Eckalcott

Poinsettia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: '490'

Summary: 'Eckalcott' produces more narrow plants with smaller leaf blades, smaller bracts and shorter petioles than '490'. Development of the lobes of the leaf blades is strong for 'Eckalcott' while it is weak for '490'. 'Eckalcott' has darker red flower colour than '490'. Development of the lobes of the bracts is strong for 'Eckalcott' while it is absent to very weak for '490'. 'Eckalcott' has large cyathia glands which are yellow to orange in colour while those of '490' are medium in size and greenish yellow in colour.

Description:

'Eckalcott' is a poinsettia variety with weak to moderate intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the stem. The broad ovate shaped leaves have a round to wedge shaped base with no anthocyanin colouration on the upper and lower sides. The veins on the upper and lower sides of the leaf blades have weak to moderate intensity of anthocyanin colouration. Development of lobes on the leaf blades is strong and the sinuses between the lobes are round in shape. Incision of the margin of the leaf blades is absent. Intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the petiole for 'Eckalcott' is moderate to strong on the upper side and moderate on the lower side.

'Eckalcott' has many bracts which are uniform in colour. The bracts are dark purple red to red in colour. Initiation of colour occurs early. Development of lobes on the bracts is strong and the sinuses between the lobes are mostly round in shape. Incision of the margin of the bracts is absent. There is no folding, curving or twisting of the bracts. The broad ovate shaped bracts have a round shaped base and weak rugosity between the veins. The glands of the cyathium are large and yellow to orange in colour. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the margins of the glands is moderate. The time of opening of the first three cyathia is early.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Eckalcott' was discovered at the Paul Ecke Ranch Inc., Encinitas, California in December of 1999. It was selected for its dark red and burgundy, two toned bract colour.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Eckalcott' were conducted at Ed Sobkowich Greenhouses Ltd., Grimsby, Ontario during the fall/winter of 2002. A minimum of ten plants of each variety were grown in a greenhouse. Each plant was grown in a 15 cm pot spaced 0.40 meters apart. All colour characteristics were determined using the Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Colour Chart, Third Edition (Copyright 1995 - green box) and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Eckalcott' with reference variety '490'

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Colour of the bracts (RHS)

Bract length (cm)

Bract width (cm)