SMNBDD

Butterfly Bush

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Pink Micro Chip'

Summary: The plants of 'SMNBDD' have an upright growth habit and are taller than those of 'Pink Micro Chip' which are semi-upright to spreading and shorter. The plants of 'SMNBDD' are taller than broad whereas those of 'Pink Micro Chip' are broader than tall. The leaf blades of 'SMNBDD' are larger than those of 'Pink Micro Chip'. The inflorescence of 'SMNBDD' is wider than that of 'Pink Micro Chip'. The flower bud of 'SMNBDD' is dark purple whereas that of 'Pink Micro Chip' is light violet and white. The corolla lobes of 'SMNBDD' are free with absent or shallow margin incisions whereas those of 'Pink Micro Chip' are overlapping with deep margin incisions. The inner side of the corolla lobe of 'SMNBDD' is dark purple whereas that of 'Pink Micro Chip' is dark blue pink. The outer side of the corolla tube of 'SMNBDD' is dark purple whereas that of 'Pink Micro Chip' is medium purple red.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, taller than broad

SHOOT: green
STEM: moderately angular in cross-section, dense pubescence

LEAF BLADE: medium ovate, no variegation, medium green on upper side, dentate margin, medium pubescence density on upper side, pubescence present on lower side, absent or weak bulging between veins

TIME OF FLOWERING: begins mid to late season
FLOWER BUD: dark purple (RHS N79C)
INFLORESCENCE: conical shape, medium dense flowers
CALYX: medium length, medium density of pubescence
COROLLA LOBE: semi-erect to horizontal attitude at full flowering, free arrangement, absent or shallow margin incisions, inner side dark purple (closest to RHS 72A)
COROLLA EYE: absent
COROLLA TUBE: outer side dark purple (closest to RHS 61A)

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNBDD' originated from a cross conducted by the breeder in July of 2015, in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. The cross was made between the female parent variety 'Lilac Chip' and the male parent variety 'Miss Molly'. The new variety was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny in the summer of 2017 based on its growth habit, plant vigour, flower size and flower colour. Asexual reproduction of 'SMNBDD' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in 2017, in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'SMNBDD' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring and summer of 2022 at Bioflora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 10 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from 5.7 cm rooted liners and transplanted into 7.8 litre containers in July of 2021. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of 10 plants of each variety on June 15, 2022. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'SMNBDD' with reference variety 'Pink Micro Chip'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Inflorescence width (cm)

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

Colour of corolla lobe (RHS)

Colour of corolla tube (RHS)

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Butterfly Bush: 'SMNBDD' (left) with reference variety 'Pink Micro Chip' (right)

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Butterfly Bush: 'SMNBDD' (left) with reference variety 'Pink Micro Chip' (right)

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Butterfly Bush: 'SMNBDD' (left) with reference variety 'Pink Micro Chip' (right)