plant named ‘ja19 50-008’

Abstract

A new and distinct Jamesbrittenia plant named ‘ja19 50-008’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; early and freely flowering habit; relatively large single-type flowers that are purple in color with white and yellow-colored centers and darker purple-colored stripes; and excellent garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Jamesbrittenia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ja19 50-008’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Jamesbrittenia plant, botanically known as Jamesbrittenia hybrida, commonly referred to as South African Phlox and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ja19 50-008’.

The new Jamesbrittenia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heidesheim, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, freely-branching and uniformly mounding Jamesbrittenia plants with early and freely flowering habit, large attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Jamesbrittenia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2018 in Heidesheim, Germany of the proprietary selection of Jamesbrittenia hybrida identified as code number ja18 4-7, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Jamesbrittenia hybrida ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Jamesbrittenia 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 Heidesheim, Germany during the summer of 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the new Jamesbrittenia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany since the summer of 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Jamesbrittenia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia 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 ‘ja19 50-008’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ja19 50-008’ as a new and distinct Jamesbrittenia plant:

• • 1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.
  • 3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.
  • 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Relatively large single-type flowers that are purple in color with white and yellow-colored centers and darker purple-colored stripes.
  • 6. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia are not as upright as plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Jamesbrittenia are purple in color with white and yellow-colored centers and darker purple-colored stripes whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are light pink in color.

Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia differ primarily from plants of ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia are stronger than plants of ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia have larger flowers than plants of ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Jamesbrittenia are purple in color with white and yellow-colored centers and darker purple-colored stripes whereas flowers of plants of ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’ are dark bluish violet in color.

Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia can also be compared to plants of Jamesbrittenia hybrida ‘INJAIVISASKY’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,114. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia differ primarily from plants of ‘INJAIVISASKY’ in flower color as plants of the new Jamesbrittenia have purple-colored flowers with white and yellow-colored centers and darker purple-colored stripes whereas plants of ‘INJAIVISASKY’ have light reddish purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers. In addition, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia are more vigorous than and not as compact as plants of ‘INJAIVISASKY’.

Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia can also be compared to plants of Jamesbrittenia hybrida ‘INJAMSADAW’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,115. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia differ primarily from plants of ‘INJAMSADAW’ in flower color as plants of the new Jamesbrittenia have purple-colored flowers with white and yellow-colored centers and darker purple-colored stripes whereas plants of ‘INJAMSADAW’ have purple-colored flowers with bright yellow-colored centers. In addition, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia are more vigorous than and not as compact as plants of ‘INJAMSADAW’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

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

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘ja19 50-008’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘ja19 50-008’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late spring in 723 ml containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Loudon, New Hampshire and under cultural practices typical of commercial Jamesbrittenia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 20 C. Plants were eight weeks from planting rooted cuttings 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: Jamesbrittenia hybrida ‘ja19 50-008’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Jamesbrittenia hybrida identified as code number ja18 4-7, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Jamesbrittenia hybrida ‘Summer Dream Violet Eye’, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at temperatures about 20 C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at temperatures about 20 C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 days.
    • Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically white 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.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with lateral branches potentially developing at every node, dense and bushy plant form; pinching enhances development of lateral branches; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.
    • Plant height.—About 12.5 cm.
    • Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 33 cm by 37 cm.
    • Lateral branches.—Length: About 16.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Strong; flexible, wiry. Aspect: Initially upright then outwardly spreading to eventually horizontal to eventually trailing. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; pubescence, fine; slightly glossy. Color, developing and developed: Close to 144A.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite; leaves simple.
    • Length.—About 3.1 cm.
    • Width.—About 2.6 cm.
    • Shape.—Ovate.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Cuneate with truncate tendencies.
    • Margin.—Crenate to dentate with shallow lobing; sinuses divergent.
    • Texture and luster, upper surface.—Mostly glabrous with pubescence towards the base; matte to slightly glossy.
    • Texture and luster, lower surface.—Mostly glabrous with pubescence along veins; matte.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137B to NN137C. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation, close to NN137B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137C; venation, close to 144A to 144B.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte to slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.
    • Stipules.—Quantity and arrangement: Two at petiole attachment to stem. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Color, upper surface: Close to NN137A. Color, lower surface: Close to NN137C.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and flowering habit.—Single terminal and axillary star-shaped salverform flowers; flowers face mostly upward to slightly outwardly; freely flowering habit with flowers potentially forming at every node.
    • Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants flower from early spring until the autumn, flowering continuous during this period; early flowering habit.
    • Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to five days; flowers persistent.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 143A.
    • Flower diameter.—About 2.3 cm.
    • Flower depth (height).—About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.
    • Throat diameter.—About 3 mm.
    • Tube length.—About 1 cm to 1.2 cm.
    • Tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm to 3 mm.
    • Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 9 mm to 10 mm. Petal lobe width: About 7 mm to 8 mm. Petal lobe shape: Broadly cordate. Petal lobe apex: Truncate and retuse. Petal lobe margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal lobe texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Petal lobe texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and luster: Slightly pubescent; matte. Tube texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 77A. When opening, lower surface: Distally, close to 77B and proximally, close to 77D. Fully opened, upper surface: Distally, close to 77A to 77B and proximally, close to NN155D; venation, similar to lamina colors; main color becoming closer to 77B with subsequent development; and stripes, close to 59A. Fully opened, lower surface: Distally, close to 77B to 77C and proximally, close to 77D and N155D; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does not change with subsequent development. Flower throat (inside): Distally, close to N163A and proximally, close to 12A; at the base, close to 150D; venation, similar to lamina colors. Flower tube (outside): Close to 150C; venation, close to 150C.
    • Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a single star-shaped whorl; sepals flare outwardly. Calyx length: About 7.5 mm. Calyx diameter: About 6 mm. Sepal length: About 7.5 mm. Sepal width: About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong to linear. Apex: Bluntly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: When opening and fully developed, upper surface: Close to 143A. When opening and fully developed, lower surface: Close to 143A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 7 mm to 10 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong; wiry and flexible. Angle: About 45 degrees from stem axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 144A and 144B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About five. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 154D. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 0.75 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 6A to 6B. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to NN155D. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A to 144B.
    • Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has not been observed on plants of the new Jamesbrittenia.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Jamesbrittenia have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Jamesbrittenia plants.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Jamesbrittenia have been observed to have excellent garden performance and have been observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 1 C to about 35 C.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Jamesbrittenia plant named ‘ja19 50-008’ as illustrated and described.