Blue Royalty

Lavender

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Hidcote Blue'

Summary: The foliage on the plants of 'Blue Royalty' has a grey tinge of medium intensity while that of 'Hidcote Blue' has a grey tinge of strong intensity. At full flowering, the plants of 'Blue Royalty' are medium to dense while those of 'Hidcote Blue' are open to medium density. The middle third of the flowering stem of 'Blue Royalty' is of medium thickness whereas it is thin for 'Hidcote Blue'. The internode length below the first whorl on the flowering stem of 'Blue Royalty' is longer than that of 'Hidcote Blue'. The spike length including the first whorl of 'Blue Royalty' is longer than that of 'Hidcote Blue'. The outer side of the calyx of 'Blue Royalty' is violet with blue violet towards the base while it is blue violet for 'Hidcote Blue'. The inner side of the corolla of 'Blue Royalty' is mainly light blue violet while it is lighter blue violet for 'Hidcote Blue'.

Description:

PLANT: bushy, semi-erect attitude of outer flowering stems at full flowering, medium to dense at full flowering, medium to dense flowering stems
FOLIAGE: medium to dark intensity of green colour, medium intensity of grey tinge

LEAF: no incisions of margin

FLOWERING STEM: medium thickness at middle third (excluding spike), medium intensity of green colour, strong rigidity of basal part, no lateral branching above foliage
SPIKE: short from second whorl, medium number of whorls (excluding first whorl), short distance between whorls, truncate-conical, many flowers, medium to many flowers on apical whorl, no infertile bracts
CALYX: purplish to violet, outer side violet (RHS N81A-B) with blue violet (RHS N87A) towards base, strong pubescence
COROLLA: violet, inner side light blue violet (RHS 85A-B) with lighter blue violet (RHS 85D) from central zone to base
TIME OF BEGINNING OF FLOWERING: mid-season to late

Origin & Breeding History: 'Blue Royalty' originated from a controlled cross conducted in July 2004 by the breeder, Lammert Koning, in Nuis, The Netherlands. The cross involved the two proprietary varieties '1755' as the female parent and 'Hidcote' as the male parent. A single plant was selected in August 2005 based on its compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit, durable green leaf colour, freely flowering habit, dark purple flower colour, long and strong peduncles and garden performance. The Lavender variety 'Blue Royalty' was first propagated by vegetative cuttings in November 2005 in Sappemeer, The Netherlands.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Blue Royalty' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring of 2014 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 15 cm pots on April 29, 2014. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety on June 12, 2014. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Blue Royalty' with reference variety 'Hidcote Blue'

Internode length below first whorl (cm)

Spike length, including first whorl (cm)

Colour of calyx (RHS)

Colour of corolla (RHS)

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Lavender: 'Blue Royalty' (left) with reference variety 'Hidcote Blue' (right)

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Lavender: 'Blue Royalty' (left) with reference variety 'Hidcote Blue' (right)

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Lavender: 'Blue Royalty' (left) with reference variety 'Hidcote Blue' (right)