SMNHPLK
| Denomination: | 'SMNHPLK' |
|---|---|
| Trade name: | Powerball |
| Botanical Name: | Hydrangea paniculata |
| Applicant/Holder: |
Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. 12601 120th Avenue Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 United States of America |
| Breeder: |
Megan Mathey, Holland, United States of America |
| Agent in Canada: |
BioFlora Inc. 38723 Fingal Line R.R. #1 St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 3S5 Canada Tel: 519-317-7511 |
| Application Date: | 2025-02-26 |
| Provisional Protection: | 2025-02-26 |
| Application Number: | 25-11935 |
Variety Description
Variety used for comparison: 'Jane' (Little Lime)
Summary: The stem of ‘SMNHPLK' is strong while that of ‘Jane' is of medium strength. The leaf blade of ‘SMNHPLK' is larger than that of ‘Jane'.
Description:
PLANT: non-climbing type, upright to semi-upright growth habit, broader than tall
STEM: no fasciation, brown, medium number of small to medium sized whitish lenticels, strong
PETIOLE: green
LEAF BLADE: no lobing, ovate shape, medium length tip, obtuse base, shallow margin incisions, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, no variegation, light to medium green, no secondary colour, absent or weak glossiness of upper side, weak to medium degree of rugosity, concave to flat in cross-section
INFLORESCENCE: conical shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers, pink or red colour on entire inflorescence at aging
STERILE FLOWER: only four sepals
SEPALS OF STERILE FLOWER: semi-erect attitude, rounded apex, absent or weak rugosity, flat in cross-section, weak degree of overlapping, absent or weak undulation, margin incisions absent on all sepals, when newly opened light green (RHS 145C), when fully opened light yellow (RHS 150D) to white (RHS 155A, 155C), when aged light green (RHS 145C-D) with medium brown purple (RHS 185C-D) to dark purple (as bright as RHS 60C) along the margin
PETAL OF FERTILE FLOWER: white
Origin & Breeding History: ‘SMNHPLK' originated from a controlled cross that occurred between the female parent variety ‘Limelight', and the proprietary male parent variety ‘Stratus' in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in the summer of 2018. In the summer of 2019, a single unique plant was selected from the resulting progeny in Grand Haven, Michigan based on its compact upright plant growth habit, stem strength, foliage health and colour, panicle shape and density and flower colour. Asexual reproduction of ‘SMNHPLK' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in 2019 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.
Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMNHPLK' 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 July 30, 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 'SMNHPLK' with reference variety 'Jane'
Leaf blade length (cm)
| 'SMNHPLK' | 'Jane' | |
|---|---|---|
| mean | 9.38 | |
| std. deviation | 0.59 | 0.38 |
Leaf blade width (cm)
| 'SMNHPLK' | 'Jane' | |
|---|---|---|
| mean | 5.50 | 4.64 |
| std. deviation | 0.35 | 0.28 |
Click on image for larger view
Hydrangea: 'SMNHPLK' (left) with reference variety 'Jane' (right)
Click on image for larger view
Hydrangea: 'SMNHPLK' (left) with reference variety 'Jane' (right)
Click on image for larger view
Hydrangea: 'SMNHPLK' (left) with reference variety 'Jane' (right)
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