Wild Rose

Heuchera

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Rose Quartz' and 'Silver Gumdrop'

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

Description:

PLANT: medium to dense foliage

PETIOLE: sparse pubescence, purple (RHS N79C)
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): dark purple red (RHS 187B/C) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a very large area
LEAF BLADE: very 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, sparse pubescence, between brown purple (RHS N186D) and brown red (RHS 178D) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a large area, black (RHS N187A) distributed along veins in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a small to medium sized area
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): brown purple (RHS N186C), sparse pubescence

FLOWERING STEM: upright to semi-upright attitude, purple (RHS N79C), moderately elongated to strongly elongated length to width ratio of flowering part, sparse to medium densisty of flowers
FLOWER BUD: light blue pink (RHS 70D/73D)
FLOWER: semi-downwards attitude, short to medium length, narrow to medium width, blue pink (RHS N74C) outer side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Wild Rose' originated from a controlled cross conducted by the breeder, Hans Hansen, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA on April 23, 2013. The cross was made between the female parent, an unreleased proprietary hybrid known only by the code 12-45-01, and the male parent 'Georgia Plum'. During the fall of 2013, 'Wild Rose' was selected for its flower colour, foliage colour, plant growth habit, number of flowers and vigour. 'Wild Rose' was first propagated asexually using stem cuttings in the fall of 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Wild Rose' 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 'Wild Rose' with reference varieties 'Rose Quartz' and 'Silver Gumdrop'

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

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