SMCOSS

Buttonbush

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sputnik'

Summary: The leaf of 'SMCOSS' is wider and has a longer petiole than the leaf of 'Sputnik'. When newly open, the colour of the upper side of the leaf of 'SMCOSS' is medium brown and changes to brown green as it expands whereas the leaf of 'Sputnik' is brown green. The rugosity of the leaf of 'SMCOSS' is strong while it is weak for 'Sputnik'. The leaf margin of 'SMCOSS' has absent or very weak waviness whereas the leaf margin of 'Sputnik' has medium to strong waviness. When ripe, the colour of the outer surface of the fruit of 'SMCOSS' is dark purple red with light green at the base whereas the fruit of 'Sputnik' is light green with brown purple at the tip.

Description:

PLANT: shrub type, globose shape, bushy pendulous growth habit, medium density of branching, medium speed growth rate, United States Department of Agriculture hardiness zone 4
SHOOT: green to grey brown, medium thickness, absent or very sparse pubescence, round shape in cross section, smooth texture of bark, absent or very weak glaucosity, medium number of lenticels, no thorns or spines
BUD: small, green, spatulate shape, rounded apex, absent or very sparse pubescence

PETIOLE: weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration
NEWLY OPEN LEAF: upper side is medium brown (RHS 176A-C) changing to brown green (RHS 146A-B) as leaf expands
LEAF: simple type, opposite arrangement along stem
LEAF BLADE: elliptic shape, acute apex, cuneate base, entire margin, no lobing, absent or very sparse pubescence on upper and lower sides, upper side is brown green (closest to RHS N137A) at mid-season, lower side is medium green at mid-season, no variegation, no anthocyanin colouration on veins on lower side, strong rugosity, absent or very weak to weak waviness of margin

INFLORESCENCE: globose head type
COROLLA: funnelform shape, inner and outer sides are white (RHS NN155D) with yellow green (RHS 1D) corolla lobes, weak fragrance

FRUIT: achene type, outer side is dark purple red (RHS 185A) with light green (RHS 145A) at base

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMCOSS' was bred and developed by the breeder, Timothy D. Wood, an employee of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. It originated from a cross conducted in 2003 using the variety 'Britton Lake' as the female parent and pollen from an unknown male parent. 'SMCOSS' was selected in 2009 based on its compact plant growth habit, foliage appearance, foliage spring colour, and red fruit colour. Asexual reproduction of 'SMCOSS' by softwood cuttings was first conducted in June 2009 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial of 'SMCOSS' was conducted in an outdoor container trial during the spring of 2014 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. It included a total of 12 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All shrubs were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 30 cm diameter pots in July 2013. Trials were arranged outdoors in rows with 1 metre spacing between the shrubs. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety on July 28, 2014. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMCOSS' with reference variety 'Sputnik'

Leaf blade width (cm)

Colour of upper side of leaf (RHS)

Petiole length (cm)

Colour of fruit (RHS)

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Buttonbush: 'SMCOSS' (left) with reference variety 'Sputnik' (right)

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Buttonbush: 'SMCOSS' (left) with reference variety 'Sputnik' (right)

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Buttonbush: 'SMCOSS' (left) with reference variety 'Sputnik' (right)