USPP654P - Gardenia plant - Google Patents

Description

March 13, 1945. YQSVHIOKA Plant Pat. 654

GARDENIA PLANT Filed May 15, 1944 720 40 yas/wo/rA 7 4/ Patented Mar. 13, 1945 Plant Fat. 4

GARDENIAPLANT Tadao Yoshiokm-Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii AppIioationMay'IS, 1944,1Serial N0-'535,678

1 Claim. (01. 47-60) My discovery relates .to a new and distinct .variety of .ga-rdenia plant, .theresult of a definite effort to breed desirable characteristics .for'a pure 'awhite untlnged flower, with .a flowering .period .of practically the entire year. I began hybridization in 1938. This new variety has been reproduced by budding through several generations and its characteristics appear to be permanently fixed.

As a seed parent I took Gardenia grandiflorum, and by crossing it with its own pollen, reproduced a seedling in whose progeny the novel characteristics appeared and are perpetuated by asexual reproduction. The plant has not yet been reproduced for the market.

The main object of my invention was to produce a new and distinct type-of vigorous and hardy gardenia plant having a flowering period practically the year around with the peak during March, April and May-earlier than other varietiesand having pleasing, desirable commercial qualities which have not previously existed in any known varieties. To my knowledge and belief it does not resemble any known variety. The ordinary layman has been able to distinguish this gardenia as a distinctly new type.

Distinguishing characteristics reside in its free and abundant blooming habit throughout the entire year; in the large untinted pure white blossoms, occurring on short, sturdy, erect stems, opening perfectly flat with the center always covered; and its long-lasting quality on the plant and as a cut flower.

The petals of the bloom are attached to one another in the corolla tube. Both petals and leaves are veined. The plant is an evergreen. The bud of my new variety is similar to Hadley variety.

Gardenia plants in Hawaii grow into huge bushes. The plant on which the gardenia in the illustration grew is more than six feet high and is about four feet across. The blossoms of my gardenia are of wax-like appearance, pure white with no tints or tinge of any color, and more substantial in texture when compared with the varieties known as Hadley and Mystery, and different from Hadley, Mystery and Veitchii, the latter being a winter-flowering variety and difiicult to handle. The foliage of my gardenia is dark green and glossy; that of the Hadley is black green; and Mystery is a dull yellow green.

Up to the present time I have found that my plant is entirely free from the diseases which are common to gardenias under greenhouse conditions.

The blooms are flat when they open with the hearing structures. 'is short. Qne hundred percent of the blossoms so far have bloomed in such manner.

The peduncle :of the flower Generally, gardenia blooms doz'not-keep well and bruise easily. In this respect my new gardenia is superior to the known varieties. It has a. longelastingtquality .and- .does not brown readily.

.M-y ,gardenia has a pleasing fragrance .andin this respect resembles Veitchii.

The original paintings accompanying this application show the characteristic form and pure white color of the blooms, the grey tinting being artistic shading to represent the curvature of the petals.

The following is a detailed description of my new variety:

Parentage: Seedling. I

Seed parent.-Gardema grandzfiorum. Pollen parent.-Se1f.

Classification: Gardenia grandz'florum.

Flower Disease resistance-No diseases under gre n house conditions i Genital organs:

Stamens, anthers-Length, /2 inch; number, 6; color, yellow. Arrangemenb-suspended. Pollen.Color, yellow. Styles-Number, 1; length, inch. Stigma.Color, white. Ooaries.1. Fruit: Not fertile.

Plant Form: Bush. Height, 6 feet. Foliage: Evergreen.

Quantity.Normal. Colon-New foliage, dark green; glossy. Old

foliage, dark green. Size leaf.2 x 4 inches. Texture.Firm. Shape-Oblong.

The color designations according to A Dictionary of Color, by Maerz and Paul, are as follows:

My new variety is different from Mystery and Veitchii because (a) Mystery has more pointed leaves; has shorter calyx; flower does not open flat and shows the center of flower; has less petals; does not keep so well; produces generally during summer months. (1)) Veitchii is rather more difficult to handle as the young plants must be propagated from thoroughly healthy ones, must have well-prepared soil with exact temperatures of heat and cold, the atmosphere must be rather close in the propagating house for a stated period and must have proper shade.

I claim:

The new and distinct variety of gardenia plant a as herein shown and described, characterized particularly by its free, abundant blooming habit during the entire year; its glossy, dark green foliage with oblong leaves; its large, pure white, untinged blossoms, each bloom having an exceptionally large number of petals; its blooms opening flat at the base with the center deep and always covered by petals; the long-lasting quality'of its blooms on the plant and as cut flowers with substantially no discoloration; and its resistance to disease.

' TADAO YOSHIOKA.

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