plant named ‘HP221906’

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘HP221906’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded to conical plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems; freely and uniformly flowering habit; large broadly pyramidal inflorescences with numerous light yellow green-colored star-shaped sterile flowers that become purplish red in the autumn; and good garden performance.

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Description

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HP221906’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant, Hydrangea Breeders Association B.V. of De Kwakel, The Netherlands, on Mar. 7, 2023, application number 2023/0572. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, commercially referred to as a panicle Hydrangea and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HP221906’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and Lengerich, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely-branching Hydrangea plants with strong and sturdy stems, large inflorescences with numerous showy sterile flowers, attractive sterile flower color, high temperature tolerance and good garden performance.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2014 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Hydrangea paniculata identified as code number 11-0001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hydrangea paniculata identified as code number 11-0007, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lengerich, Germany during the summer of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the spring of 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and 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 ‘HP221906’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HP221906’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

    • 1. Relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded to conical plant habit.
    • 2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.
    • 3. Freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems.
    • 4. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.
    • 5. Large broadly pyramidal inflorescences with numerous light yellow green-colored star-shaped sterile flowers that become purplish red in the autumn.
    • 6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in sterile flower quantity as plants of the new Hydrangea have more sterile flowers per inflorescence than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in sterile flower shape as plants of the new Hydrangea have star-shaped sterile flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have rounded sterile flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the Hydrangea paniculata ‘HP217902’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,332. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘HP217902’ in the following characteristics:

    • 1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of ‘HP217902’.
    • 2. Leaves of plants of the new Hydrangea are smaller and darker green in color than leaves of plants of ‘HP217902’.
    • 3. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger inflorescences than plants of ‘HP217902’.
    • 4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea have more fertile flowers than inflorescences of plants of ‘HP217902’.
    • 5. Sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea are larger than sterile flowers of plants of ‘HP217902’.
    • 6. Sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea are star-shaped whereas sterile flowers of plants of ‘HP217902’ are round in shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea 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 from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HP221906’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘HP221906’.

 DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the summer in 17-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lengerich, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial panicle Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 15 C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were 17 months 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 description: Hydrangea paniculata ‘HP221906’.
  • Parentage:
      • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea paniculata identified as code number 11-0001, not patented.
      • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea paniculata identified as code number 11-0007, not patented.
  • Propagation:
      • Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.
      • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at temperatures about 23 C.
      • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at temperatures about 18 C.
      • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four weeks at temperatures about 23 C.
      • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five weeks at temperatures about 18 C.
      • Root description.—Thick; typically whitish brown 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.—Relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded to conical plant habit; strong and sturdy stems; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.
      • Plant height.—About 40 cm to 45 cm.
      • Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 40 cm to 50 cm.
  • Lateral branch description:
      • Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about eight to ten lateral branches develop per plant.
      • Length, stem axis to base of inflorescence.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.
      • Diameter.—About 6 mm to 7 mm.
      • Internode length.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.
      • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; fully developed, woody.
      • Aspect.—Mostly upright.
      • Strength.—Strong, sturdy.
      • Color.—When developing: Close to 146B. Developed: Close to 177B. Lenticels: Close to 165C.
  • Leaf description:
      • Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.
      • Length.—About 7 cm to 8 cm.
      • Width.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.
      • Shape.—Ovate.
      • Apex.—Acute.
      • Base.—Obtuse.
      • Margin.—Serrulate.
      • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose, prominent venation; pubescent.
      • Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
      • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 146A. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146B.
      • Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.
  • Flower description:
      • Flower type and habit.—Small and inconspicuous fertile flowers and showy sterile flowers arranged on terminal panicles; fertile flowers rounded and sterile flowers star-shaped; panicles broadly pyramidal in shape; fertile flowers face upright and sterile flowers face mostly outwardly depending on their position in the inflorescence.
      • Fragrance.—None detected.
      • Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 15 weeks after cold treatment; flowering begins in the early summer and is continuous throughout the summer in Northern Europe.
      • Flower longevity.—Fertile flowers last about one month on the plant, fertile flowers not persistent; sterile flowers last about three months on the plant, sterile flowers persistent.
      • Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 100 to 200 fertile flowers develop per panicle and about 400 to 500 sterile flowers develop per panicle.
      • Panicle height.—About 20 cm to 25 cm.
      • Panicle diameter.—About 20 cm.
      • Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 145A.
      • Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 145A.
      • Fertile flower diameter.—About 3 mm.
      • Fertile flower depth (height).—About 3 mm.
      • Sterile flower diameter.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.
      • Sterile flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.
      • Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About five in a single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 157A; color does not change with subsequent development.
      • Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 157A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 157D; color does not change with subsequent development.
      • Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About five in a single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C; color does not change with subsequent development.
      • Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic to oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 145C; color becoming close to 64C in the autumn. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 145D; color becoming close to 64C in the autumn.
      • Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145D.
      • Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 80 to 90 degrees from branch axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 157A.
      • Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About nine to ten. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 157D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther color: Close to 157D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Stigma shape: Three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 157A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 157A. Ovary color: Close to 157A.
      • Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About nine to ten. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 157D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther color: Close to 157D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 157A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 157A. Ovary color: Close to 157A.
      • Seeds, only produced by fertile flowers.—Quantity per fertile flower: About 20 to 30. Length: Less than 0.5 mm. Diameter: Less than 0.5 mm. Color: Close to 199A.
  • Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Hydrangea grown under commercial production conditions have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants.
  • Garden performance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to have good garden performance and to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −38 C to about 38 C.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘HP221906’ as illustrated and described.

Patent History
Patent number: PP35683
Type: Grant
Filed: May 31, 2023
Date of Patent: Mar 12, 2024
Assignee: HYDRANGEA BREEDERS ASSOCIATION B.V. (De Kwakel)
Inventor: Niels Arts (Aalsmeer)
Primary Examiner: Keith O. Robinson
Application Number: 18/204,315
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Hydrangea (PLT/250)
International Classification: A01H 5/02 (20180101); A01H 6/48 (20180101);