SMNCCPP3

Smokebush

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Royal Purple'

Summary: The plants of 'SMNCCPP3' are wider than those of 'Royal Purple'. The plants of 'SMNCCPP3' have medium density branching while the plants of 'Royal Purple' have sparse branching. The leaf of 'SMNCCPP3' is smaller than that of 'Royal Purple'. The leaf blade of 'SMNCCPP3' is obovate shaped with a rounded apex and an obtuse base whereas the leaf blade of 'Royal Purple' is ovate to elliptic with an obtuse apex and a rounded base. At mid-season, the upper side of the leaf of 'SMNCCPP3' is medium green while it is dark green to reddish purple for 'Royal Purple'. The anthocyanin colouration along the veins of the lower side of the leaf blade of 'SMNCCPP3' is of weak to medium intensity while it is of medium to strong intensity for 'Royal Purple'.

Description:

PLANT: shrub type, globose shape, bushy to horizontal growth habit, medium density branching

STEM: red brown to purple, medium thickness, round shape in cross-section, absent or very sparse pubescence, smooth texture of bark, strong degree of glaucosity, absent or very few lenticels, absent or very sparse density of thorns/spines

PETIOLE: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration
LEAF: simple type, alternate arrangement along stem
LEAF BLADE: obovate shape, rounded apex, obtuse base, entire margin, no lobing, no variegation, weak degree of rugosity, weak degree of waviness of margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): medium green mid-season, absent or sparse pubescence, very sparse pubescence along veins
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): light green mid-season, absent or sparse pubescence, weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration along veins

INFLORESCENCE: panicle type
COROLLA (INNER SIDE): mainly medium blue pink (RHS 64D), no secondary colour
COROLLA (OUTER SIDE): mainly medium blue pink (RHS 63C) to light blue pink (RHS 63D), no secondary colour

FRUIT: not observed

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNCCPP3' originated from an open pollinated cross that occurred between the female parent variety 'Little Ruby' and an unknown male parent in the summer of 2011 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. From the resulting progeny, 'SMNCCPP3' was selected as a single unique plant in the summer of 2013 for its branching characteristics, foliage colour and plume characteristics. 'SMNCCPP3' was first propagated asexually by softwood cuttings in 2013 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'SMNCCPP3' was conducted in an outdoor irrigated container trial during the summer of 2022 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 12 shrubs of the candidate variety and 11 shrubs of the reference variety. All shrubs were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into containers in the summer of 2021. Trials were arranged outdoors in rows with 1 metre spacing between plants. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety on May 19, 2022 for flowering characteristics and July 5, 2022 for all other characteristics. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMNCCPP3' with reference variety 'Royal Purple'

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

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Smokebush: 'SMNCCPP3' (left) with reference variety 'Royal Purple' (right)

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Smokebush: 'SMNCCPP3' (left) with reference variety 'Royal Purple' (right)

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Smokebush: 'SMNCCPP3' (left) with reference variety 'Royal Purple' (right)