Little Rocket

Ligularia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'The Rocket'

Summary: 'Little Rocket' has a shorter, narrower plant than 'The Rocket'. 'Little Rocket' has weaker anthocyanin colouration in the stem than 'The Rocket'. 'Little Rocket' has a smaller leaf blade size and shallower incisions on the leaf blade margin than 'The Rocket'. 'Little Rocket' has a shorter raceme length than 'The Rocket'. The raceme is denser for 'Little Rocket' than for 'The Rocket'. 'Little Rocket' has slightly darker flower colour than 'The Rocket'.

Description:

'Little Rocket' is a vegetatively propagated, perennial ligularia variety. 'Little Rocket' has an upright bushy growth habit with sparse branching. The stems are dark green in colour and have medium anthocyanin colouration. The stems have very weak glaucosity and no pubescence. The stems are medium in thickness and smooth in shape.

The leaves are whorled and in a rosette. They are simple and reniform in shape with an acuminate shaped apex and cordate shaped base. The leaf blade margin is dentate to incised. There is no pubescence on the upper and lower side of the leaf blade. and no glaucosity on the upper side. The main colour of the upper side of the leaf blade is dark green and the lower side is light green. There is no leaf variegation present. The leaf petiole has medium to strong anthocyanin.

'Little Rocket' flowers mid season and has one flowering period which is long in length. 'Little Rocket' has a raceme type inflorescence which is terminal in position and erect in attitude. The florets are yellowish-orange in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Little Rocket' originated from a cross between 'Laternchern' as the female parent and 'The Rocket' as the male parent. The cross was made in Ter Aar, The Netherlands in 1998 and the variety was selected in 1999. The objectives of the breeding program was to produce a smaller plant with good flowers.

Tests & Trials: 'Little Rocket' was tested at Oxford Station, Ontario in the summer/fall of 2004. The trial included ten plants per variety which were planted in the field in rows. Plants were spaced 0.40 metres apart and spacing between rows was 0.60 metres. All colour characteristics were determined using the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart (1995 green box edition) and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Little Rocket' with reference variety 'The Rocket'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Raceme length (cm)

Petal colour (RHS)