Yoapple Valley

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Yospirit Lake' (Spirit Lake)

Summary: The length of the petiole relative to the leaf is medium for 'Yoapple Valley' while it is short for 'Yospirit Lake'. The height of the flower head of 'Yoapple Valley' is medium to high whereas it is low for 'Yospirit Lake'. The flower head of 'Yoapple Valley' is larger in diameter with a larger ray floret, and a larger disc than the flower head of 'Yospirit Lake'. The attitude of the basal part of the ray floret for 'Yoapple Valley' is moderately descending while it is horizontal for 'Yospirit Lake'. The distribution of the secondary colour of the inner side of the ray floret of 'Yoapple Valley' is on the basal three-quarters in the marginal zone while it is on the basal half in the marginal zone for 'Yospirit Lake'.

Description:

PLANT: pot chrysanthemum, bushy type, upright growth habit, medium density of branching
STEM: green

PETIOLE: attitude is moderately upwards to horizontal, medium length relative to leaf length
LEAF: high length/width ratio, length of terminal lobe relative to leaf length is short to medium, lowest lateral sinus is medium depth, margins of lowest lateral sinus range from parallel to touching, predominant shape of base is obtuse, weak glossiness of upper side, medium green on upper side, medium number of indentations of margin, medium depth of indentations of margin

FLOWER BUD: outer side is brown purple (RHS 186A-B) with light yellow (RHS 4D) base just before opening
FLOWER HEAD: daisy type, semi-double, medium to high height in non-disbudded plants, 2 to 3 rows of ray florets, medium density of ray florets
RAY FLORET: ranging from 25 to 36 per flower head, ligulate type, attitude of basal part is moderately descending, weakly keeled on upper surface, two keels, short corolla tube, weakly concave in cross-section at widest point, no rolling of margins, longitudinal axis has moderately reflexed along distal quarter, medium length/width ratio; mamillate, emarginate and rounded tips; inner side is two coloured, main colour of inner side is purple (RHS 71B-C), secondary colour of inner side is white (RHS NN155C), secondary colour is distributed as solid and diffuse stripes on marginal zone along basal three-quarters, colour of inner side is markedly different from colour of outer side, outer side is mainly white (RHS NN155B) with brown purple to blue pink (more purple than RHS 186B-C) apex, in comparison to ray floret from inner row the colour of inner and outer sides is similar
DISC: small diameter relative to flower head diameter, slightly domed in cross-section, yellowish green with no dark spot at centre before anther dehiscence, medium yellow at anther dehiscence

Origin & Breeding History: 'Yoapple Valley' originated from a controlled cross-pollination conducted in January 2004, in Salinas, California, USA, as part of a planned breeding program of Syngenta Flowers, Inc. The cross involved variety 'Yolaporte' as the female parent, and a proprietary seedling designated 'YB-A2579' as the male parent. 'Yoapple Valley' was selected in December 2006 by the breeder, Wendy R. Bergman, in Fort Myers, Florida, USA, based on its growth habit, flowering response time, flower form and colour, and suitability for production. Asexual reproduction of 'Yoapple Valley' by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Florida, USA, in March 2007.

Tests & Trials: The trial for 'Yoapple Valley' was conducted in the fall of 2012 at Meyers Fruit Farm in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. Flowering trials were conducted under greenhouse conditions similar to those used in commercial Chrysanthemum production. 50 unrooted cuttings were stuck into 15 cm pots on August 18, 2012. There were 5 cuttings per pot and the pots were spaced 30 cm apart. The plants were pinched once prior to short day treatment. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of the candidate and reference varieties on November 15, 2012. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Yoapple Valley' with reference variety 'Yospirit Lake'

Flower head diameter in non-disbudded plants (cm)

Ray floret length (cm)

Ray floret width (cm)

Disc diameter (cm)

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Chrysanthemum: 'Yoapple Valley' (left) with reference variety 'Yospirit Lake' (right)

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Chrysanthemum: 'Yoapple Valley' (left) with reference variety 'Yospirit Lake' (right)

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Chrysanthemum: 'Yoapple Valley' (left) with reference variety 'Yospirit Lake' (right)