Silver Gumdrop

Heuchera

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Rose Quartz' and 'Wild Rose'

Summary: The young leaf of 'Silver Gumdrop' is grey and brown purple throughout with darker brown purple along the veins whereas the young leaf of 'Wild Rose' is dark purple red throughout. The leaf blade of 'Silver Gumdrop' is smaller than that of 'Wild Rose'. The fully opened leaf blade of 'Silver Gumdrop' is grey throughout with brown purple along veins whereas 'Wild Rose' is brown purple and brown red throughout with black along veins. The flower bud of 'Silver Gumdrop' is dark pink red whereas that of both reference varieties is light blue pink. The flower of 'Silver Gumdrop' has a semi-upwards attitude whereas the flower of both reference varieties has a semi-downwards attitude. The outer side of the flower of 'Silver Gumdrop' is purple red whereas the flower of both reference varieties is blue pink.

Description:

PLANT: medium density of foliage

PETIOLE: sparse pubescence, dark purple red (RHS 187B)
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): grey (RHS N187B/C) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a large area, brown purple (RHS 184D) distributed throughout in a flushed pattern over a medium sized area, brown purple (RHS N186C) distributed along veins in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a very small to small area
LEAF BLADE: slightly elongated length to width ratio, rounded apex, medium depth sinus between lobes, very weak rugosity, medium number of shallow indentations of the margin, weak undulation of the margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): absent or very weak glossiness, absent or very sparse pubescence, grey (RHS N187C) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a large area, brown purple (RHS N186C) distributed along veins in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a very small to small area
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): brown purple (RHS N186C), sparse pubescence

FLOWERING STEM: upright to semi-upright attitude, dark purple red (RHS 187B), moderately elongated to strongly elongated length to width ratio of flowering part, medium density of flowers
FLOWER BUD: dark pink red (RHS 53D)
FLOWER: semi-upwards attitude, short to medium length, narrow to medium width, purple red (RHS N57A/B) outer side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Silver Gumdrop' originated from a controlled cross conducted by the breeder, Hans Hansen, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA on April 22, 2013. The cross was made between the female parent, an unreleased proprietary hybrid known only by the code 12-480-11, and the male parent, a proprietary unreleased hybrid known only by the breeder code 11-520-15. During the fall of 2013, 'Silver Gumdrop' was selected for its flower colour, foliage colour, plant growth habit, number of flowers and vigour. 'Silver Gumdrop' was first propagated asexually using stem cuttings in the fall of 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Silver Gumdrop' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2018 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants of each variety. The plants were grown in 16 cm pots with 40 cm spacing between pots under a galvanized steel structure covered with black mesh shade fabric. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Silver Gumdrop' with reference varieties 'Rose Quartz' and 'Wild Rose'

Colour of young leaf blade (RHS)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Colour of fully opened leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of flower (RHS)

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Heuchera: 'Silver Gumdrop' (left) with reference varieties 'Rose Quartz' (center) and 'Wild Rose' (right)

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Heuchera: 'Silver Gumdrop' (left) with reference varieties 'Rose Quartz' (top) and 'Wild Rose' (right)