Hopscotch

Heucherella

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Leapfrog' and 'Red Rover'

Summary: The plants of 'Hopscotch' are wider than the plants of 'Leapfrog' and narrower than the plants of 'Red Rover'. The petiole of 'Hopscotch' is longer than the petiole of 'Leapfrog'. 'Hopscotch' has a leaf blade that is larger than the leaf blade of 'Leapfrog'. The upper side of the young leaf blade of 'Hopscotch' is dark purple red to brown purple along the marginal zone and green brown between veins in central and intermediate zones whereas the young leaf blade of 'Leapfrog' is dark purple red along the veins and dark green between veins and on margin and the young leaf blade of 'Red Rover' is brown purple throughout the whole leaf surface. The margin of the leaf blade of 'Hopscotch' has a weak to medium degree of undulation whereas the margin of 'Red Rover' has a medium to strong degree of undulation. At maturity, the upper side of the leaf blade of 'Hopscotch' is green brown between the veins in the central zone and brown red between veins and on margin whereas the upper side of the leaf blade of 'Leapfrog' is brown purple along veins and light green fading to light yellow brown between veins and on margin and the upper side of the leaf blade of 'Red Rover' is brown purple along marginal zone and brown purple between veins in central and intermediate zones. The flower bud of 'Hopscotch' is brown purple whereas the flower bud of 'Leapfrog' is white and 'Red Rover' is blue pink.

Description:

PLANT: medium density of foliage

PETIOLE: medium density of pubescence, dark purple red (RHS 187D)
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): dark purple red to brown purple (RHS 60B/C to 186B) distributed along marginal zone in solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium sized area, green brown (RHS 152B) distributed between veins in central and intermediate zones in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium sized area
LEAF BLADE: slightly elongated length to width ratio, acute apex, deep sinus between lobes, long terminal lobes relative to length of blade, weak rugosity, many indentations of margin of medium depth, weak to medium degree of undulation of the margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): absent or very weak glossiness, sparse pubescence, green brown (RHS 152B/C) between veins in central zone in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium sized area, brown red (RHS 182A) between veins and on margin in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium sized area
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): brown red (RHS 182B), sparse pubescence

FLOWERING STEM: upright to semi-upright, brown purple (RHS 186A/B), strongly elongated length to width ratio of flowering part, medium density of flowers
FLOWER BUD: brown purple (RHS 186A)
FLOWER: outwards attitude, short, narrow, white (RHS N155B) outer side
PETAL: white inner side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Hopscotch' originated from a controlled cross monitored by the breeder, Hans Hansen, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. The cross was made between the proprietary Heuchera selection 'K10-74-23', as the female parent and the Tiarella variety 'Jade Peacock', as the male parent on February 11, 2013. During the fall of 2013, 'Hopscotch' was selected for its bronze red foliage, abundance of flowers, vigour, and compact plant growth habit. 'Hopscotch' was first propagated asexually using stem cuttings in the fall of 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Hopscotch' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2017 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of 'Hopscotch', 10 plants of 'Leapfrog' and 15 plants of 'Red Rover'. 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. Mean differences are significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'Hopscotch' with reference varieties 'Leapfrog' and 'Red Rover'

Plant width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Colour of upper side of young leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of flower (RHS)

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Heucherella: 'Hopscotch' (top left) with reference varieties 'Red Rover' (top right) and 'Leapfrog' (bottom)

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Heucherella: 'Hopscotch' (top left) with reference varieties 'Red Rover' (top right) and 'Leapfrog' (bottom)