Balsceras

Coneflower

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Secret Desire'

Summary: The leaves of 'Balsceras' are wider than those of 'Secret Desire'. The ray florets of 'Balsceras' are larger than those of 'Secret Desire'. The colours on the inner side of the ray florets of 'Balsceras' differ from those of 'Secret Desire'. The disc of 'Balsceras' is larger than that of 'Secret Desire'. The disc florets of 'Balsceras' are longer than those of 'Secret Desire'.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, medium height, medium floriferousness, medium density
STEM: green tinged slightly purple, medium number of leaves

LEAF: moderately elongated, broadest part moderately towards base, light green, no variegation, weak rugosity, absent or very weak glossiness, medium number of margin indentations

PEDUNCLE: green tinged slightly purple, medium pubescence
FLOWER HEAD: few ray florets, semi-drooping attitude of ray florets at origin, relatively all or almost all ligulate ray florets, no spatulate or quilled ray florets
RAY FLORET: medium to high length/width ratio, inner side when newly opened red (RHS 44C) with orange (RHS 24B) underlay, inner side when fully opened red (RHS 44C) with dark pink red (RHS 45D) and underlay of orange (RHS 25D), inner side when aged dark pink red to red pink (RHS 51A-C) with orange (RHS 29A-B) tones, weakly incurving, absent or very weak twisting, weakly concave profile in cross section, truncate apex, deep tip indentations
DISC: anemone, medium height/diameter ratio, diameter in relation to flower head ranging from large to very large, yellow green (RHS 2D) with red tip before disc florets open, red (RHS 42C, 44C) with blue pink (RHS N74D) along margin and yellow orange (RHS 15C) at base, weakly reflexed floret, short floret tube

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balsceras' originated from a cross pollination between the female parent, a proprietary seedling designated E41-1 and the male parent is from a bulk pollen mix of four proprietary breeding selections designated E30-3, E33-4, E39-2 and E05. The cross was conducted in September 2007 at Elburn, Illinois, USA as part of a controlled breeding program. The initial selection of 'Balsceras' was made in October 2008 based on double flower type, flower colour, branching and floriferousness. Asexual propagation since that time has been through the use of vegetative cuttings.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Balsceras' were conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2012, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 11 plants of the candidate variety and 10 plants of the reference variety. All plants were grown from bare-rooted plants transplanted into 3.8 liter containers on April 17, 2012. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 26, 2012. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Balsceras' with reference variety 'Secret Desire'

Leaf width (cm)

Ray floret length (cm)

Ray floret width (cm)

Colour of inner side of ray floret (RHS)

Disc diameter (cm)

Disc height (cm)

Disc floret length (cm)

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Coneflower: 'Balsceras' (left) with reference variety 'Secret Desire' (right)

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Coneflower: 'Balsceras' (left) with reference variety 'Secret Desire' (right)

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Coneflower: 'Balsceras' (left) with reference variety 'Secret Desire' (right)