USPP3370P - Azalea plant - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1973 w. w, KNICELY ETAL Plant Pat. 3,370

AZALEA PLANT Filed March 26, 1971 INVENTORS WALTER w. KNICELY,

WILLIAM E. DUFFETT 49M TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,370 AZALEA PLANT Walter W. Knicely, Barberton, and William E. Duiiett,

Akron, Ohio, assignors to Yoder Brothers, Inc., Earberton, Ohio Filed Mar. 26, 1971, Ser. No. 128,594 Int. Cl. A01h /00 U.S. Cl. Plt.--57 1 Claim The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of azalea plant resulting from crossing certain azalea selections in a program of controlled hybridization. The seed parent is identified by #36 and the pollen parent by #1040. Both of these parents are unnamed and unpatented and identified by the above numbers to distinguish the parents from other parents in the breeding program.

The new cultivar is similar in many respects to the cultivar Dorothy Gish, having the same characteristics as Dorothy Gish of an early season response and ease of budding and forcing. The new cultivar is distinguished from Dorothy Gish by the following characteristics when grown under comparable conditions:

1. Color a more intense orange rather than salmon.

2. Flower form is a single, semi-double; not a hoseon-hose single.

3. Flowers approximately one-half to one inch larger in diameter.

4. Foliage larger and more glossy green in color.

5. No tendency toward wild water shoot growth.

The new cultivar is also similar in certain respects to the unpatented cultivar Fireglow, which is a sport of the commercially well-known cultivar, Redwing. The cultivar Fireglow referred to herein is not to be confused with the Kurume type evergreen azalea clone arising as a seedling of Hinodegiri, originated by Mayo Nurseries, Augusta, Ga., and referred to on page 264 of Lee, F. D., 1965. The Azalea Book, D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc. The cultivar referred to in the publication is not currently available commercially. The new cultivar has the same characteristics as Fireglow of:

1. An early season response in year-round programs.

Plant Pat. 3,370 Patented July 24, 1973 2. Ease of budding and forcing.

3. Approximately the same amount of growth from equivalent sized liner.

The new cultivar is distinguished from Fireglow by the following characteristics when grown under comparable conditions:

1. A larger, more glossy foliage.

2. Flowers approximately one-half to one inch larger in diameter.

3. A deeper, more vivid orange color.

The new cultivar was selected from a progeny of seedlings from the above mentioned parents. Varietal worth was determined by flowering liners from cuttings taken from the initial selection in both a year-round and natural season developmental flowering program over a period of four years. Stock growth was evaluated in the vicinity of southern Florida.

The new cultivar has been asexually reproduced by cuttings at Barberton, Ohio, and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

The new cultivar when grown in the vicinity of Barberton, Ohio has a response described as early season, and the following detailed description is based on observations made of the new cultivar in a greenhouse in Barberton, Ohio. The response time and blooming period may vary significantly with varying environmental conditions such as temperature and day length. Suggested flowering period is from December through March in a natural season pro gram, and all 12 months in a year-round controlled program.

The accompanying drawing shows the unique features of the new cultivar, the colors being as nearly true as possible with color illustrations of this type.

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar. Color references are to the Munsell Color Book, 1963 edition, and comparisons are made to the cultivar Dorothy Gish and Fireglow. Where a value or description appears only for the new cultivar, such value applies also to the comparison cultivars.

Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida evergreen type Firecrown Dorothy Gish Fireglow Flower:

Color (mnter color in Barberton, Ohio):

General tonality Orange red, near 7.5R4/10 Salmon, nearest 2.5R6/12 Orange red, near 5R/14, not

as intense. Sepals first divide Orange red, near 7.5R4/12 Salmon pink, near 2.5R5/l0 Orange red, near 6R4/12. glelials unfurl Orange red, near 7.5R4/10 Salmon, 3.75R5/l2 Orange red, near 5R5/12.

y open: Inside of petals -do Salmon, 2.56/12 Orange red, near 5125/14, not

as intense. Reverse side of petals Orange red, lighter than 7.5R4/l0 almon, 2.5R6/12, but lighter. Lighter orange red, 5125/12. Base of petals Salmon, 5116/12 Blush pink, 2.5R9/2 Salmon pink, 10RP7/8. Outer hose None Salmon, nearest 2.5R6/12 Light pink, nearest 8.76RP6/12, but much lighter, with green. Variations:

Blotch Dark red, 7.5R3/12 Dark red, near 5R3/l0 but Deep orange red, better darker. 5R4/l2 and 5R3/10. Diseoloration as ages Holds relative color as it ages, becomes Fades to light salmon, near Fades to salmon, 3.75R5/12 a dark orange, 5114/10 when 001- 2.5R7/6 or lighter before or lighter. lapsed. collapsing. Bud:

Size Medium Form Conoidal Opening habit Fully expanded petals, rosebud-like, Fully expanded rosebud-like Fully expanded rosebud-like full cup-like; retains cup-like form.

full, open cup-like, retains lull open cup-like retains cup-like form.

cup-like form.

Blooming habit Once, profusely Response:

Natural season conditions.

Early, December flowering possible in all areas of the United States.

Year-round Early, sets bud early and uniformly under wide range of environmental Slightly semi-double with varying de- Hose-on-hose single with com- Single with half fonned petalgrees of petaloid anthers. Never fully petaloid. Normal flower calyx.

pletely petaloid calyx. oid hose.

Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida evergreen type Firecrown Dorothy Gish Fireglow Sepals "bud sheath Normal, smooth hairy, dries up and Normal, smooth, somewhat Normal, smooth, hairy, perhairy, dries up and falls ofl. sistent. Normal. Petaloid- Imperfect.

Lon Medium Long. Hairy Strength Strong.--"

Snfr

Waxy- Satiny- Satiny. w do do Do.

Rounded with wavy margins Rounded with wavy margins Rounded: and somewhat D0 0 8 Imbricate Imbricate Imbricate. Fragrance- None Persistence Shatter Nonshattering Shatters readily. Longevity:

Greenhouse 2 weeks 2 weeks 7-10 days 3 weeks 2 weeks.

5-10, some petaloid quite variable 51%1some petaloid, quite vari- 5-10, normal.

a e. Another Normal, deep purple, near 5R2/8 Normal if present, brownish Normal, purplish red, near I salmon, near 7.6R6/6. 2.5R2/8. Filaments Thin ubcsccnt, color salmon, near Quite thin, smooth, blush Thin, smooth, salmon red,

6R5/ 1 0. pink, 5RP8/6. near 3.75125/14. Style Generally columnar, color red, near Columnar, normal, color 821- Columnar, normal, color, base, 5R4/l4. mon pink, near 1.25R6/12. light salmon pink, 2.6128/6 blending to' dark salmon pink, 1.25125/12 tip. Stigma Normal, color brown, near 5YR4/4. Normal, brownish pink near- Normal, brownish red, near est to 5R5/8 but lighter. 5R4/10. Ovaries Hypogynous Fruit None Foliage:

Type Evergreen Leaflets Single Length average 1A 2".

an e 5 1I/ 2%II %/I 1///I Width average 0.8 Ran 0.5-,1V %1. Shape Obovate Texture:

Upper side Glossy, waxy Glossy, waxy Dull, waxy. Reverse side Smooth, dull Glossy Dull. Rib and mid veins Slightly depressed Slightly deressed. Slightly depressed. Edge Smo Smooth Slightly notched. Color:

New foliage:

Upper side Light green 5GY6/8 Green, 5GY4/6 Green, 5GY4/6. Reverse side Light green, 5GY7/8 Light green, 5GY6/6 Light green, 5GY6/6. Mature foliage:

Upper side Very dark green, 6GY2/2 Dark green, 5GY3/4 Dark green, 10GY2/4. Reverse Sid Gray green, 7.5GY4/4 Gray green, 6GY6/4 Gray green, 7.5GY4/4. 1 P Peti e Short, hairy light green 5GY7/l6 Short, hairy grcen, 5GY6/8 Short, hairy green, 5GY4/6.

lant: Growth habit Compact, upright with dome top Compact, semi-upright sprcad- Compact, horizontal. ing. 4 Breaking habit Vigorous with no wild growth tend- Vigorous with wild growth Vigorous with wild growth encies. tendencies. tendencies. Size of an average finished product from a #7 liner produced by Yoder Brothers Inc.:

Height 81l 812 9. Diameter 1016' 1216 1015. Budding ease Quite cos i- Quite eas r wide range Quite casy under wide range of tions. of conditions. conditions. Uniformity of buddim Excellent Stems, color:

New wood Green, 5GY5/6 Green, 5GY6/6 Green, 5GY6/8. Mature wood Brown, near l0YR4/6 Brown, 7.5YR3 Brown, l0YR3/4. Cooler tolerance Good Very good Good. Shipping tolerance. Poor. Recommended flowering period:

Year-round All 12 months All 12 months All 12 months. Natural season Early December thru April Mid-January thru Apri Early January thru April.

We claim:

1. A new and distinct variety of azalca characterized particularly as to novelty when compared to the cultivar Dorothy Gish by its more intense orange color, its single and semi-double flower form, its not hose-in-hose single, approximately one-half to one inch larger diameter flowers, larger and more glossy green foliage, and its tendency not to have wild water shoot growth; and characterized particularly as to novelty when compared with the cultivar Fircglow by its deeper more vivid orange color, approximately one-half to one inch larger diameter 60 flowers, and its larger, more glossyfoliage.

No references cited.

ROBERT E. BAGWILL, Primary Examiner UNi'lifilP fi'ififilif?) PE YTE'ZNT UFFICE LANT CERTIFICA'EEE CORRECTION P I 'Ifatent No. 3,370 Dated July 24, 1973 i WALTER W. KNICELYend WILLIAM E. DUFFETT It is certified that error appears in the aoove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent ate hereby corrected as shown below:

I Below Columns 1 and 2 in tabulation under Bloomz", opposite "Range", first occurrence, under "Dorothy Gish", "1-3/4" to 2-1/5" should be 1-3/4" to 2-1/2".

7 Below Columns 3 and 4 in tabulation under Reproductive organsz", "Another" should be --Anther-- Signed and sealed this 1st day of October 1974.

.(SEAL) Attest:

- McCOY M. GIBSON JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents Foam P 04050 (o-69) USCOMM-DC 6O376-P69 U 5 GDVIRNUINY 'IINYING OFHCI 1959 O3i6-J3J

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