Balaurasp

Coleus

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Ducksfoot Yellow'

Summary: The plants of 'Balaurasp' are more upright than those of 'Ducksfoot Yellow'. 'Balaurasp' has taller plants, longer leaves, longer petioles and longer flowers than 'Ducksfoot Yellow'. The shape of the leaf blades of 'Balaurasp' range from ovate to elliptic with a crenate margin while it is obovate to almost rhomboidal with a deeply lobed margin for 'Ducksfoot Yellow'. The area surrounding the midrib and secondary veins on the upper side of the leaf blade is purple with dark purple red tones for 'Balaurasp' while it is purple red with red tones for 'Duckfoot Yellow'. Beyond this area towards the margin on the upper side of the leaf blade, the colour changes to brown purple for 'Balaurasp' while it changes to dark brown for 'Duckfoot Yellow'. The upper side of the leaf blade of 'Balaurasp' has a larger margin of brown green than that of 'Duckfoot Yellow'. Anthocyanin colourationof the petiole is absent to very weak for 'Balaurasp' whereas it is moderate for 'Duckfoot Yellow'.

Description:

'Balaurasp' is a vegetatively propagated annual coleus variety with an upright-bushy growth habit and a moderate to high degree of branching. The stems are medium thick to thick, yellow to medium green in colour with weak anthocyanin colouration getting stronger at the nodes, medium to dense pubescence, and edged in shape. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaf blades are ovate to elliptic in shape, with an acute apex, a blunt tip and a cuneate to attenuate base. The leaf blade margins are crenate with shallow to medium incisions. Pubescence of the leaf blade is moderate on the upper side and strong on the lower side. The leaf blades are variegated. They have purple veins and interveinal area, changing to brown purple in the outer interveinal area. The lower side of the leaf blades have light yellow veins, brown red interveinal area and a brown green margin. The petiole has no anthocyanin colouration.

The density of flowers in the inflorescence of 'Balaurasp' is high. The stems of the inflorescence are yellow with weak anthocyanin colouration. The upper lobe of the flower is white with light violet blue tones and the lower lobe is medium to long and violet blue. As the lower lobe ages, it fades to a lighter violet blue.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balaurasp' originated from a controlled breeding program conducted at Cartago, Costa Rica, in January 2002. The female parent was variety 'Duck's Foot Camouflage' and the male parent was variety 'Wizard'. The initial selection of 'Balaublach' was made in August 2002. Further propagation has been by vegetative cuttings.

Tests & Trials: Trials were conducted in a poly house in St. Thomas, Ontario during the summer of 2005. The trial included a total of 15 plants of the candidate and reference varieties which were all grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 6 inch pots on April 28, 2005. Observations and measurements were taken from ten plants of each variety. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 RHS colour.

Comparison tables for 'Balaurasp' with reference variety 'Ducksfoot Yellow'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of lower side of leaf blade (RHS)

Petiole length (cm)

Flower length (mm)

Click on image for larger view

Coleus: 'Balaurasp' (left) with reference variety 'Ducksfoot Yellow' (right)