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Azalea plant named "YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy" |
| PP18949 |
Azalea plant named "YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy"
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| Patent Drawings: | |
| Inventor: |
Bergman |
| Date Issued: |
June 17, 2008 |
| Application: |
11/725,801 |
| Filed: |
March 20, 2007 |
| Inventors: |
Bergman; Wendy R. (Lehigh Acres, FL)
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| Assignee: |
Yoder Brothers Inc. (Barberton, OH) |
| Primary Examiner: |
Para; Annette H |
| Assistant Examiner: |
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| Attorney Or Agent: |
Whealy; C. A. |
| U.S. Class: |
PLT/238 |
| Field Of Search: |
PLT/238 |
| International Class: |
A01H 5/00 |
| U.S Patent Documents: |
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| Foreign Patent Documents: |
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| Other References: |
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| Abstract: |
A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`, characterized by its dark green-colored leaves that do not abscise during the cooling and forcing periods; uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; relatively rapid flowering response; large red purple-colored flowers; semi-double hose-in-hose flower form; and excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good flower substance for about five weeks in an interior environment. |
| Claim: |
It is claimed:
1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy` as illustrated and described. |
| Description: |
Botanicaldesignation: Rhododendron hybrida.
Cultivar denomination: `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea, botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida, an evergreen greenhouse-forcing type Azalea, and hereinafter referred to by the name `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`.
The new Azalea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Azalea varieties having uniform plant habit, profuse and uniform flowering response, darkgreen foliage, good foliage retention during the cooling and forcing periods, resistance to Cylindrocladium and excellent postproduction longevity.
The new Azalea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 1995, in Alva, Fla., of the Azalea cultivar Prize, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,795, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Azaleaidentified as code number 93C-043-018, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Azalea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva,Fla., on Dec. 27, 1999.
Asexual reproduction of the new Azalea by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since April, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Azalea are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The new Azalea has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy` as a new and distinct cultivar: 1. Darkgreen-colored leaves that do not abscise during the cooling and forcing periods. 2. Uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit. 3. Freely branching habit. 4. Uniform and freely flowering habit. 5. Relatively rapid flowering response; plantsbegin flowering about 25 days after cooling treatment. 6. Large red purple-colored flowers. 7. Semi-double hose-in-hose flower form. 8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good flower substance for about five weeks in aninterior environment.
Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Prize, primarily in flower form and color as plants of the cultivar Prize have double hose-in-hose flowers that are darker in color than plants of the cultivarYBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy.
Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flower form and color as plants of the male parent selection have fully double flowers that are pale pink in color.
Plants of the new Azalea can be compared to the plants of the cultivar Party Favor, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,050. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Azalea differed from plants of the cultivarParty Favor in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Azalea had glossier foliage than plants of the cultivar Party Favor. 2. Plants of the new Azalea flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Party Favor. 3. Flowers of plants of thenew Azalea were not fragrant whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Party Favor were slightly fragrant. 4. Plants of the new Azalea and the cultivar Party Favor differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Party Favor had pink-colored flowers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Azalea. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs maydiffer slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Azalea.
The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`.
The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. with three plants per 15-cm containers, in a polypropylene-covered shade house during the autumn and under commercial productionconditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13.degree. C. to 37.degree. C. and night temperatures ranged from 0.degree. C. to 26.degree. C. Plants were pinched at planting, pinched a second time about twelve weekslater, and then pinched a third time about twelve weeks after the second pinch. After sufficient flower bud development, plants were cooled at 3.degree. C. to 5.degree. C. for about four weeks to break flower bud dormancy. Plants were subsequentlyforced into flower under commercial production conditions in a polyethene-covered greenhouse. Plants used for the photographs and description were about one year old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida, `YBAZ-2028 Cotton Candy`. Commerical classification: Evergreen greenhouse-forcing type Azalea. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.--Rhododendron hybrida cultivar Prize, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,795. Male, or pollen, parent.--Proprietary selection of Rhododendron hybrida identified as code number 93C-043-018, not patented. Propagation: Type.--By terminal vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots.--Summer: About five weeks at temperatures of 24.degree. C. Winter: About six weeks at temperatures of 24.degree. C. Time to produce a rooted young plant.--Summer: About nineweeks at temperatures of 24.degree. C. Winter: About eleven weeks at temperatures of 24.degree. C. Root description.--Fine, fibrous, and white in color. Rooting habit.--Freely branching; moderately dense. Plant description: Plant form and growthhabit.--Perennial, evergreen; uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit; broad inverted triangle; moderately vigorous growth habit. Densely foliated; full and bushy plants. Uniform and freely flowering habit with numerous semi-double hose-in-hoseflowers per plant. Branching habit.--Freely branching; about six primary lateral branches develop after the initial pinch (removal of terminal apex); numerous secondary and tertiary branches develop after the sequential second and third pinches. Plantheight, soil level to top of flowers.--About 24 cm. Plant diameter, area of spread.--About 44 cm. Lateral branch description.--Length: About 18 cm. Diameter at base: About 4.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture,developing: Pubescent, fine brown hairs. Texture, mature: Woody; pubescent, fine brown hairs. Color, developing: Close to 144A. Color, mature: Close to 165A to 165B. Foliage description.--Arrangement: Alternate, single. Foliage retention: Very goodfoliage retention on plants of the new Azalea that have been in a box for six weeks during the cooling treatment. Length: About 4.6 cm. Width: About 2.9 cm. Shape: Mostly obovate. Apex: Cuspidate to mucronate or obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Entire. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous or sparsely pubescent; leathery, tough. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker green than 147A; venation, close to 147A, towards the base,close to 146A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: More green than 147B; venation, close to 146A to 146B. Petiole: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lowersurfaces: Close to 146B to 146C. Flower description: Natural flowering season.--Spring after sufficient cool period. If forced, plants typically flower about 25 days after a four-week cooling treatment; relatively rapid flowering response. Flowerspersistent. Flower arrangement and appearance.--Flowers arranged singly at terminals with usually about three flowers per apex; uniform and freely flowering habit. Flowers face upward or outward. Flower appearance.--Flowers rotate and rose-like;semi-double hose-in-hose flower form with two whorls of petals. Postproduction longevity.--Excellent postproduction longevity; under interior conditions, plants maintain good flower substance for about five weeks. Fragrance.--None detected. Flowerdiameter.--About 7.5 cm. Flower depth.--About 3.25 cm. Flower bud (before showing color).--Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146B to 146C. Petals/petaloids.--Arrangement: Semi-double hose-in-hose flower form;two whorls of petals each with about five imbricate petals and occasionally about five imbricate petaloids (transformed stamens); petals and petaloids fused at the base. Flowers appear full and rose-like. Petaloids variable in size and shape. Outerwhorl of petals: Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Inner whorl of petals: Length: About 3.6 cm. Width: About 2.9 cm. Shape: Beyond fused base, roughly spatulate with rounded to bluntly acute apex. Margin: Entire; undulate; ruffled. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 63A; towards the base, 63B to 63C; spots towards the base, close to 57A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 63B;towards the base, 63B to 63C. Sepals.--Arrangement: Five in a single whorl, fused; subtending the petals; petal-like; irregular in size and shape. Length: About 3.2 mm. Width: About 2.4 mm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded to acute. Base:Fused. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, velvety. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 63A; towards the base, 63B to 63C; spots towards the base, close to 57A. Color, lower surface: Close to 63A to 63B; towards the base,63B to 63C. Peduncles.--Length: About 1.75 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Flexible; strong. Texture: Very pubescent. Color: Close to 144A; towards the flower, tinted with 63A to 63B. Reproductive organs.--Androecium:Occasionally transformed into petaloids. Quantity per flower: If not transformed, five. Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to 155D. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 61A. Pollen amount: Noneobserved. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 3.5 cm. Style length: About 3.3 cm. Style color: Close to 57A. Stigma shape: Rounded to flattened. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 146A; heavily whiskered. Seed/fruit.--Seed and fruit development have not been observed. Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Azalea have been observed to be very tolerant to rain and wind. Plants of the new Azaleahave been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 0.degree. C. to about 38.degree. C. Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Azaleas.
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