Midnight Masquerade

Penstemon

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Blackbeard'

Summary: The plants of 'Midnight Masquerade' are shorter than those of 'Blackbeard'. The leaf blade of 'Midnight Masquerade' is smaller than that of 'Blackbeard'. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration on the upper side of the leaf blade of 'Midnight Masquerade' is of medium intensity whereas it is of strong intensity for that of 'Blackbeard'. The inner side of the corolla tube of 'Midnight Masquerade' is violet while it is white for 'Blackbeard'. The inner side of the upper and lower corolla lobes of 'Midnight Masquerade' is mainly violet while it is mainly white for 'Blackbeard'.

Description:

PLANT: narrow upright growth habit

STEM: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration, medium thickness and medium length internode at middle third

LEAF BLADE: opposite arrangement along stem, lanceolate shaped, acute tip, no variegation, medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration develops on upper side throughout summer, absent or weak undulation of margin, no petiole

INFLORESCENCE: thyrse type, many flowers, flowers early
FLOWER: located at terminal position only, bilabiate shaped
COROLLA LOBE: medium length and width
COROLLA (UPPER LOBE): mainly violet (RHS 77D)
COROLLA (LOWER LOBE): mainly violet (RHS N78D-77C) with light blue violet (RHS 76D) along tube opening
COROLLA TUBE: medium length, medium diameter just below lobes, violet (RHS N78B/C) on inner side, violet (RHS N80D) on outer side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Midnight Masquerade' originated from the self pollination of an unreleased second generation hybrid variety developed from the self pollination of Penstemon variety 'Pocohontas'. Seeds were selected and sown from plants in the summer of 2014 at Walters Gardens, Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. Resulting seeds were sown with initial selections made in the summer of 2015. The variety was selected based on plant growth habit, leaf colour and flower colour. Initial asexual reproduction was by shoot tip cuttings, and bare root division propagation was first conducted in the summer of 2015 in Zeeland, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial of 'Midnight Masquerade' was conducted in a galvanized steel structure covered with black mesh shade fabric during the summer of 2019 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown in 22 cm pots spaced 45 cm apart. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of each variety on July 12, 2019. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Midnight Masquerade' with reference variety 'Blackbeard'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Colour of corolla tube (RHS)

Main colour of inner side of corolla lobe (RHS)

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Penstemon: 'Midnight Masquerade' (left) with reference variety 'Blackbeard' (right)

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Penstemon: 'Midnight Masquerade' (left) with reference variety 'Blackbeard' (right)