Varsidh

Photinia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Red Robin'

Summary: 'Varsidh' has a shorter, more bushy growth habit than 'Red Robin'. The leaves of 'Varsidh' have a shorter petiole length and deeper incisions on the margin than the leaves of 'Red Robin'. 'Varsidh' has yellowish green leaves with dark green secondary colour while 'Red Robin' has medium green leaves with no secondary colour.

Description:

'Varsidh' is an evergreen shrub which has an upright bushy growth habit. The stems are medium in thickness and red in colour. The leaves are medium in thickness and obovate in shape. The leaf base is broad cuneate and the apex is acute. The leaf margins are serrate and undulation of the margin is very weak. Leaf stipules are present. There is no pubescence on the upper and lower side of the mature leaf. The newly opened leaves are red in colour and the mature leaf is yellowish green with dark green secondary colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Varsidh' was discovered as a chimera of Photinia fraserii at Sidhu and Sons Nursery, Mission, British Columbia is 1995. Asexual propagation since that time has been by stem tip cuttings.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Varsidh' were conducted in an outdoor trial during the summer of 2003 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 10 plants of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from one year old rooted cuttings which were transplanted into one gallon containers in September 2002 and overwintered in a polyhouse during the winter 2002/2003. The plants were transplanted into five gallon containers in the spring of 2003 and grown outdoors with 1.5 metre spacing between plants. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 RHS colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Varsidh' with reference variety 'Red Robin'

Plant height (cm)

Petiole length (mm)

Colour of young leaf (RHS)

Main colour of mature leaf (RHS)

Secondary colour of mature leaf (RHS)