VDTG17

Dahlia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'HS Romeo' (Happy Single Romeo)

Summary: 'VDTG17' has brownish red to purple stem colour while 'HS Romeo' has green tinged with brownish red or purple stem colour. 'VDTG17' has predominantly pinnate leaves while 'HS Romeo' has predominantly simple leaves. The leaf veins are depressed for 'VDTG17' while they are raised for 'HS Romeo'. The ray floret of 'VDTG17' has weak to medium reflexing along the distal quarter of the longitudinal axis while 'HS Romeo' is straight along the longitudinal axis.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, medium height, brownish red to purple stem colour

LEAF: predominantly pinnate, strong wing present, short, narrow, green tinged with purple, weak glossiness, smooth to very weakly rugose, veins depressed, ovate and elliptic, acute base, few shallow incisions on margin

PEDUNCLE: short to medium length, brownish red

FLOWER HEAD: moderately above foliage, semi upright attitude, single, daisy type, no collar segments, medium diameter
RAY FLORET: few in number, 1:0.69 length to width ratio, keeled upper surface with two keels, weakly concave in cross section at mid point, weakly convex in cross section at 3/4 point, margin weakly revolute at distal quarter, longitudinal axis reflexed, weak to medium curving at distal quarter, absent to very weak twisting, mamillate apex, dark purple red on inner side with darker purple red secondary colour at base and purple tertiary colour at distal quarter, secondary colour pattern nearly solid, tertiary colour pattern flushed, colour on outer side dark purple red with purple around keels
DISC: medium diameter, red brown before anther dehiscence, yellow orange at anther dehiscence.

Origin & Breeding History: 'VDTG17' originated from an open pollinated cross between the female parent, a Dahlia plant identified as 'R', and an unidentified male parent. The cross took place in the summer of 2002 in Lisse, The Netherlands. A single seedling was selected in the summer of 2003 based on criteria for flower form, flower colour, compact plant habit and dark foliage colour. Asexual propagation by cuttings was first conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, in the spring of 2004.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'VDTG17' were conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2008 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants per variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 15 cm pots on May 15, 2008. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 8, 2008. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison table for 'VDTG17' with reference variety 'HS Romeo'

Colour of ray floret (RHS)

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Dahlia: 'VDTG17' (left) with reference variety 'HS Romeo' (right)

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Dahlia: 'VDTG17' (left) with reference variety 'HS Romeo' (right)

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Dahlia: 'VDTG17' (left) with reference variety 'HS Romeo' (right)