Pink Double Delight

Coneflower

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Razzmatazz'

Summary: 'Pink Double Delight' has shorter plants and narrower leaves than 'Razzmatazz'. Pubescence on the upper side of the leaves is moderate for 'Pink Double Delight' while it is dense for 'Razzmatazz. The flowers of 'Pink Double Delight' are shorter and have a smaller diameter disc than those of 'Razzmatazz'. The upper side of the ray florets of 'Pink Double Delight' is bright purple red with brownish blue pink streaks while for 'Razzmatazz', it is lighter purple red with dark purple red streaks.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, basal branching habit (no lateral branching)
STEM: medium thickness, round in cross-section, yellow green, sparse pubescence, strigose type pubescence, moderate anthocyanin colouration in randomly dispersed flecks

LEAF: alternate arrangement along stem, medium sized at the base of the plant, lanceolate, acuminate apex, cuneate and rounded base, entire or sparsely serrate margin, weak to moderate undulation of margin, medium green on upper side, medium dense pubescence on upper side, no glossiness on upper side, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration on upper side, petiole present

PEDUNCLE: medium waviness
CALYX: light green, medium to strongly reflexed sepals
FLOWER: anemone type
RAY FLORET: attitude of longitudinal axis is straight to downward with age, weakly reflexed tip, dentate tip (3 teeth), upper side is bright purple red with brownish blue pink streaks, lower side is purple red with blue pink streaks
DISC FLORET: purple red with lighter base and white streaks

Origin & Breeding History: 'Pink Double Delight' is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the breeder, Arie Blom, in The Netherlands. It originated from a cross made in July 2003 in Bovenkarspel, The Netherlands, between the proprietary selection designated 'Ec 201-01' as the female parent and another proprietary selection designated 'Ec 202-01' as the male parent. 'Pink Double Delight' was selected by the breeder in Ijsselstein, The Netherlands in July 2004 based on its' flower form, good branching and abundance of flowers.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Pink Double Delight' were conducted during the summer of 2007 in a poly-house at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included fifteen (15) plants per variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings planted in 15 cm pots on March 23, 2007 and transplanted into 7.5 litre containers on May 23, 2007. Observations and measurements were taken from ten (10) plants or parts of plants on July 5, 2007. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Pink Double Delight' with reference variety 'Razzmatazz'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Flower height (cm)

Disc diameter (cm)

Colour of ray floret (RHS)

Colour of disc floret(RHS)

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Coneflower: 'Pink Double Delight' (left) with reference variety 'Razzmatazz' (right)

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Coneflower: 'Pink Double Delight' (left) with reference variety 'Razzmatazz' (right)