Diastu

Diascia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Heccharm' (Little Charmer)

Summary: 'Diastu' is a broader plant with larger leaves and smaller corollas than 'Heccharm'.

Description:

'Diastu' is an annual twin spur variety with upright to prostrate growth habit and dense branching. The thin to medium thick stems are medium green in colour with no anthocyanin colouration. The medium green leaf blades are ovate to cordate in shape and the margins of the leaf blades are serrate. Anthocyanin colouration of the leaf blades is absent. Glossiness on the upper surface of the leaf blade is weak to moderate.

'Diastu' flowers almost continuously. Flower colour is blue pink on the inner and outer sides. The spurs are purple red in colour and there is a yellow spot present in the throat of the corolla.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Diastu' originated from a cross between the female parent 'A 64-1', a Diascia with coral flower colour and intermediate flower size, and the male parent 'A 65-1', a Diascia with lilac pink flower colour and small flower size. The cross took place in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in 1998. Selection criteria was based on flowering time and compact growth habit.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Diastu' were conducted in a greenhouse during the summer of 2003 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial consisted of 15 plants per variety grown from unrooted cuttings, rooted at week 22 and transplanted into 11cm pots at week 28. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Diastu' with reference variety 'Heccharm'

Plant width (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Corolla length (cm)

Corolla width (cm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Colour of spurs (RHS)

Colour of spot in corolla throat (RHS)