Early Joy

Poinsettia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Freedom Red'

Summary: 'Early Joy' is an early season poinsettia variety which produces shorter, more compact plants than 'Freedom Red'. There is no stem anthocyanin in 'Early Joy', whereas 'Freedom Red' has weak to medium anthocyanin on the stems. The leaves and bracts of 'Early Joy' are smaller than those of 'Freedom Red'.

Description:

'Early Joy' is a poinsettia variety which produces compact plants that have no anthocyanin colouration on the stem. The leaves are broad ovate in shape and have a straight base with no anthocyanin colouration on the upper and lower sides. There is very weak anthocyanin colouration located at the base of the mid-vein on the upper side of the leaf blade, and very weak anthocyanin on the veins of the lower side. There is no lobe development on the leaf blades and no incisions of the margins. The petiole has medium to strong anthocyanin colouration on the upper side and medium anthocyanin on the lower side.

The bracts of 'Early Joy' are bright red and develop their colour early in the season. There is very weak lobe development, with a rounded sinus between the lobes and no incisions of the margin. There is no folding or curving of the bracts and some weak to medium twisting. Rugosity between the veins is weak to medium. 'Early Joy' has broad ovate shaped bracts with a rounded to wedge-shaped base. The angle between the largest bract and the petiole is obtuse to straight. The glands of the cyathium are yellow and medium in size, with weak to medium anthocyanin colouration of the margins.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Early Joy' was developed in Lompoc, California in 1994. The variety originated from the crossing of a female Mikkelson seedling 93-209-1 with Mikkelson Seedling, Breeding Stock number 92-245-12 as the male parent. The resultant seedling was then grafted to Stock Plant #94-G-175.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Early Joy' were conducted in a greenhouse during the summer/fall of 2003 in St. Catharines, Ontario. The trial consisted of 15 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings, transplanted into 15cm pots on August 12 (week 33). The pots were spaced 30cm apart, from the pot centre. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on December 4, 2003. All colour determinations were made using the RHS Colour Chart 2001.

Comparison tables for 'Early Joy' with reference variety 'Freedom Red'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Colour of bract (RHS)