Red Angel

Poinsettia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Eckadire' (Prestige Red)

Summary: 'Red Angel' is a mid-season poinsettia variety which produces plants with a shorter petiole than the reference variety 'Eckadire'. There are few or no lobes on the leaves of 'Red Angel', whereas 'Eckadire' leaves have weak lobe development. The lower side of the bracts of 'Red Angel' differ in colour from those of 'Eckadire'. The base of the largest bract of 'Red Angel' is rounded, compared with 'Eckadire' which has a wedge-shaped base. In plants of 'Red Angel' the angle between the largest bract and the petiole is obtuse, whereas it is straight in 'Eckadire'.

Description:

'Red Angel' is a poinsettia variety which produces plants that have weak anthocyanin colouration on the stem. The leaves are broad ovate in shape and have a straight to rounded 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 no anthocyanin on the veins of the lower side. Lobe development on the leaf blades is absent to very weak and there is no incisions of the margins. The petiole has very strong anthocyanin colouration on the upper side and weak to medium anthocyanin on the lower side.

The bracts of 'Red Angel' are red and develop their colour mid-season. There is no lobe development and no incisions of the margin. There is weak to medium folding of the bracts, very weak curving and no twisting. Rugosity between the veins is weak to medium. 'Red Angel' has broad ovate shaped bracts with a rounded base. The angle between the largest bract and the petiole is obtuse. The glands of the cyathium are greenish yellow and medium in size, with very weak anthocyanin colouration of the margins.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Red Angel' was developed in Lompoc, California in 1994. The variety originated from the crossing the variety 'Lilo' with Mikkelson Seedling 93-104-2. The resultant seedling was then grafted to Stock Plant #94-G-71 to produce a branching plant.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Red Angel' 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 'Red Angel' with reference variety 'Eckadire'

Plant height (cm)

Length of leaf petiole (cm)

Colour of bract (RHS)

Width of largest bract (cm)