SMHPFL

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'DVPPinky' (Pinky Winky) and 'Renhy' (Vanilla Strawberry)

Summary: The stem of 'SMHPFL' is brown whereas the stem of the reference varieties is dark red brown. 'SMHPFL' has a larger leaf blade than 'Renhy'. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration on the petiole is absent or very weak for 'SMHPFL' while it is strong for 'DVPPinky' and of medium intensity for 'Renhy'. The plants of 'SMHPFL' begin to flower mid-season while the plants of the reference varieties begin to flower mid to late season. The calyx of the sterile flower of 'SMHPFL' is larger in diameter than the calyx of both reference varieties. When the sterile flower is newly open, the colour of the inner side of the sepal of 'SMHPFL' is yellow green while the inner side of the sepal of the reference varieties is light green. When the sterile flower is aged, the colour of the inner side of the sepal of 'SMHPFL' is purple red to purple while the inner side of the sepal of 'DVPPinky' is light green with purple red.

Description:

PLANT: non-climbing type, upright growth habit
STEM: no fasciation, brownish, white lenticels

PETIOLE: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration
LEAF BLADE: no lobing, elliptic shape, medium length of tip, obtuse base, shallow to medium depth of incisions of margin, no variegation, dark green on upper side, absent or weak glossiness on upper side, absent or weak degree of blistering

FLOWERING: begins mid-season
INFLORESCENCE: conical shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers
STERILE FLOWER: single type, weak to medium degree of overlapping of sepals
STERILE FLOWER SEPAL: no incisions of margin on all sepals, when flower is newly open main colour of inner side is yellow green (RHS 154D), when flower fully open main colour of inner side is white (RHS 155A-B), when flower is aged main colour of inner side is purple red (RHS 54A) to purple (redder than RHS 58A) and changes to almost completely red
FERTILE FLOWER: inner side of petal is white

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMHPFL' was bred and developed by the breeder, Timothy D. Wood, of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. It originated from a cross that occurred in the spring of 2007 between the variety 'Pink Lady M2A' as the female parent, and 'Pink Lady M2B' as the male parent. 'SMHPFL' was selected in the spring of 2011 for its plant vigour, strong upright stems, inflorescence form, and sepal colour. Asexual reproduction of 'SMHPFL' by softwood cuttings was first conducted in the spring of 2011, in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial of 'SMHPFL' was conducted as an outdoor container trial during the summer of 2014 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. It included a total of 12 shrubs of the candidate variety and 5 shrubs of each reference variety. All shrubs were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 11.4 litre containers on June 19, 2013. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 shrubs or parts of shrubs of the candidate variety on July 28th, 2014, from the reference variety 'Rehny' on August 6, 2014 and from the reference variety 'DVPPinky' on August 15 2014. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMHPFL' with reference varieties 'DVPPinky' and 'Renhy'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Diameter of calyx of sterile flower (cm)

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

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Hydrangea: 'SMHPFL' (left) with reference varieties 'DVPPinky' (centre) and 'Renhy' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMHPFL' (left) with reference varieties 'DVPPinky' (centre) and 'Renhy' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMHPFL' (left) with reference varieties 'DVPPinky' (centre) and 'Renhy' (right)