Balriorg

Portulaca/purslane

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Summer Joy Wine Red' (Yubi Summer Joy Wine Red)

Summary: 'Balriorg' differs from the reference variety, 'Summer Joy Wine Red' mainly in colour and intensity of anthocyanin colouration of shoots, leaf blade length, flower diameter and colour, and filament colour. The shoots of 'Balriorg' have weak brown anthocyanin colouration on the shoots whereas it is medium to strong purple in 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The leaves of 'Balriorg' are shorter than those of 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The flower diameter of 'Balriorg' is smaller than that of 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The flowers of 'Balriorg' are slightly more orange-red than those of 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The filament of 'Balriorg' is orange whereas it is green and red in 'Summer Joy Wine Red'.

Description:

PLANT: annual, spreading to drooping growth habit, dense branching, medium thickness of shoots, light green shoots with weak brown anthocyanin colouration spread uniformly on shoot.

LEAF: alternate arrangement of simple leaves, obovate with an obtuse apex, cuneate base, medium to dark green upper surface, strong intensity of purple anthocyanin colouration along the margins on the upper surface, light to medium green on lower surface, petiole absent

CALYX: opposite arrangement, two sepals, broad ovate
FLOWER: inflorescence type, one open flower, terminal location, concave to flat in profile,
COROLLA LOBES: free to touching, margins medium to strong fringed, retuse at tip, weak undulation of margins, weak reflexing of margins
STAMEN: orange filament, yellow orange anther
PISTIL: medium-sized, yellow orange style, yellow orange stigma

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balriorg' arose as the result of crossing the variety, 'Yubi® Rose' with the variety, 'Yubi® Light Pink' in January 2002 at Dulce Nombre de Cartago, Costa Rica. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a series of proprietary portulaca varieties unique in its characteristics from other portulaca varieties. Initial selection and reproduction by vegetative cuttings first began in June, 2002.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Balriorg' were conducted in a polyhouse at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario during the spring of 2006. The trial included a total of 15 plants of both the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 6 inch pots on April 26, 2006. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 14, 2006. All colour measurements were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Balriorg' with reference variety 'Summer Joy Wine Red'

Leaf: blade length(cm)

Sepal: length (mm)

Sepal: width (mm)

Flower: diameter (cm)

Colour of upper surface of corolla lobe (RHS)

Colour of lower surface of corolla lobe (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Portulaca/purslane: 'Balriorg' (left) with reference variety 'Summer Joy Wine Red' (right)