Holy Grail

Hibiscus

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Midnight Marvel'

Summary: The petal of 'Holy Grail' is narrower than that of 'Midnight Marvel'. The inner side of the petal of 'Holy Grail' is dark purple red to dark red while that of 'Midnight Marvel' is dark purple red. The eye zone on the inner side of the petal of 'Holy Grail' is dark brown purple while that of 'Midnight Marvel' is dark purple red.

Description:

PLANT: semi-upright growth habit, medium density of branching
CURRENT YEAR BRANCH: ranging from greenish to purplish

LEAF BLADE: moderately elongated length to width ratio, rounded base, upper side medium green, upper side yellowish orange in autumn, medium degree of lobing, medium degree of undulation of margin, few to medium number of incisions, no variegation

FLOWER: single, small eye zone relative to the petals
OUTERMOST PETALS: moderately ascending to horizontal attitude, moderately to strongly overlapping
PETAL: slightly elongated shape, inner side dark purple red to dark red (RHS 46A/B), no secondary colour, absent or weak incisions along margin, medium degree of undulation of margin
EYE ZONE: absent to very short extensions, dark brown purple (RHS 183B/C)
STAMINAL COLUMN: medium length

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Holy Grail' originated from a cross conducted on August 7, 2015 at Walters Gardens, Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. The cross was conducted between the proprietary female hybrid parent '12-166-5' and the male parent variety 'Perfect Storm'. Seeds from the cross were collected and sown in the fall of 2015 at Walters Gardens, Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. 'Holy Grail' was selected in the summer of 2016 based on flower colour, plant growth habit and foliage. Vegetative propagation of 'Holy Grail' by shoot tip cuttings was first conducted in the summer of 2016.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Holy Grail' was grown outdoors at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario, during the summer of 2022. The trial consisted of 10 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. The plants were grown in 23 cm diameter round pots spaced approximately 75 cm apart. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety in the second week of September 2022. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Holy Grail' with reference variety 'Midnight Marvel'

Petal width (cm)

Colour of inner side of petal (RHS)

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Hibiscus: 'Holy Grail' (left) with reference variety 'Midnight Marvel' (right)

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Hibiscus: 'Holy Grail' (left) with reference variety 'Midnight Marvel' (right)