plant named ‘SMNDSN’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Diervilla plant named ‘SMNDSN’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; dark red-colored stems; leaves that are dark brown to almost black in color; numerous greenish yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Diervilla x splendens X Diervilla rivularis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNDSN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diervilla plant, botanically known as Diervilla x splendens X Diervilla rivularis, commonly referred to as a hybrid Bush Honeysuckle and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘SMNDSN’.

The new Diervilla is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Michigan. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact and freely branching Diervilla plants with dark-colored leaves.

The new Diervilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in 2020 in Grand Haven, Michigan of Diervilla x splendens ‘El Madrigal’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,060, as the female, or seed, parent with Diervilla rivularis ‘SMNDRSF’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,550, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Diervilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2021 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Diervilla plant by softwood stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Grand Haven, Michigan since 2021 has shown that the unique features of this new Diervilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Diervilla 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 ‘SMNDSN’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNDSN’ as a new and distinct Diervilla plant:

• • 1. Relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
  • 3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.
  • 4. Dark red-colored stems.
  • 5. Leaves that are dark brown to almost black in color.
  • 6. Numerous greenish yellow-colored flowers.
  • 7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘El Madrigal’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Diervilla differ primarily from plants of ‘El Madrigal’ in leaf color as leaves of plants of the new Diervilla are dark brown to almost black in color whereas leaves of plants of ‘El Madrigal’ are dark greenish brown in color. In addition, leaves of the new Diervilla are narrower than and not as flat as leaves of plants of ‘El Madrigal’.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘SMNDRSF’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Diervilla differ primarily from plants of ‘SMNDRSF’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the Diervilla are smaller than plants of ‘SMNDRSF’
  • 2. Plants of the Diervilla are more compact and denser than and not as open as plants of ‘SMNDRSF’.
  • 3. Leaves of plants of the new Diervilla are dark brown to almost black in color whereas leaves of plants of ‘SMNDRSF’ are dark burgundy to dark red in color.
  • 4. Leaves of the new Diervilla are narrower than and not as flat as leaves of plants of ‘SMNDRSF’.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of Diervilla x splendens ‘G2X8854411’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,403. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Diervilla differ primarily from plants of ‘G2X8854411’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Diervilla are not as vigorous as plants of ‘G2X8854411’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Diervilla are more mounded and denser than and not as open and rangy as plants of ‘G2X8854411’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Diervilla are dark brown to almost black in color whereas leaves of plants of ‘G2X8854411’ are burgundy in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

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

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

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

The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3) is close-up view of a typical flowering stem of ‘SMNDSN’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in the late spring and early summer in three-gallon containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Michigan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Diervilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the 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: Diervilla x splendens X Diervilla rivularis ‘SMNDSN’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Diervilla x splendens ‘El Madrigal’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,060.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Diervilla rivularis ‘SMNDRSF’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,550.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By softwood stem cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 21 days at temperatures ranging from about 18° C. to 27° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four weeks at temperatures ranging from about 18° C. to 27° C.
    • Root description.—Medium in thickness to thick; fleshy to fibrous; typically white to tan in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.
    • Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub; relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
    • Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance with about 20 to 25 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching will enhance lateral branch development.
    • Plant height.—About 65 cm.
    • Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 55 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 55 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 5 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 4 cm.
    • Aspect.—About 15° to 60° from vertical.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; becoming woody with development; longitudinally ridged.
    • Color, developing, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 187A.
    • Color, when woody, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 199C.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.
    • Length.—About 9 cm.
    • Width.—About 3.25 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptic.
    • Apex.—Acuminate.
    • Base.—Obtuse.
    • Margin.—Serrulate.
    • Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous with prominent midrib.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
    • Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between 200A and 203A; venation, close to 183A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N200A; venation, close to 178B.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close 183A. Color, lower surface: Close to 178B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower appearance and arrangement.—Salverform flowers arranged in terminal and axillary bipartite cymes; freely flowering habit with about seven flowers per inflorescence with numerous inflorescences developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants flower during the summer in Michigan.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one to two weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 144C.
    • Inflorescence diameter.—About 2 cm.
    • Inflorescence height.—About 2 cm.
    • Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm.
    • Flower length.—About 1.5 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm.
    • Flower tube length.—About 7 mm.
    • Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.
    • Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five fused with apices free and reflexing. Lobe length: About 5 mm. Lobe width: About 2 mm. Lobe shape: Narrowly elliptic to oblong. Lobe apex: Obtuse. Lobe margin: Entire. Lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, silky; glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 1B to 1C; throat, close to 1B to 1C. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 1B to 1C; tube, close to 1B to 1C.
    • Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl fused at the base into a stellate-shaped calyx. Length: About 4 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 166A to 166B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: About 45° from the stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 187A.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 187A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to N144A. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther color: Close to 13A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Peltate. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to N144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Fruits: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to N199B. Seeds: Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Close to N199D.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Diervilla have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Diervilla have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Diervilla plants.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Diervilla plant named ‘SMNDSN’ as herein illustrated and described.