USPP754P - Lilac plant - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 194-7. w CLARKE Plant Pat. 754

LILAC PLANT Filed Aug. 7, 1946 WITNESS INVENTOR qg fa M475? 50mm CLAW/r5 I A TTYS,

Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED Plant Pat. 75a

LILAC PLANT Walter Bosworth Clarke, San Jose, Calif., assignor to W. B. Clarke & (30., San Jose, Calif., a

partnership Application August 7, 1946, Serial No. 689,037

1 Claim.

The present discovery relates to a new and distinct variety of Syringa vulgaris, resulting from a cross made by me between a seedling of an unnamed double variety as the seed parent and another unnamed seedling as the pollen parent.

Its novelty resides primarily in the unique coloring of the flowers at the diflerent stages of their development, and in the enormous size of the individual florets, the great size and shape of the thyrses, the large green leaves and the vigorous, erect growth of the bush. The plant is the result of definite breeding eiiorts carried on by me and my associates since 1932. Asexual reproduction by budding and grafting has proved these features to be firmly fixed.

In general plant structure this new variety is similar to the well-known Syringe vulgcm's, But this new variety differs distinctly from all varieties of SyTmga vulgaris known to me. The individual flower has the usual bell-shaped, fourtoothed calyx, and salverform, four-lobed corolla. The .leaves are a deep green in color and very large but are otherwise similar in form and texture to the parent strain, being ovate-cordate in form and growing opposite each other in pairs. It is a vigorous grower. There are no large plants of this new variety in existence at this time, but its buds and grafts made for testing have both bloomed when only a year old.

The accompanying painting shows a panicle of the new lilac in its natural colors.

Referring to the novel characteristics of this new variety; each floret is enormous in size, up to one and one-half inches wide, thus giving great size to the thyrses which, instead of being conical in shape as are those of most lilacs, show a pronounced flattening on four sides, giving the effect of an elongated four-sided pyramid. The flower is particularly striking in the half-open stage when the unopen buds toward the top of the cluster are soft pinkish mauve in color while the fully developed flowers at the bottom have a beautiful sky-blue tone.

The following is an itemized description in schedule form of the new variety:

Parentage: Seedling.

Seed parent.An unnamed double variety. Pollen parent.-Unnamed.

Class: Syringa, vulgarz's variety.

2 Flower Floret:

Size.Enormous; up to 1%; inches wide. Form.Four-1obed, salverform corolla. COZo1'.--Mauve in bud, opening sky-blue. Panicles:

Size.-Massive with large clusters of very large florets. Form-Pyramidal l-sided). Borne.Usually singly, or paired. Lasting quality.-On plant: usual length of time; as a cut flower: particularly good.

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

Section Color Plate Ltr. No.

Flower:

General tone of body shading int0. Blue Face of open florets .do

Shading into open florets. "do- Back of florct Buds Center eye...

The hereindescribed plant is particularly characterized by the large, crowded panicles which increase and concentrate the mass of attractive color; the unique and unusual coloring at its different stages of development; the enormous size of the individual floret and of the dark green leaves; its fragrance and its particularly good lasting qualities as a cut flower.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

A new and distinct variety of Syringa vulgaris plant, substantially as described, being characterized by the progressively changing and distinctive colors appearing during its difierent stages of development; by the enormous size both of the individual fioret and the panicle; by its large green leaves and superior keeping qualities.

WALTER BOSWORTI-I CLARKE.

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