HBA801

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Schneeball'

Summary: 'HBA801' has a larger inflorescence than 'Schneeball'. The density of the large calyx of the inflorescence is dense to very dense for 'HBA801' while it is medium to dense for 'Schneeball'. The degree of overlapping of the large calyx sepals is weak to medium for 'HBA801' while it is strong for 'Schneeball'. Incisions of the margin of the large calyx sepal are few in number and present on some sepals of 'HBA801' while they are many in number and present on all sepals of 'Schneeball'.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, pot culture

LEAF BLADE: medium to dark green on upper side, no variegation, no glossiness on upper side, elliptic to ovate, acuminate to acute apex, truncate to wedge shaped base, medium incisions of margin

FLOWERING: begins early
INFLORESCENCE: flowers with small calyx are inconspicuous, globular, dense to very dense sterile flowers with large calyx
LARGE CALYX: absent to very weak colour intensity, white, 4 sepals
LARGE CALYX SEPALS: broad ovate, weak to medium degree of overlapping, few incisions of margin present on some, crenate incisions of margin
SMALL CALYX: white

Origin & Breeding History: 'HBA801' resulted from a breeding program with the objective of creating new Hydrangea varieties with attractive flower colour and no vernalization requirement. It originated from a cross between the female parent '98056' and the male parent '98028' which was conducted by the breeder, Niels Arts, in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, in July 1999. Both the selection of 'HBA801' by the breeder in March 2001 and its first reproduction by vegetative cuttings in March 2003 took place in Glandorf, Germany.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'HBA801' were conducted during the summer of 2007 in a polyhouse at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. There were 12 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. The plants were grown from unrooted cuttings which were transplanted to 15 cm pots in August 2006. Measured characteristics were based on measurements taken from 10 plants or parts of plants on June 29, 2007. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'HBA801' with reference variety 'Schneeball'

Inflorescence length (cm)

Inflorescence width (cm)

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Hydrangea: 'HBA801' (left) with reference variety 'Schneeball' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'HBA801' (left) with reference variety 'Schneeball' (right)