NCHA3

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'NCHA1' (Invincibelle Spirit)

Summary: The natural plant height (including the inflorescence) of 'NCHA3' is shorter than the natural plant height of 'NCHA1'. The calyx of the sterile flower of 'NCHA3' is larger in diameter than the calyx of the sterile flower of 'NCHA1'. The sepal of the sterile flower of 'NCHA3' is larger than the sepal of the sterile flower of 'NCHA1'. When fully open, the inner side of the sepal of the sterile flower of 'NCHA3' is white shaded with blue pink and has a darker blue pink margin whereas the sepal of the sterile flower of 'NCHA1' is white with pink tones.

Description:

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

LEAF BLADE: no lobing, ovate and elliptic shape, medium to long tip, cordate base, medium depth of incisions of margin, no variegation, dark green upper side, medium degree of glossiness of upper side, medium degree of blistering

FLOWERING: begins mid-season
INFLORESCENCE: globular shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers
STERILE FLOWER BUD: brown purple (redder than RHS 183B)
STERILE FLOWER: single type, absent or very weak degree of overlapping of sepals, profile of outer sepals is straight, incisions of margin absent on all sepals
SEPAL OF STERILE FLOWER (INNER SIDE): white (RHS 155A) with brown purple (RHS 185B-C) tones when newly open, white (RHS NN155B) shaded with blue pink (RHS 63B-C) that is darker along margin edge when fully open, white (RHS N155B) with violet to light blue pink (RHS 75C-D) overcolour when aged, no secondary colour
SEPAL OF STERILE FLOWER (OUTER SIDE): purple red (RHS 63A) with light blue pink (close to 65C) ground colour
PETAL OF FERTILE FLOWER: inner side is white with pink tones

Origin & Breeding History: 'NCHA3' was bred and developed by the breeder, Thomas Green Ranney, an employee of North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. It originated from a controlled cross conducted in June 2010 at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, in Mills River, North Carolina, between the variety 'H2009-068-007', as the female parent, and the variety 'H2008-143-001', as the male parent. From the resulting progeny, 'NCHA3' was selected in 2011 for its compact plant growth habit, stiff branches, and inflorescence colour. 'NCHA3' was first propagated asexually by stem cuttings in June 2012 at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, in Mills River, North Carolina.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'NCHA3' 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 'NCHA3' with reference variety 'NCHA1'

Natural plant height (including inflorescence) (cm)

Diameter of calyx of sterile flower (cm)

Length of sepal of sterile flower (cm)

Width of sepal of sterile flower (cm)

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

Click on image for larger view

Hydrangea: 'NCHA3' (left) with reference variety 'NCHA1' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Hydrangea: 'NCHA3' (left) with reference variety 'NCHA1' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Hydrangea: 'NCHA3' (left) with reference variety 'NCHA1' (right)