Azure Snow

Salvia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Madeline'

Summary: The plants of 'Azure Snow' are smaller than those of 'Madeline'. The petiole of 'Azure Snow' is shorter than that of 'Madeline'. The leaf blade of 'Azure Snow' is narrower than that of 'Madeline'. The upper side of the leaf blade of 'Azure Snow' is medium green while that of 'Madeline' is dark green. The inflorescence of 'Azure Snow' is shorter than that of 'Madeline'. The internode on the inflorescence of 'Azure Snow' is shorter than that of 'Madeline'. The inflorescence of 'Azure Snow' has a medium number of florets per node while that of 'Madeline' has many florets per node. The corolla of 'Azure Snow' is shorter in length and height than that of 'Madeline'.

Description:

PLANT: semi-upright growth habit, medium density of shoots

STEM: absent or very weak to weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, absent or very sparse to sparse pubescence

LEAF BLADE: simple type, medium length to width ratio, broadest part positioned moderately towards base, acute apex, cordate base, absent or very shallow to shallow margin incisions, absent or weak degree of undulation of margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): medium green, no variegation, absent or very sparse to sparse pubescence, medium rugosity

INFLORESCENCE: medium number of florets per node, medium number of lateral branches, semi-erect attitude of tip
BRACT: medium to strong persistence, short, outer side dark green to dark brown green (RHS 137A/B)
CALYX (OUTER SIDE): light green (RHS 145B/C), absent or very sparse pubescence
COROLLA TUBE (OUTER SIDE): dark blue violet (RHS 93B)
COROLLA (UPPER LIP): outer side dark blue violet (RHS 93B), absent or very sparse pubescence
COROLLA (LOWER LIP): moderately downwards attitude relative to corolla tube, white (RHS NN155D) with dark blue violet (RHS 93B) distributed at margin, medium degree of undulation of margin

Origin & Breeding History: 'Azure Snow' originated from a cross conducted in June of 2012 at Walters Gardens Inc., in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. The cross was made between the female parent, an unreleased proprietary hybrid known by the breeder code HK9-08-01 and the male parent variety 'Madeline'. Seeds collected from the resulting individual plants were sown in Zeeland, Michigan in 2012. Initial selections made in 2014 were based on plant habit and flower colour. Asexual propagation of 'Azure Snow' was first conducted by shoot tip cuttings at Walters Gardens, Inc. in 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Azure Snow' was conducted during the summer of 2022 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial consisted of 10 plants each of the candidate and reference variety, each individually grown in 23 cm pots. The pots were spaced approximately 45 cm apart. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of 10 plants of each variety. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'Azure Snow' with reference variety 'Madeline'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Inflorescence length (cm)

Inflorescence internode length (cm)

Corolla length (cm)

Corolla height (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Salvia: 'Azure Snow' (left) with reference variety 'Madeline' (right)