Chrysanthemum plant named `Yellow Ginger`

A Chrysanthemum plant named Yellow Ginger particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; decorative capitulum type; complete and uniform yellow ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of up to 5.5 cm at maturity; small plant height with spreading and prolific branching patter; uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response to short days in photoperiodic controlled flowering programs; resistance to fade during bloom; average natural season flower date of mid-March to November in New England; and slightly earlier and longer lasting bloom as contrasted to Ginger.

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Description

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat. and referred to by the cultivar name Yellow Ginger which is a sport of the cultivar Ginger which is described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403. Yellow Ginger is a naturally occurring branch sport of Ginger.

Ginger was originated from a cross made by Grace H. Mack in a controlled breeding program in New Canaan, Conn., in 1981 and identified by seedling identification No. 82M18017. The parents of Ginger were both unnamed seedlings. Ginger was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Cornelius P. VandenBerg, in September 1982, in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The first act of asexual reproduction of Ginger was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in December 1982 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by technicians working under formulations established and supervised by Cornelius P. VandenBerg.

The present invention Yellow Ginger was originated and selected from a Ginger flower block taken from the parent cultivar of the Prophets.RTM. series by Yoder Brothers, Inc., of Barberton, Ohio. The Yoder Ginger garden mum series refers to U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403 as the original parent source of its flower block.

Yellow Ginger has been successfully asexually reproduced by Robert Kustigian from branch cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in North Oxford, Mass.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Yellow Ginger are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Yellow Ginger has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in a controlled area in North Oxford, Mass. Rooted cuttings were established in soil and maintained indoors in greenhouses under simulated conditions of natural temperature and daylight. Single pinching was practiced with all branches and buds retained. Suggested flowering in the northern, eastern, north eastern (New England) and western United States is from January through November, in southern states, year round (January through December) and in Florida, December through April.

The new cultivar, Yellow Ginger, is similar in many respects to Ginger; having the same characteristics of Ginger of:

(1) Flat capitulum form.

(2) Decorative capitulum type.

(3) Diameter across face of capitulum up to 5.5 cm at maturity.

(4) Short plant height.

(5) Spreading and prolific branching pattern.

(6) Uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response.

(7) Sturdy stem and habit.

(8) Durability in shipment.

(9) Resistance to sun scald.

(10) Resistance to shatter.

(11) Absence of disc florets.

The new cultivar is distinguished from Ginger by the following characteristics:

(1) Complete and uniform yellow ray floret color.

(2) Slightly earlier bloom than Ginger. Ginger's natural bloom time being August 26 in Salinas, Calif. and around the last week in September in New England. Yellow Ginger's bloom time is the first week of September in New England.

(3) Slightly longer length of bloom than Ginger.

(4) Resistance to floret color fade.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Yellow Ginger with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Yellow Ginger grown as a pinched spray pot mum.

Sheet 2 is a color photograph of three views of the inflorescence of Yellow Ginger.

Sheet 3 is a color photograph comparing the flowers of Yellow Ginger and Ginger.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventors, the most similar in comparison to Yellow Ginger is Ginger, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403. Reference is made to the attached Botanical Classification which compares certain characteristics of Yellow Ginger to the same characteristics of Ginger.

Other varieties, such as Legend (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,404) and Target (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,621) have similar characteristics to Yellow Ginger. However, Legend is noticeably different due to its pompon petallage style and Target has a dark golden center. Most importantly, both flower types lack the complete and uniform yellow floret of Yellow Ginger. Yellow Ginger has no contrasting bronze-red center of capitulum as in Ginger, or dark golden center petallage as in Target.

In the following description, color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. Color values given are those closest to the actual color. The color values were determined on plant material grown in Worcester, Mass., on Dec. 30, 1993.

  ______________________________________                                    
     BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION                                                  
     Chrysanthemum morifolium                                                  
     Flower name:                                                              
                Yellow Ginger Ginger                                           
     ______________________________________                                    
     Bloom:                                                                    
     Size       1/4" bud      1/4" bud                                         
     Fully Expanded                                                            
                21/2" (5.5 cm at                                               
                              21/2" (5.5 cm at                                 
                maturity      maturity                                         
     Borne      Terminal on   Terminal on disbudded                            
                disbudded branches                                             
                              branches                                         
     Stems      Strong        Strong                                           
     Form Type  Flat Decorative                                                
                              Flat Decorative (spray                           
     (Capitulum)                                                               
                (spray pot and                                                 
                              pot and garden mum                               
                garden mum)                                                    
     Permanence 16-18 days (resists                                            
                              10-12 days (quick fade)                          
                fade)                                                          
     Color (Corolla of ray florets):                                           
     Center of Flower                                                          
                Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                              Yellow 12A to 14A with                           
                              bronze red center (169A                          
                              to 169C)                                         
     Base of Petals                                                            
                Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                              Two tone bronze                                  
                              169A to 169C                                     
     Inside of Petals                                                          
                Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                              Yellow 12A to 14A                                
                              with bronze on tips                              
     Reverse of Petals                                                         
                Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                              Yellow 12A to 14A                                
     Tonality from a                                                           
                Yellow        Bronze                                           
     distance                                                                  
     of about 3 meters                                                         
     Discoloration                                                             
                non-oxidation oxidation in sun                                 
     Petals:                                                                   
     Texture and shape                                                         
                Smooth,flat oblong                                             
                              Smooth,flat oblong                               
     Appearance and                                                            
                Not open at base,                                              
                              Not open at base,                                
     form       shallow keel  shallow keel                                     
     Arrangement                                                               
                Fully decorative                                               
                              Fully decorative                                 
     Persistence                                                               
                Resist shatter                                                 
                              Resist shatter                                   
     Reproductive Organs:                                                      
     Androecium Not present   Not present                                      
     Pollen     Not present   Not present                                      
     Gynoecium  Present on ray                                                 
                              Present on ray florets                           
                florets                                                        
     Plant:                                                                    
     Form       Herbaceous    Herbaceous                                       
     Growth     Upright       Upright                                          
     Height     Short         Short                                            
     Spread     15-16" as a pinched                                            
                              15-16" as a pinched                              
                plant (spreading and                                           
                              plant (spreading and                             
                prolific)     prolific)                                        
     Foliage:                                                                  
     Top Side   137A to 137B  137A to 137B                                     
     Underside  137B to 137C  137B to 137C                                     
     Quantity   Numerous      Numerous                                         
     Shape      Spatulate lobed                                                
                              Spatulated lobed                                 
     Texture    Smooth        Smooth                                           
     Ribs and veins                                                            
                Slight prominence                                              
                              Slight prominence                                
     Edge       Indented      Indented                                         
     Serration  Slightly serrated                                              
                              Slightly serrated                                
     Size       3" long .times. 1.5" wide                                      
                              3" long .times. 1.5" wide                        
     ______________________________________                                    

Claims

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Yellow Ginger, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; decorative capitulum type, complete and uniform yellow ray floret, capitulum, and corolla color, diameter across face of capitulum of up to 5.5 cm at maturity; short plant height with spreading and prolific branching pattern; uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response to short days in photoperiodic controlled flowering programs, resistance to fade during bloom; average natural season flower date of Mid-March to November in New England.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
PP6403 November 15, 1988 Mack et al.
PP6404 November 15, 1988 Mack et al.
PP6621 February 21, 1989 Mack et al.
PP7725 November 26, 1991 Fuess
Patent History
Patent number: PP9176
Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 11, 1994
Date of Patent: Jun 20, 1995
Inventor: Robert B. Kustigian (Worcester, MA)
Primary Examiner: Howard J. Locker
Attorney: Blodgett & Blodgett
Application Number: 8/181,382
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Plt/78
International Classification: A01H 500;