Red Rover

Heucherella

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Leapfrog' and 'Hopscotch'

Summary: The plants of 'Red Rover' are wider than the plants of both reference varieties. 'Red Rover' has a longer petiole than 'Leapfrog'. The leaf blade of 'Red Rover' is larger than the leaf blade of 'Leapfrog'. The upper side of the young leaf blade of 'Red Rover' is brown purple throughout the whole leaf surface whereas the young leaf blade of 'Leapfrog' is dark purple red along the veins and light green between the veins and margin and the young leaf blade of 'Hopscotch' is dark purple red to brown purple along the marginal zone and green brown between veins in the central and intermediate zones. At maturity, 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 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 'Hopscotch' is green brown between the veins in the central zone and brown red between veins and on margin. 'Red Rover' has a blue pink flower bud whereas the flower bud of 'Leapfrog' is white and the flower bud of 'Hopscotch' is brown purple. The length of the flowering part of the stem on 'Red Rover' is longer than both reference varieties.

Description:

PLANT: medium density of foliage

PETIOLE: medium density of pubescence, dark purple red (RHS 187C/D)
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): brown purple (RHS 183B/C) distributed throughout blade as a solid or nearly solid colour over a large area
LEAF BLADE: moderately elongated length to width ratio, rounded apex, deep sinus between lobes, long terminal lobes relative to length of blade, weak rugosity, many indentations of margin of medium depth, medium to strong undulation of margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): absent or very weak glossiness, medium density of pubescence, brown purple (RHS 183A) distributed along marginal zone as a solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium sized area, brown purple (RHS N186C) between veins in central and intermediate zones in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium sized area
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): brown purple (RHS 182B), sparse pubescence

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

Origin & Breeding History: 'Red Rover' originated from controlled cross monitored by the breeder, Hans Hansen, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. The cross was made between the proprietary Heuchera selection '12-120-01, as the female parent and the proprietary Tiarella variety 'High 5', as the male parent on February 11, 2013. During the fall of 2013, 'Red Rover' was selected for large bright red foliage, abundance of flowers, vigour, with long finger-line lobes. 'Red Rover' was first propagated asexually using stem cuttings in the fall of 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Red Rover' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2017 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of 'Red Rover', 10 plants each of 'Leapfrog' and 15 plants of 'Hopscotch'. 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 'Red Rover' with reference varieties 'Leapfrog' and 'Hopscotch'

Plant width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Flowering stem length (cm)

Colour of upper side of young leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade (RHS)

Flower bud (RHS)

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

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