Radcon

Rose

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Nearly Wild' and 'Radyod' (Blushing Knockout)

Summary: 'Radcon' has strong to very strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the young shoot, while it is absent to very weak in 'Nearly Wild', and medium to strong in 'Radyod'. The hue of the anthocyanin colouration of the young shoot in 'Radcon' is purple while it is reddish brown in 'Nearly Wild'. 'Radcon' has a sparse number of short and long prickles/thorns on the stem, while 'Nearly Wild' has very many short prickles/thorns, and medium number of long prickles/thorns. The flower bud shape in longitudinal cross section of 'Radcon' is pointed while it is ovoid in 'Nearly Wild'. 'Radcon' has weak sepal extensions while in 'Nearly Wild' they are none to very weak. The length of the sepal in 'Radcon' is longer than in 'Nearly Wild'. The shape of the upper and lower part of the flower when viewed from the side in 'Radcon' is flat while it is flattened convex in 'Nearly Wild'. 'Radcon' has a semi-double flower type while 'Nearly Wild' is a single. 'Radcon' and 'Nearly Wild' have a medium coloured pink flowers while 'Radyod' they are light pink. The petal length is longer in 'Radcon' than 'Nearly Wild'. 'Radcon' has a medium length red style while in 'Nearly Wild' it is long yellow-green and red. The position of the stigma relative to the anthers in 'Radcon' is below, while in 'Nearly Wild' it is above. There are prickles on the receptacle of 'Radcon' and 'Radyod' but not on 'Nearly Wild'. 'Radcon' has better resistance to black spot than 'Nearly Wild'.

Description:

'Radcon' is a landscape small shrub rose variety which has an upright to bushy growth habit. The young shoot has strong to very strong anthocyanin colouration with a purple hue. The stem has a sparse number of short and long prickles which are concave in shape and white to red in colour. The pedicel has a few prickles/thorns. The leaves are dark green and have very weak glossiness on the upper side. There are three to seven leaflets. The terminal leaflet has a serrate margin and a thin or flexible to leathery texture. The leaflet base is rounded.

'Radcon' flowers mid-season and flowers almost continuously for four to ten weeks. There are a low to medium number of flowers per flowering shoot and the flower pedicel has a medium to many number of hairs or prickles. The flower bud is pointed and sepal extensions are weak. The flower is round when viewed from above, flat on the upper part when viewed from the side and flat on the lower part when viewed from the side. The flower center is normal and the corolla is semi-double. 'Radcon' has medium pink flowers. The petals have a very small sized spot at the base of the inner and outer side. The petal margin has weak reflexing and undulation. The outer stamen has a white filament. The style is medium in length, red and has weak hairiness on the upper half. The stigma is positioned below the anthers. The receptacle is small, pitcher shaped and has prickles. The flower has no fragrance. 'Radcon' is resistant to mildew and moderately resistant to black spot.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Radcon' was discovered in March 2001 amongst plants of the rose variety 'Radrazz' (Knockout) growing in production fields at West Grove, Pennsylvania, USA and is believed to be a naturally occurring mutation from this variety. The new variety was selected for its distinctive pink blossom and its compact, mounding shrub growth habit.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Radcon' were conducted in 2003 at Oxford Station, Ontario. Ten plants of each variety were field grown in a row being spaced 0.4 metres apart. Rows were 1 metre apart.

Comparison tables for 'Radcon' with reference varieties 'Nearly Wild' and 'Radyod'

Sepal length (mm)

Colour on outer side of petal (RHS)

Colour on inner side of petal (RHS)