Dapasewi

Dahlia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Dapawhi' (Dahlietta Grace)

Summary: 'Dapasewi' has a taller plant height than 'Dapawhi'. 'Dapasewi' has a larger flower head diameter and taller flower head height than 'Dapawhi'. 'Dapasewi' has a lower number of ray florets than 'Dapawhi'. 'Dapasewi' has a rounded to retuse apex on the ray floret while 'Dapawhi' has a mamillate to dentate apex.

Description:

PLANT: upright habit, very short to short height, green stem

LEAF: predominantly simple, absent to very weak wing, short, very narrow to narrow, medium green, weak glossiness, weakly rugose texture, raised veins
LEAFLET: elliptic shape, attenuate base, moderate number of shallow to medium depth incisions
PEDUNCLE: very short to short, green

FLOWER HEAD: same level as foliage, semi-upright, daisy eyed double, no collar segments, medium to many ray florets
RAY FLORET: keeled upper surface, two keels, moderately concave in cross section at mid-point, weakly concave at 3/4 point from base, flat to weakly revolute margin along distal quarter, straight longitudinal axis, absent or very weak twisting, rounded to retuse apex
RAY FLORET INNER SIDE: more than two colours, white (RHS 155C) main colour with yellow (RHS 3B) in flushed pattern at base
RAY FLORET OUTER SIDE: similar colour to inner side.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Dapasewi' originated from an open pollination made in August 2000 at Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The female parent was a proprietary dahlia selection designated 4610, characterized by its white flower colour, medium green leaf colour and compact growth habit. The initial selection was made in June 2001 and asexual propagation since that time has been through the use of vegetative cuttings. Selection criteria included pure white flower colour, compact growth habit and earliness to flower.

Tests & Trials: 'Dapasewi' was tested in an outdoor trial during the spring/summer of 2008 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial consisted of a total of 15 plants per variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 20 cm pots on May 15, 2008. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on June 26, 2008. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Dapasewi' with reference variety 'Dapawhi'

Plant height (cm)

Flower head diameter (cm)

Flower head height (cm)

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Dahlia: 'Dapasewi' (left) with reference variety 'Dapawhi' (right)

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Dahlia: 'Dapasewi' (left) with reference variety 'Dapawhi' (right)