SMNHPM

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: ‘SMHPLQF' (Little Quick Fire)

Summary: The plants of ‘SMNHPM' are taller than those of ‘SMHPLQF'. The petiole of ‘SMNHPM' is shorter than that of ‘SMHPLQF'. The leaf blade of ‘SMNHPM' is longer than that of ‘SMHPLQF'. The leaf blade of ‘SMNHPM' is ovate with a medium length tip while that of ‘SMHPLQF' is elliptic with a long tip. The inflorescence of ‘SMNHPM' is taller with a larger diameter than that of ‘SMHPLQF'. The fertile flowers of the inflorescence of ‘SMNHPM' are inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous while those of ‘SMHPLQF' are very conspicuous. The diameter of the calyx of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHPM' is larger than that of ‘SMHPLQF'. The sepal of the calyx of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHPM' is longer than that of ‘SMHPLQF'. The sterile flower of ‘SMNHPM' has four and five sepals that have absent or very weak overlapping while that of ‘SMHPLQF' has three and four sepals that have a medium degree of overlapping. The sepals of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHPM' have a horizontal attitude and are weakly concave to strongly concave in cross-section while those of ‘SMHPLQF' have a semi-erect attitude and are flat in cross-section.

Description:

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

STEM: no fasciation, red to brown, few to medium number of medium sized whitish lenticels

PETIOLE: green with some red
LEAF BLADE: no lobing, ovate shape, medium length tip, obtuse base, medium to deep margin incisions, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, no variegation, medium green, no secondary colour, absent or weak glossiness of upper side, weak rugosity, concave to flat in cross-section

INFLORESCENCE: globular to conical shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers
STERILE FLOWER: medium density, four and five sepals, absent or very weak overlapping of sepals
SEPALS OF STERILE FLOWER: horizontal attitude, rounded to emarginate apex, absent or weak rugosity, weakly concave to strongly concave in cross-section, absent or weak undulation, no margin incisions, white (RHS 155A), no secondary colour, pink or red colour at aging absent or on part of inflorescence

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNHPM' originated from a controlled cross conducted between the female parent variety ‘Firelight' and the male parent, a proprietary seedling, designated ‘Red Pink', in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in March 2013. In the summer of 2016, a single unique plant was selected from the resulting progeny in Grand Haven, Michigan based on its bloom size, stem strength and flower colour. Asexual reproduction of 'SMNHPM' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in the summer of 2016 in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMNHPM' was conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2022 at BioFlora, Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 10 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from 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 table for 'SMNHPM' with reference variety ‘SMHPLQF'

Natural plant height including inflorescence (cm)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHPM' (left) with reference variety 'SMHPLQF' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHPM' (left) with reference variety 'SMHPLQF' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHPM' (left) with reference variety 'SMHPLQF' (right)