Ballet Slippers

Hibiscus

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Balhibpsw' (Luna Pink Swirl)

Summary: The plants of 'Ballet Slippers' are taller with larger leaves than the plants of 'Balhibpsw'. The plants of 'Ballet Slippers' produce medium to many stems whereas the plants of 'Balhibpsw' produce a few to medium number of stems. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the petiole of 'Ballet Slippers' is weak to medium whereas the intensity is very weak to weak for 'Balhibpsw'. The leaf blade of 'Ballet Slippers' has a strong degree of lobing whereas the leaf blade of 'Balhibpsw' has no lobing. The incisions of the margin of the leaf blade are of medium depth for 'Ballet Slippers' whereas the incisions of the margin of the leaf blade are shallow for 'Balhibpsw'. The plants of 'Ballet Slippers' begin flowering late to very late whereas the plants of 'Balhibpsw' begin flowering mid-season to late. The petals of the unopened flower bud of 'Ballet Slippers' are very light pinkish white whereas the petals of the unopened flower bud of 'Balhibpsw' are lighter pinkish white with pink along their margin. The flowers of 'Ballet Slippers' are larger in diameter with larger petals than the flowers of 'Balhibpsw'. The inner side of the petal of 'Ballet Slippers' is mainly white with light blue pink secondary colour whereas the petal of 'Balhibpsw' is mainly blue pink with white secondary colour. The degree of undulation of the petal is medium to strong for 'Ballet Slippers' whereas the undulation of the petal is weak to medium for 'Balhibpsw'.

Description:

PLANT: bushy growth habit, medium to many stems
STEM: semi-upright attitude, green upper third, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration

PETIOLE: weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration
LEAF BLADE: medium green upper side, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, ovate shape, truncate to cordate base, acute apex, three lobes, strong degree of lobing
LEAF BLADE MARGIN: moderate degree of undulation, dentate incisions, incisions of medium depth

FLOWERING: begins late to very late
FLOWER BUD (UNOPEN): petal is very light pinkish white
FLOWER: single type, main colour is white or near white on inner side, eye zone present, very strong overlapping of petals
FLOWER EYE ZONE: pattern is type 1, small to medium size, dark purple red (RHS 53A)
PETAL: shape is type 3, absent or very weak serrations along margin, medium to strong degree of undulation, no fading of colour
PETAL (INNER SIDE): two colours (excluding eye zone), main colour is white (RHS N155B), secondary colour is light blue pink (lighter than RHS 65D), secondary colour distributed as a flush along outermost margin
PETAL (OUTER SIDE): main colour is white (RHS N155C)
STAMINAL COLUMN: main colour is white, colour of base is identical to colour of main colour
STIGMA PAD: yellow

Origin & Breeding History: 'Ballet Slippers' originated from a controlled cross monitored by Mr. Hans Hansen on July 25, 2012, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA, between the proprietary selection with breeder code '7-100-4', as the female parent, and the proprietary selection with breeder code '11-SRF-225', as the male parent. The cross was made as part of a breeding program with the goal of producing Hibiscus varieties with different foliage colours and improved plant growth habit. From the resulting progeny, 'Ballet Slippers' was selected in the fall of 2013 for its white flowers with marginal blush of red on slightly cupped flower form, and compact plant growth habit. 'Ballet Slippers' was first asexual propagated using stem cuttings in the fall of 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Ballet Slippers' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2017 at Variety Rights Management, in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown as 1 plant per 23 cm pot and the pots were spaced 75 cm apart. 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.

Comparison tables for 'Ballet Slippers' with reference variety 'Balhibpsw'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Flower diameter (cm)

Petal length (cm)

Petal width (cm)

Colour of upper side of petal (RHS)

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Hibiscus: 'Ballet Slippers'

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Hibiscus: Reference variety 'Balhibpsw'