SMHALP

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Hass Halo'

Summary: The inflorescence of ‘SMHALP' is shorter with a smaller diameter than that of ‘Hass Halo'. The calyx of the sterile flower of ‘SMHALP' is narrower than that of ‘Hass Halo'. The sterile flower of ‘SMHALP' has four to five sepals whereas that of ‘Hass Halo' has three to four sepals. The sepal of the newly opened sterile flower of ‘SMHALP' is light yellow with light green at base and medium blue pink overlay and dark blue pink along margins whereas that of ‘Hass Halo' is light yellow. The fertile flower of ‘SMHALP' has red petals whereas that of ‘Hass Halo' has green petals.

Description:

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

STEM: no fasciation, green and red, absent or few medium sized whitish (tan) lenticels

PETIOLE: red (some green present) at base
LEAF BLADE: no lobing, ovate shape, medium to long tip, cordate base, medium depth margin incisions, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, no variegation, medium to dark green, no secondary colour, absent or weak glossiness of upper side, medium to strong rugosity, flat in cross-section

INFLORESCENCE: flattened shape, very conspicuous fertile flowers, sterile flowers arranged in one whorl
STERILE FLOWER: four to five sepals
SEPALS OF STERILE FLOWER: horizontal attitude, pointed apex, absent or weak rugosity, flat in cross-section, weak degree of overlapping, absent or weak undulation, no incisions on all sepals, light yellow (RHS 4C-D) with light green (RHS 144C) at base and medium blue pink overlay (RHS 64D) and dark blue pink (RHS 63B) along margins when newly opened, white (RHS NN155A) when fully opened
PETAL OF FERTILE FLOWER: red

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMHALP' originated from an open-pollinated cross between an undesignated proprietary female parent and an unknown male parent in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in 2011. In 2016, a single unique plant was selected from the resulting progeny in Grand Haven, Michigan based on stem strength and flower architecture. Asexual reproduction of ‘SMHALP' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in 2018 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMHALP' was conducted in an outdoor container trial during the summer of 2025 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 10 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 13.6 litre containers in the summer of 2024. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety on June 5, 2025. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's T-test. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMHALP' with reference variety 'Hass Halo'

Inflorescence height (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Calyx width (cm)

Colour of the sepal of sterile flower (RHS)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHALP' (left) with reference variety 'Hass Halo' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHALP' (left) with reference variety 'Hass Halo' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHALP' (left) with reference variety 'Hass Halo' (right)