Cherry Truffles

Heuchera

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Fire Chief' and 'Mahogany Monster'

Summary: Colour one on the upper side of the young leaf blade of 'Cherry Truffles' is dark brown purple while that of 'Fire Chief' is dark purple red to medium brown purple. The petiole of 'Cherry Truffles' is longer than the petiole of 'Fire Chief'. The fully expanded leaf blade of 'Cherry Truffles' is larger than that of 'Fire Chief'. The leaf blade of 'Cherry Truffles' has strong undulation of the margin and weak glossiness while those of the reference varieties have a medium degree of undulation of the margin and absent or very weak glossiness. The flowering stem of 'Cherry Truffles' is longer than the flowering stem of 'Fire Chief' and shorter than that of 'Mahogany Monster'. The flowering part on the flowering stem of 'Cherry Truffles' is longer than that of 'Fire Chief' and shorter than that of 'Mahogany Monster'. The length to width ratio of the flowering stem of 'Cherry Truffles' is moderately elongated while that of 'Mahogany Monster' is strongly elongated. The colour of the flower bud of 'Cherry Truffles' ranges between dark blue pink and medium blue pink while that of 'Fire Chief' ranges between medium blue pink and light blue pink. The colour of the outer surface of the flower of 'Cherry Truffles' is light blue pink while that of the reference varieties is white.

Description:

PLANT: medium to dense foliage

PETIOLE: between dark brown purple and dark purple red (RHS N186C/D), sparse pubescence
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): colour one is dark brown purple (RHS 183B/C) covering a large area distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern
LEAF BLADE: the length to width ratio is very slightly elongated, rounded apex, medium to deep lobing, medium number of very shallow indentations of margin, strong undulation of margin, weak rugosity
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): weak glossiness, absent or very sparse pubescence, colour one is a blend of dark brown (RHS187A) and dark purple red (RHS 187C) covering a large area distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): dark purple red (RHS 187B), absent or very sparse pubescence

TIME OF FLOWERING: begins early to mid-season
FLOWERING STEM: upright attitude, main colour is dark brown (RHS 187A), length to width ratio of flowering part is moderately elongated, medium density of flowers
FLOWER BUD: ranging between dark blue pink and medium blue pink (RHS 64C/D)
FLOWER: outwards to semi-downwards attitude, short, narrow, light blue pink (RHS 76D) outer side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Cherry Truffles' originated from a controlled cross between the variety 'Inheuredfu' and a proprietary seedling known as 13-700-1 conducted at Walters Gardens, Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan, USA on February 16, 2015. From the resulting progeny, seeds were collected and sown by the breeder, Hans Hansen, later in 2015. Initial selections made in 2016 were based on distinct and colourful plant foliage. 'Mahogany Monster' was first asexually propagated using shoot tip tissue culture in the fall of 2016.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Cherry Truffles' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2022 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. 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 10 parts of plants, of each variety. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on Student's t-tests.

Comparison tables for 'Cherry Truffles' with reference varieties 'Fire Chief' and 'Mahogany Monster'

Colour one of young leaf blade (RHS)

Petiole length (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Flowering stem length (cm)

Length of flowering part of flowering stem (cm)

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

Colour of flower (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Heuchera: 'Cherry Truffles' (left) with reference varieties 'Fire Chief' (centre) and 'Mahogany Monster' (right)