged with close to N200A.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 5.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect: About 40° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Slightly darker than 146C; upper surface tinged with close to 200A.
    • Flower bracts.—To date, flower bract development has not been observed on plants of the new Anemone.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number per flower: About 120. Filament length: About 4.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 157C. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther diameter: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 17B. Amount of pollen: Moderate to abundant. Pollen color: Close to 11D. Gynoecium: Pistil number per flower: About 400. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma length: About 0.5 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 150D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.
    • Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Anemone.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Anemone have been observed to have good garden performance, to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Anemone have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Anemone plants.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Anemone plant named ‘IFANSA’ as illustrated and described.