Pink Lemonade

Scabiosa

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Pink Mist'

Summary: The leaves and sepals of 'Pink Lemonade' are variegated yellow and dark green while those of 'Pink Mist' are only dark green.

Description:

'Pink Lemonade' is a vegetatively propagated Scabiosa variety with upright and spreading plant growth habit. The degree of branching is moderate. The stems are medium green and sparsely pubescent. The leaves are arranged both as a basal rosette and alternately along the stem. The leaf type is pinnatisect. The overall shape of the leaf blade is obovate to spatulate with an acute apex and an attenuate base. The margin of the lobes is coarsely toothed. The leaf blade is variegated yellow and dark green. Pubescence of the leaf blade is moderate on both the upper and lower sides. There is no petiole.

'Pink Lemonade' begins flowering early and flowers almost continuously for a long time. The peduncles are pubescent. The sepals are lanceolate in shape and variegated yellow and dark green. The flowers are a head type of inflorescence located at both terminal and axillary positions on the stem. The attitude of the flower is erect. The flower has many ray florets which are short to medium in length and narrow. The longitudinal axis of the majority of the ray florets is twisted with a rounded apex. The upper side of the ray florets is blue pink. The floret disc is light blue violet.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Pink Lemonade' was discovered in 2001 as a naturally occurring sport of Scabiosa variety 'Butterfly Blue' plants being cultivated in a Walters Gardens Inc. greenhouse in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. It was selected for its variegated foliage in spring when the margin of the leaves are gold in colour. Garden trials conducted in 2002 and 2003 established that this foliage trait was unique and that the plants have good garden hardiness and outdoor adaptability.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'Pink Lemonade' was conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2005 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included ten plants of each variety. The plants were grown in 15 cm pots spaced 30 cm apart. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Pink Lemonade' with reference variety 'Pink Mist'

Colour of ray floret (RHS)

Colour of floret disc

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Scabiosa: 'Pink Lemonade' (left) with reference variety 'Pink Mist' (right)