SMNHPK

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'SMHPFL' (Fire Light)

Summary: The plants of ‘SMNHPK' have an upright growth habit and are shorter than those of ‘SMHPFL', which have a spreading growth habit. The petiole of ‘SMNHPK' is mainly red with some green and longer than that of ‘SMHPFL', which is green. The shape of the leaf blade of ‘SMNHPK' is elliptic whereas that of ‘SMHPFL' is ovate. The leaf blade of ‘SMNHPK' is light green whereas that of ‘SMHPFL' is dark green. The inflorescence of ‘SMNHPK' is shorter and smaller in diameter than that of ‘SMHPFL'. The calyx of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHPK' is smaller in diameter than that of ‘SMHPFL'. The sepal of the calyx on the sterile flower of ‘SMNHPK' is smaller than that of ‘SMHPFL'. With age, part of the inflorescence of ‘SMNHPK' turns pink or red while the entire inflorescence of ‘SMHPFL' turns pink or red.

Description:

PLANT: non-climbing type, upright growth habit, broader than tall

STEM: no fasciation, pink and brown, few to medium number of small whitish lenticels

PETIOLE: mainly red with some green
LEAF BLADE: no lobing, elliptic shape, medium length tip, rounded base, shallow margin incisions, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, no variegation, light green, no secondary colour, absent or weak glossiness of upper side, weak rugosity, concave in cross-section

INFLORESCENCE: ranging between globular and globular to conical shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers, pink or red colour at aging on part of inflorescence
STERILE FLOWER: sparse density, four and five sepals, medium degree of overlapping of sepals
SEPALS OF STERILE FLOWER: semi-erect to horizontal attitude, rounded apex, absent or weak rugosity, flat in cross-section, absent or weak undulation, no margin incisions, white (RHS NN155A), no secondary colour

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNHPK' originated from an open-pollinated cross that occurred between the female parent, a proprietary seedling, designated ‘Bicolor Pink' and pollen from an unknown male parent in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in the summer of 2011. In 2015, a single unique plant was selected from the resulting progeny in Grand Haven, Michigan based on its dwarf-type plant growth habit and flower colour. Asexual reproduction of 'SMNHPK' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in 2015 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMNHPK' was conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2022 at BioFlora, Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 10 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from bare-rooted cuttings and transplanted into 13.6 litre containers on July 22, 2021. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety on August 2, 2022. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMNHPK' with reference variety 'SMHPFL'

Natural plant height including inflorescence (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Inflorescence height (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Calyx diameter of sterile flower (cm)

Sepal length of calyx of sterile flower (cm)

Sepal width of calyx of sterile flower (cm)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHPK' (left) with reference variety 'SMHPFL' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHPK' (left) with reference variety 'SMHPFL' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHPK' (left) with reference variety 'SMHPFL' (right)