Claudie

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Mousmee'

Summary: 'Claudie' has finer leaf margin serrations than 'Mousmee'. The flowers with a large calyx are arranged in one circle for 'Claudie' while they are irregular or arranged in two or more circles for 'Mousmee'. 'Claudie' differs from 'Mousmee' in the colour of the large and small calyx. 'Claudie' has a narrower sepal width in the large calyx than 'Mousmee'. The sepal is elliptic-obovate in shape for 'Claudie' while it is round for 'Mousmee'. 'Claudie' has dark pink anthers while 'Mousmee' has yellowish-white anthers.

Description:

PLANT: upright bushy, hardy to zone 4

LEAVES: medium to dark green on upper side, no variegation, no glossiness, elliptic to ovate, acuminate apex, cuneate base, no lobing, serrate margin

INFLORESCENCE: flowers with small calyx conspicuous, flowers with large calyx arranged in one circle, flattened shape
LARGE CALYX: blue pink, four to five sepals, sepals weakly overlapping, margins entire, sepals elliptic to obovate
SMALL CALYX: purple, anthers dark pink

Origin & Breeding History: 'Claudie' originated from a cross made in the spring of 1997, in Varengeville sur Mer, France. The female parent was 'Mallet #J82' and the male parent was unknown. 'Claudie' was selected based on its attractive and large flowers, widely spaced florets and vigorous growth. The new variety was first propagated by softwood cuttings in the summer of 1999, in Varengeville sur Mer, France.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Claudie' were conducted in an outdoor trial at BioFlora in St. Thomas, Ontario in the summer of 2006. The trials included 10 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from 5 inch liners, planted into 2 gallon containers in May 2004 and transplanted into 3 gallon containers on July 2, 2004. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour chart.

Comparison tables for 'Claudie' with reference variety 'Mousmee'

Colour of calyx (RHS)

Width of sepal in large calyx

Click on image for larger view

Hydrangea: 'Claudie' (left) with reference variety 'Mousmee' (right)