SMNHALR

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Annabelle'

Summary: The leaf blade of 'SMNHALR' is smaller than the leaf blade of 'Annabelle'. The inflorescence of 'SMNHALR' is shorter and smaller in diameter than the inflorescence of 'Annabelle'. The sterile flower of 'SMNHALR' is smaller in diameter with narrower sepals than the sterile flower of 'Annabelle'. The bud of the sterile flower of 'SMNHALR' is light green whereas the bud of the sterile flower of 'Annabelle' is light to dark green. When newly open, the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'SMNHALR' is light to dark green whereas the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Annabelle' is yellowish light green. When fully open, the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'SMNHALR' is light to dark green with a darker green base whereas the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Annabelle' is white. When aged, the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'SMNHALR' is yellowish white whereas the sepal of the sterile flower of 'Annabelle' is white. The inner side of the petal of the fertile flower of 'SMNHALR' is white with pink overcolour covering most of the petal surface whereas the petal of the fertile flower of 'Annabelle' is white.

Description:

PLANT: non-climbing type, upright to semi-upright growth habit
STEM: no fasciation, orange-brown, moderate strength

LEAF BLADE: no lobing, predominantly ovate shape (some circular), short tip, cordate base, medium depth of incisions of margin, no variegation, medium green upper side, medium degree of glossiness of upper side, medium to strong blistering

FLOWERING: begins mid-season
INFLORESCENCE: globular shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers
STERILE FLOWER BUD: light green (RHS 144B)
STERILE FLOWER: single type, absent to weak degree of overlapping of sepals, incisions of margin absent on all sepals
SEPAL OF STERILE FLOWER (INNER SIDE): light to dark green (RHS 144A-B) when newly open, light to dark green (RHS 144A-C) with darker green towards base when fully open, white (RHS 157D, but more yellow) when aged
PETAL OF FERTILE FLOWER: inner side is white with pink overcolour covering most of the petal surface

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNHALR' was bred and developed by the breeder, Timothy D. Wood, an employee of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. It originated from a cross conducted in July 2007 between an unidentified plant of Hydrangea arborescens subsp. radiata, as the female parent, and the Hydrangea arborescens variety 'Pink Pincushion', as the male parent. From the resulting progeny, 'SMNHALR' was selected in July 2011 for its large inflorescences, green sterile flower sepals, and fertile flower colour. 'SMNHALR' was first propagated asexually by soft wood cuttings in July 2011, in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'SMNHALR' was conducted in an outdoor container trial during the spring and summer of 2016, at BioFlora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 12 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All shrubs were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 14 litre containers on July 15, 2015. The plants were overwintered in a cold double polyhouse without heat. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety on June 21, 2016. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMNHALR' with reference variety 'Annabelle'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Inflorescence height (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Sterile flower diameter (cm)

Width of sepal of sterile flower (cm)

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

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

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHALR' (left) with reference variety 'Annabelle' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHALR' (left) with reference variety 'Annabelle' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHALR' (left) with reference variety 'Annabelle' (right)