Spiked Punch

Dianthus

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Passion' and 'Cranberry Cocktail'

Summary: The plants of 'Spiked Punch' are shorter than the plants of 'Passion' and 'Cranberry Cocktail'. The density of the plants of 'Spiked Punch' is dense whereas the density of the plants of 'Cranberry Cocktail' is medium. The length of the second internode below the flower of 'Spiked Punch' is shorter than the second internode below the flower of both reference varieties. The leaf of 'Spike Punch' is shorter than the leaf of 'Cranberry Cocktail' and more narrow than the leaf of both reference varieties. The upper side of the leaf of 'Spiked Punch' is gray green with a strong degree of glaucosity whereas the leaf of 'Cranberry Cocktail' is medium green with a weak to medium degree of glaucosity. The shape of the flower bud of 'Spiked Punch' is elliptic whereas the flower bud of 'Passion' is obovate. The calyx of 'Spiked Punch' is of medium length whereas the calyx of 'Passion' is long. The flower of 'Spiked Punch' is smaller in diameter than the flower of 'Cranberry Cocktail'. The petal of 'Spiked Punch' is shorter than the petal of both reference varieties and more narrow than the petal of 'Cranberry Cocktail'. The inner side of the petal of 'Spiked Punch' is purple whereas the petal of 'Passion' is dark purple red and the petal of 'Cranberry Cocktail' is dark purple red to purple fading to purple red towards the apex. The inner side of the petal of 'Spiked Punch' has a medium to large, dark violet to purple macule whereas the petal of the reference varieties has no macule.

Description:

PLANT: dense, flowers positioned far above foliage
STEM: second internode below flower is thin and circular shape in cross-section, not hollow

LEAF: linear shape, absent or very weakly recurved, flat or very weakly concave in cross-section, gray green upper side, strong degree of glaucosity on upper side, spiny ciliation of margin present

CALYX: medium length, medium width, campanulate form
CALYX LOBE: concave along longitudinal axis, medium length, weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration, anthocyanin colouration distributed over whole lobe
FLOWER BUD: elliptic shape, extrusion of styles absent
FLOWER: double type, medium number of petals
COROLLA: profile of upper part in lateral view is convex, profile of lower part in lateral view is flat convex
PETAL (INNER SIDE): purple (RHS 71B), differently coloured margin absent, no tertiary colour, no stripes, no speckles, no area of flush
PETAL MACULE (INNER SIDE): medium to large, dark violet to purple (RHS N79B/C)
PETAL MARGIN INCISIONS: many, medium to deep
OVARY: elliptic shape, smooth surface
STYLE: only two, short, no shoulder
STIGMA: purple

Origin & Breeding History: 'Spiked Punch' originated from a controlled cross monitored by Mr. Hans Hansen in the spring of 2011, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA, between the Dianthus variety 'Starlette', as the female parent, and the variety 'Devon Flavia', as the male parent. The cross was made as part of a breeding program with the goal of producing Dianthus varieties with different flower colours and improved plant growth habit. From the resulting progeny, 'Spiked Punch' was selected in the spring of 2012 for its bright pink petals with contrasting dark red bands and very deep serrations of the margin, good flower coverage, large flower size producing fragrance, high heat tolerance, and floriferous, vigorous and compact plant growth habit with finely textured gray-green foliage. 'Spiked Punch' was first propagated asexually using stem cuttings in 2012.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Spiked Punch' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2017 at Variety Rights Management, in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown as 1 plant per 16 cm pot and the pots were spaced 40 cm apart. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Spiked Punch' with reference varieties 'Passion' and 'Cranberry Cocktail'

Plant height (cm)

Stem internode length (second internode below flower) (cm)

Leaf length (mm)

Leaf width (mm)

Flower diameter (cm)

Petal length (cm)

Petal width (cm)

Colour of petal (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Dianthus: 'Spiked Punch' (top right) with reference varieties 'Cranberry Cocktail' (top left) and 'Passion' (bottom)

Click on image for larger view

Dianthus: 'Spiked Punch' (top right) with reference varieties 'Cranberry Cocktail' (top left) and 'Passion' (bottom)