SMNDSS

Bush Honeysuckle

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'G2X88544' (Kodiak Orange)

Summary: The plants of ‘SMNDSS' have a bushy to spreading growth habit and are shorter and wider than those of ‘G2X88544', which have an upright to bushy growth habit. In autumn, the upper side of the leaf blade of ‘SMNDSS' is dark brown purple to dark red while that of 'G2X88544' is brown red to orange brown and yellow. The inflorescence of ‘SMNDSS' is larger in diameter than that of 'G2X88544'.

Description:

PLANT: shrub, oblate shape, bushy to spreading growth habit, medium density branching, medium growth rate

STEM: light brown on old growth, dark brown purple (RHS 183A-B) on current year, sparse pubescence, angular in cross-section, smooth bark, absent or very weak glaucosity, few lenticels

PETIOLE: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration when new, medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration when mature
LEAF: opposite arrangement along stem, simple type, lanceolate, acuminate apex, obtuse base, shallow serrated margin, no lobing, no variegation, weak rugosity, weak to medium degree of waviness of margin
LEAF (UPPER SIDE): absent or sparse pubescence, medium brown (RHS 173A) when newly opened in spring, medium yellow green (RHS 151C) to light green (RHS 144B-C) when in transition, dark green to light green (RHS 144A-B) when mature at mid-season, dark brown purple (RHS 178A) to dark red (RHS 53B, N45C) in autumn, medium anthocyanin colouration on veins
LEAF (LOWER SIDE): absent or sparse pubescence, light brown green (RHS 147D) at mid-season, weak to medium anthocyanin colouration on veins when young, absent to weak anthocyanin colouration on veins when mature

INFLORESCENCE: cyme type
FLOWER BUD: medium yellow (RHS 5C)
COROLLA: salverform shape, inner side medium yellow (RHS 3B-C), outer side lighter medium yellow (RHS 3C)

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNDSS' originated from an open pollinated cross that occurred between the female parent variety Diervilla x splendens ‘El Madrigal' and an unknown male parent in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in the summer of 2018. From the resulting progeny, a single unique plant was selected in 2019 based on its branching density, summer and autumn foliage colour transitions and yellow flower colour. ‘SMNDSS' was first propagated by softwood cuttings in 2019 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMNDSS' was conducted in an outdoor irrigated container trial during the summer of 2024 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 12 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All shrubs were grown from 10 cm rooted cuttings and transplanted into 11.4 litre containers in August 2023. The trial was arranged outdoors in rows with 1 meter spacing between shrubs. Most observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of each variety on July 25, 2024. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMNDSS' with reference variety 'G2X88544'

Natural plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

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Bush Honeysuckle: 'SMNDSS' (left) with reference variety 'G2X88544' (right)

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Bush Honeysuckle: 'SMNDSS' (left) with reference variety 'G2X88544' (right)