plant named ‘Balsalpazy’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Balsalpazy’, characterized by its dark purplish-red colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Balsalpazy’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant botanically known as Salvia hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balsalpazy’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, the Netherlands during September 2016. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Salvia cultivars having large flowers with attraction coloration, dark green-colored foliage, and a vigorous, highly branched, upright growth habit.

The new Salvia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Salvia splendens breeding selection coded G20-2, not patented, characterized by its red and white bicolored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, low growth vigor and compact, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Salvia splendens x guaranitica breeding selection coded B093-1, not patented, characterized by its medium purple-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2017 in a controlled environment in Hem, the Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2017 in Hem, the Netherlands and Arroyo Grande, Calif. 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 ‘Balsalpazy’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

• • 1. Dark purplish-red colored flowers;
  • 2. Dark green-colored foliage; and
  • 3. Vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a more vigorous growth habit and dark purplish-red colored flowers that is different from the red and white bicolor flowers of the female. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in being earlier to flower, in having dark purplish-red colored flowers that is different from the medium purple-colored flowers of the male parent and in having more branches per plant.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the male parent ‘Purple & Bloom’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,027. However, in side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Purple & Bloom’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have flowers with less blue coloration than plants of ‘Purple & Bloom’; and
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have more reddish-purple colored bracts than plants of ‘Purple & Bloom’.

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 ‘Balsalpazy’. The plants were approximately 10-weeks old. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch containers for approximately 7 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

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

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

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, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in January 2023 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 10-week-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a polycarbonate greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5-inch containers for approximately 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 68° F. to 70° F. (20° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 60° F. to 65° F. (16° C. to 18° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

• Botanical classification: Salvia hybrid ‘Balsalpazy’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—Proprietary Salvia splendens breeding selection coded G20-2, not patented.
    • Male parent.—Proprietary Salvia splendens x guaranitica breeding selection coded B093-1, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28 days.
    • Root description.—Medium thickness, fibrous, brown in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm container.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, upright growth habit.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 49.0 cm. Width: Approximately 47.0 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 2 main basal branches and approximately 8 lateral branches.
    • Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong. Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 21.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 5.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with minute hairs. Color of young and mature stems: 146A with an overlay of N186C.
• Foliage description:
  • • General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 8. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.
    • Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular angle to stem. Shape: Ovate to deltoid. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate to slightly oblique. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 10.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 8.3 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Rugose, sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with 139A and venation of 147B. Color of lower surface of young foliage: Closest to NN137D with venation of 146C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: NN137A with 139A and venation of 147B. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to NN137D with venation of 146C, midvein has a faint overlay of N186C at petiole attachment.
    • Petiole.—Length: Approximately 8.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: 146B with a faint overlay of N186C.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Balsalpazy’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in greenhouse environment.
    • Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • General description.—Type: Spikes in verticillaster arrangement, florets in clusters of three, not persistent. Quantity of inflorescences per plant: Approximately 2. Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height of inflorescence: Approximately 17.5 cm. Width of inflorescence: Approximately 11.5 cm. Quantity of fully-open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 8.
    • Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 8.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color: 146A with a heavy overlay of N186B.
• Flower description:
  • • Type.—Single, zygomorphic.
    • Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 9.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of N186C and petals of N186B.
    • Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes, base fused. Width: Approximately 1.5 cm. Length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Depth: Approximately 5.5 cm.
    • Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded. Length from throat: Approximately 1.7 cm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Pubescence color: 86A. Color of inner surface when first and fully open: 85D. Color of outer surface when first and fully open: Closest to N79B to N79C.
    • Lower lip.—Shape of lobes: Oblong. Margin: Entire. Apex of lobes: Rounded. Length from throat of central lobe: Approximately 1.2 cm. Width of central lobe: Approximately 9.0 mm. Length from throat of lateral lobes: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width of lateral lobes: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface when first and fully open: Closest to N79C with two central irregular patches of 85D near throat opening. Color of lower surface when first and fully open: Closest to N79B to N79C.
    • Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.3 cm. Diameter at opening: Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Moderately pubescent. Color of inner surface when first and fully open: 85D with base of NN155D. Color of outer surface when first and fully open: Closest to N79B to N79C with base of NN155D.
    • Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.2 cm.
    • Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Fused into two lobes. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Upper lobe acuminate, lower lobe notched. Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Width of lobes: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces: Densely pubescent with minute hairs. Color of inner surface: 146D with tips of N186C. Color of outer surface: 146A with a heavy overlay of N186A and N186C.
    • Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of floret cluster. Shape: Ovate, cupped. Apex: Acuminate. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent with minute hairs. Color of inner surface: NN155D with an underlay of 86A at tip. Color of outer surface: 86B with N78B.
    • Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute angle. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Pubescence color: 86A. Color: 146B with a heavy overlay of N186C.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Filament length: Approximately 2.1. Filament color: NN155D with and overlay of N78B that is heaviest on lower half. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Anther color: N92A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: NN155A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower, slightly curved. Pistil length: Approximately 5.5 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted. Stigma length: 4.0 mm. Stigma color: 86A. Style length: Approximately 4.8 cm. Style color: NN155D with an overlay of 86B near stigma. Style texture: One longitudinal line of hairs colored 86B. Ovary length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Ovary color: 18D.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Salvia has not been observed.

Claims

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