NPCW08153

Poinsettia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Christmas Beauty'

Summary: The stems of 'NPCW08153' have absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration at the middle third while the stems of 'Christmas Beauty' have weak anthocyanin. The leaf blade of 'NPCW08153' has a truncate base while the leaf blade of 'Christmas Beauty' has a wedge-shaped base. The largest bract is wider for 'NPCW08153' than for 'Christmas Beauty'. The upper side of the bract of 'NPCW08153' is a slightly lighter red than the bract of 'Christmas Beauty'.

Description:

PLANT: branching present
STEM: medium green at middle third, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration at middle third, absent or weak anthocyanin on upper third

LEAF: ovate, truncate base, dark green on upper side, main vein green and red on upper side, none or few lobes, lobes very shallow when present, absent or weak curvature of main vein
PETIOLE: absent or very weak intensity of green colour on upper side, strong anthocyanin colouration on upper side, absent or weak anthocyanin on lower side
TRANSITIONAL LEAVES: very few partly bract coloured leaves, few fully bract coloured leaves, absent or weak lobing, absent or weak curvature along main vein

BRACT: medium number of large coloured bracts, few to medium number of small coloured bracts, largest bract ovate, one colour on upper side, red (RHS 45B) on upper side, absent or very weak spotting on upper side, lower side red (RHS 45C/47B), no folding along main vein, mostly absent twisting, medium rugosity between veins
CYATHIUM GLANDS: medium size, yellow, no deformation present, response time 7.5 weeks.

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'NPCW08153' originated from a pollination made in Stuttgart, Germany in 2004. The female parent was the variety 'Christmas Star' and the male parent was unknown. Seedlings were selected from the cross in 2005 for criteria based on bract size, bract colour, bract shape, leaf quality and branching characteristics. One of these seedlings was designated 'NPCW08153' and was further evaluated in 2006 for bract shape, plant vigour and postharvest characteristics.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'NPCW08153' were conducted in a greenhouse in St. Catharines, Ontario . The trial included a total of 25 plants each of the candidate variety and reference variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 15 cm pots on August 10, 2010. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on December 1, 2010. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'NPCW08153' with reference variety 'Christmas Beauty'

Width of largest bract (cm)

Colour of bract (RHS)

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Poinsettia: 'NPCW08153' (left) with reference variety 'Christmas Beauty' (right)

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Poinsettia: 'NPCW08153' (left) with reference variety 'Christmas Beauty' (right)