Peakeep

Butterfly Bush

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Pink Delight'

Summary: 'Peakeep' is a butterfly bush variety that differs mainly from the reference variety in flower colour. 'Peakeep' has violet coloured flowers whereas 'Pink Delight' has light pink flowers. The flowers of 'Peakeep' are also wider in diameter than those of 'Pink Delight'.

Description:

'Peakeep' is a variety of butterfly bush which has an upright growth habit. 'Peakeep' has a medium number of branches and medium to dense foliage. The stems are thin to medium in thickness, with strong anthocyanin colouration. The leaves are simple and elliptic in shape, with an acuminate apex and cuneate to attenuate base. The leaf margin is finely serrate. 'Peakeep' has weakly glossy leaves which have very sparse pubescence on the upper side and dense, tomentose pubescence on the lower side. The main colour of the upper side of the leaf is medium green and the lower side is grey green.

'Peakeep' has an erect, panicle type inflorescence, with medium fragrance. The flower buds are oblong and purple violet in colour. The flowers are both terminal and axillary in position and salverform in shape. The flowers have 4 to 5 petals which are fused at the base. The petals are rounded to spatulate in shape, with a rounded apex. The petal margins are irregularly dentate and weak in undulation. The main colour of the upper side of the petals is light purple violet. The corolla tube is orange on the inner side and purple red on the outer side.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Peakeep' originated from a controlled pollination conducted in 1988 between an unnamed female parent and the male parent 'Pink Delight' at the breeder's nursery in East Malling, United Kingdom. The new variety was selected based on its dwarf, compact habit and superior branching. The new variety was first propagated by softwood cuttings in 1994, in East Malling, West Malling, United Kingdom.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Peakeep' were conducted in an outdoor container trial in the summer of 2004-2005, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 shrubs of each variety. All shrubs were grown from 4 inch liners, planted into 2 gallon containers in May 2004 and transplanted into 3 gallon containers July 2, 2004. Trials were arranged outdoors in rows with approximately 1 metre spacing between plants. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 6, 2005. All colour measurements were made using the RHS Colour Chart 2001.

Comparison tables for 'Peakeep' with reference variety 'Pink Delight'

Colour of flower bud

Diameter of flower (cm)

Main colour of petal (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Butterfly Bush: 'Peakeep' (left) with reference variety 'Pink Delight' (right)