Orange Yochatham

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Durango Improved'

Summary: The leaf of 'Orange Yochatham' is shorter and narrower than the leaf of 'Durango Improved'. The flower head of 'Orange Yochatham' is smaller in diameter than the flower head of 'Durango Improved'. The inner side of the ray floret of 'Orange Yochatham' is yellow brown with brown to orange brown secondary colour while the inner side of the ray floret of 'Durango Improved' is orange brown to brown with yellow secondary colour.

Description:

PLANT: bushy type, semi-upright growth habit, medium branching density, green stem

PETIOLE: moderately upwards to horizontal attitude, medium to long length relative to leaf length
LEAF: terminal lobe long to very long relative to leaf length, lowest lateral sinus deep with parallel margins, base obtuse to truncate, upper side medium to dark green with weak glossiness, medium number of deep margin indentations

FLOWER: medium to many flower heads per plant, outer side of bud yellow brown (RHS N167C) overlaid with orange brown (RHS 172C), double head type
RAY FLORETS: dense, predominantly ligulate type, upper surface with two keels, short to medium corolla tube, flat to weakly convex profile in cross section at widest point, flat to weakly revolute margin at distal half, weak reflexing of longitudinal axis at distal quarter, ray florets from inner rows weakly incurved to straight along longitudinal axis at distal quarter, tip emarginate to dentate
RAY FLORET - INNER SIDE: yellow brown (RHS N167C) with brown to orange brown (RHS 172B-C) secondary colour at basal three quarters distributed in a mottled pattern, ray florets from inner rows brown to orange brown (RHS 171A-B) with under tones of light yellow brown (RHS 163B)
RAY FLORET - OUTER SIDE: light yellow (RHS 12C) with an underlay of orange brown (RHS 170D/171D)
DISC: absent or very small diameter relative to head diameter, green before anther dehiscence with no dark spot at centre.

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Orange Yochatham' originated from a naturally occurring whole plant mutation of the parent variety 'Yochatham'. The variety was discovered and selected by the breeder in March 2005 in Fort Myers, Florida, USA. Selection was based on criteria for compact growth habit, branching, flowering response time, flower form and colour, excellent flower production and suitability for centre bud production. Asexual reproduction by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Florida in June 2005.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Orange Yochatham' were conducted in a greenhouse trial during the Fall of 2011 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. On August 8, 2011, fifty unrooted cuttings were directly stuck into 15 cm pots, with 5 cuttings per pot. The trial included a total of 10 pots of each variety spaced 30 cm apart. Plants were pinched once prior to short day treatment. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on November 9, 2011. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Orange Yochatham' with reference variety 'Durango Improved'

Leaf length (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Flower head diameter (cm)

Colour of inner side of ray floret (RHS)

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Chrysanthemum: 'Orange Yochatham' (left) with reference variety 'Durango Improved' (right)

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Chrysanthemum: 'Orange Yochatham' (left) with reference variety 'Durango Improved' (right)