Penda

Lilac

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Josee'

Summary: The plants of 'Penda' are shorter and have weaker stems than the plants of 'Josee'. The leaf blade of 'Penda' is shorter and narrower than the leaf blade of 'Josee'. The upper side of the leaf blade is dark green for 'Penda' while it is medium green for 'Josee'. The plants of 'Penda' flower over a longer period of time than the plants of 'Josee'. The tip of the corolla is weakly incurved for 'Penda' while it is strongly incurved for 'Josee'. The upper side of the corolla of 'Penda' differs slightly in colour from the corolla of 'Josee'.

Description:

PLANT: upright bushy to pendulous growth habit, medium to many branches, medium foliage density
STEM: dark red-purple new wood, tan mature wood, strong anthocyanin on new shoots, dense pubescence, smooth shape, small diameter, weak strength

LEAF: opposite arrangement, simple, ovate, obtuse apex, obtuse base, entire margin, medium to strong margin undulation, absent to sparse pubescence on upper side, sparse to medium pubescence on lower side, dark green on upper and lower side

FLOWER: early flowering with strong reflowering, strong to very strong fragrance, medium to dense panicle type inflorescence, terminal and axillary in position, round bud shape, erect to drooping attitude, tubular floret
COROLLA LOBES: incurved, four, acute apex, concave profile, tip weakly incurved, upper side violet (RHS 75A) in spring fading to light blue violet (RHS 76D), violet (RHS 77C) in summer with lighter violet (RHS 77D) at margin, absent to very weak undulation of margin, entire margin
ANTHER: dark violet (RHS 79A).

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Penda' originated from an open pollinated cross made in June 2004 at Grand Haven, Michigan, USA, between the female parent 'Josee' and an unknown male parent. The new variety was selected in the spring of 2006 based on repeat blooming, dark flower bud colour, flower colour and good tolerance to root rot. The new variety was first propagated by softwood cuttings in the spring of 2007 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: 'Penda' was tested in a polyhouse in the early spring of 2010 and continued in an outdoor trial during the summer of 2010, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial consisted of a total of 12 plants of the candidate variety and 10 plants of the reference variety. All plants were grown from 4 inch rooted liners planted in 2 gallon containers in May 2009. Plants were spaced .5 metres apart and overwintered in a polyhouse. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on May 10, 2010 and July 8, 2010. All colour measurements were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Penda' with reference variety 'Josee'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Colour of corolla lobe (RHS)

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Lilac: 'Penda' (left) with reference variety 'Josee' (right)

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Lilac: 'Penda' (left) with reference variety 'Josee' (right)