Power Red

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Power Purple'

Summary: The flower buds of 'Power Red' are dark purple red on the outer side just before opening while those of 'Power Purple' are dark violet to purple. The inner side of the ray florets of 'Power Red' are brown purple with some brown red at the tip and margins while those of 'Power Purple' are purple to violet with lighter violet at the tip and margins. The discs of 'Power Red' are medium yellow at anther dehiscence while those of 'Power Purple' are light yellow.

Description:

PLANT: bushy, upright growth habit, medium branching density, eight week response group
STEM: green

STIPULE: absent or very small
PETIOLE: moderately upwards attitude, medium length relative to leaf
LEAF: medium length/width ratio, terminal lobe short relative to leaf, lowest lateral sinus shallow with diverging margins, predominantly obtuse base, absent or very weak glossiness on upper side, medium green on upper side

INFLORESCENCE: medium to many flower heads per stem, many flower heads per plant
BUD: dark purple red (RHS 187B-C)
FLOWER HEAD: single, daisy type disc, one type of ray floret, predominantly ligulate ray florets
RAY FLORET: moderately ascending attitude of basal part, keeled upper surface, two keels, short corolla tube, weakly concave to flat in cross section, weakly revolute margin at distal half to distal quarter, straight longitudinal axis, low length/width ratio, emarginate to dentate tip, one colour on inner side, brown purple (RHS 184B) with flush of brown red (RHS 182A) at tip and margin on inner side, colour of outer side similar to inner side
DISC: medium diameter relative to head, flat to slightly domed in cross section, yellowish green before anther dehiscence, no dark spot at centre before anther dehiscence, medium yellow at anther dehiscence

Origin & Breeding History: 'Power Red' originated as a naturally occurring mutation of the variety 'Power Purple' discovered on October 21, 2010 at Willy's Greenhouses Ltd. in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. The parent plant was put into 24 hour lighting to initiate vegetative growth. A series of stem cuttings were made to determine whether this mutation was stable and true to type. The new variety was selected in 2011 after observing its performance in all four seasons crop cycles. The selection of 'Power Red' and the objectives of the breeding program were based on selecting plants with flower colour that would perform well in year round production.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Power Red' were conducted at Willy's Greenhouses Ltd., in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario in the fall of 2012. The trial consisted of 25 pots of each variety with 3 plants per pot. The pots were approximately 12.7 cm in diameter and were spaced 20 cm apart. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Power Red' with reference variety 'Power Purple'

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

Colour of ray floret (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Chrysanthemum: 'Power Red' (left) with reference variety 'Power Purple' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Chrysanthemum: 'Power Red' (left) with reference variety 'Power Purple' (right)