Agrihydradrie

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Red Beauty'

Summary: The natural plant height (including the inflorescence) of 'Agrihydradrie' is shorter than the natural plant height of 'Red Beauty'. The pedicel of 'Agrihydradrie' is shorter than the pedicel of 'Red Beauty'. The anthocyanin colouration of the pedicel of 'Agrihydradrie' is only located at the axils of the flowers whereas the anthocyanin colouration of the pedicel of 'Red Beauty' is located throughout the base and at the axils of the flowers. The opening of the sterile flowers of 'Agrihydradrie' begins very early whereas the opening of the sterile flowers of 'Red Beauty' begins early. When newly open, the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Agrihydradrie' is dark purple red with light green at the base whereas the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Red Beauty' is dark purple red to dark pink red with light green at the base. When aged, the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Agrihydradrie' is purple to purple red whereas the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Red Beauty' is purple red. The opening of the fertile flowers of 'Agrihydradrie' begins later than the opening of the fertile flowers of 'Red Beauty'.

Description:

PLANT: non-climbing type, upright growth habit
STEM: no fasciation, green, medium number of lenticels in autumn, black lenticels

LEAF BLADE: no lobing, elliptic shape, medium to long tip, acute to obtuse base, medium to deep incisions of margin, no variegation, dark green upper side, medium degree of glossiness of upper side, weak blistering

FLOWERING: begins very early
INFLORESCENCE: globular shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers
PEDICEL: strong anthocyanin colouration at flower axils only
STERILE FLOWER: single type, strong degree of overlapping of sepals, incisions of margin present on all sepals
SEPAL OF STERILE FLOWER (INNER SIDE): dark purple red (RHS 53A-B) with light green (RHS N144C-D) towards base when newly open, dark purple red to dark pink red (RHS 53B-C) when fully open, purple to purple red (RHS 58A-B) when aged, yellowish green secondary colour mostly towards base
PETAL OF FERTILE FLOWER: inner side is pink

Origin & Breeding History: 'Agrihydradrie' was bred and developed by the breeder, Niels Arts, in Aalsmeer, Netherlands. It originated from a cross conducted on May 15, 2007, in De Kwakel, Netherlands, between the female parent designated '200281-01', and the male parent designated '200201-02'. From the resulting progeny, 'Agrihydradrie' was selected on April 25, 2009, in Glandorf, Germany, for its inflorescence colour, and branching habit. 'Agrihydradrie' was first asexually propagated by cuttings on April 20, 2010, in Glandorf, Germany.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Agrihydradrie' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring of 2016, at BioFlora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 8 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All shrubs were grown from pre-finished plants obtained from cuttings that were rooted in 2015, and planted in 10 cm pots. The observations and measurements were taken from 8 plants or 10 parts of 8 plants of each variety on June 6, 2016. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Agrihydradrie' with reference variety 'Red Beauty'

Natural plant height (including inflorescence) (cm)

Pedicel length (cm)

Colour of inner side of sepal of sterile flower (RHS)

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Hydrangea: 'Agrihydradrie' (left) with reference variety 'Red Beauty' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'Agrihydradrie' (left) with reference variety 'Red Beauty' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'Agrihydradrie' (left) with reference variety 'Red Beauty' (right)