UCONNAM165

Black Chokeberry

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Autumn Magic'

Summary: The plants of 'UCONNAM165' are oblate in shape with a bushy growth habit while the plants of 'Autumn Magic' are obconical in shape with an upright growth habit. The plants of 'UCONNAM165' are smaller than the plants of 'Autumn Magic'. The plants of 'UCONNAM165' have a slow growth rate and a greater number of main and secondary branches than the plants of 'Autumn Magic', which have a medium growth rate. The leaf blade of 'UCONNAM165' is smaller than the leaf blade of 'Autumn Magic'. The anthocyanin colouration on the veins of the lower side of the leaf blade for 'UCONNAM165' is absent or very weak while it is strong for 'Autumn Magic'. The inflorescence of 'UCONNAM165' has a smaller diameter than the inflorescence of 'Autumn Magic'. The anther of 'UCONNAM165' is dark purple red while it is brown purple for 'Autumn Magic'. The fruit of 'UCONNAM165' has a smaller diameter than the fruit of 'Autumn Magic'.

Description:

PLANT: shrub type, oblate shape, bushy growth habit, medium to dense branching, slow growth rate

STEM: grey brown and red, thin to medium thickness, absent or very sparse pubescence, round in cross-section, smooth bark, absent or very weak glaucosity, medium number of lenticels
SHOOT: red

PETIOLE: present, medium length
LEAF: simple type, alternate arrangement on stem, obovate, acute and cuspidate apex, cuneate base, crenate margin, lobing and variegation absent, absent or very weak rugosity, absent or very weak waviness of margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): medium to dark green, absent or very sparse pubescence with coarse black hairs along midrib
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): light green, very sparse pubescence along midrib, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration on the veins

BUD: reddish brown
INFLORESCENCE: corymb type
FLOWER: rotate shape corolla, white (RHS NN155D) with purple red (lighter than RHS 58D) near margins on upper and lower side
ANTHER: dark purple red (RHS 60A)
FRUIT: drupe type, black on outer surface when ripe

Origin & Breeding History: 'UCONNAM165' was developed by the breeder Dr. Mark Henry Brand, an employee of the University of Connecticut. The new variety originated from a controlled cross conducted in May 2006 in Storrs, Connecticut, USA between the proprietary Aronia melanocarpa varieties, 'UC012' as the female parent, and 'UC017' as the male parent. 'UCONNAM165' was selected in May 2011 in Storrs, Connecticut, based on plant growth habit as well as foliage and flowering characteristics. 'UCONNAM165' was first propagated in June 2011, first by tissue culture then by softwood cuttings.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'UCONNAM165' was conducted in an outdoor irrigated container trial during the summer of 2020 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 10 shrubs of the candidate variety and 8 shrubs of the reference variety. All shrubs were grown from rooted cuttings, transplanted into 11.36 litre containers and overwintered in a polyhouse. The trial was arranged in rows, with 1 row per variety and 1 metre spacing between plants. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants. Flower characteristics were assessed on May 23, 2020, plant characteristics on July 23, 2020 and fruit characteristics on September 25, 2020. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'UCONNAM165' with reference variety 'Autumn Magic'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Number of main branches

Number of secondary branches

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Anther colour (RHS)

Fruit diameter (mm)

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Black Chokeberry: 'UCONNAM165' (left) with reference variety 'Autumn Magic' (right)

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Black Chokeberry: 'UCONNAM165' (left) with reference variety 'Autumn Magic' (right)