SMNHPSB

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'SMNHPK' (Fire Light Tidbit)

Summary: The leaf blade of ‘SMNHPSB' is smaller than that of ‘SMNHPK'. The leaf blade tip of ‘SMNHPSB' is of short to medium length while that of ‘SMNHPK' is medium to long. The degree of rugosity on the leaf blade of ‘SMNHPSB' is medium while it is weak for that of ‘SMNHPK'. The inflorescence of ‘SMNHPSB' is shorter and smaller in diameter than that of ‘SMNHPK'. The calyx of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHPSB' is smaller in diameter than that of ‘SMNHPK'.

Description:

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

STEM: no fasciation, brown, medium number of medium sized whitish (tan) lenticels

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

INFLORESCENCE: globular to conical shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers, medium to dense sterile flowers, pink or red colour at aging on entire inflorescence, aged flowers initially medium purple red (RHS 58C) to medium blue pink (RHS 58D) transitioning to medium brown purple (RHS 184C)
STERILE FLOWER: three and four sepals
SEPALS OF STERILE FLOWER: semi-erect attitude, rounded and slightly emarginate apex, absent or weak rugosity, flat to weakly concave in cross-section, medium degree of overlapping, absent or weak undulation, margin incisions absent on all sepals, white (RHS 155B) when mature, no secondary colour

Origin & Breeding History: ‘SMNHPSB' originated from a controlled cross that occurred between the female parent, an unnamed proprietary Hydrangea paniculata seedling, and an unknown male parent in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in the summer of 2013. In the summer of 2015, a single unique plant was selected from the resulting progeny in Grand Haven, Michigan based on its compact growth habit, branching density, leaf colour and rugosity, inflorescence size and type and flower colour. Asexual reproduction of ‘SMNHPSB' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in 2015 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMNHPSB' was conducted in an outdoor trial during the spring and summer of 2024 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 2023. The plants were overwintered in a polyhouse and moved outdoors in May 2024 to a drip irrigated field area and arranged in rows with plants spaced approximately 1 meter apart. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety on August 15, 2024. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

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

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Inflorescence height (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Diameter of calyx of sterile flower (mm)

Click on image for larger view

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

Click on image for larger view

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

Click on image for larger view

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