Seki Blapalm

Sweet Potato

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sweet Caroline Purple'

Summary: The upper side of the fully developed leaf blade of 'Seki Blapalm' is greyed purple black (RHS N186A) while for 'Sweet Caroline Purple' it is similar in colour but more green. 'Seki Blapalm' has longer petioles and smaller flowers than 'Sweet Caroline Purple'.

Description:

PLANT: vegetatively propagated, annual, upright-bushy to spreading growth habit, moderate degree of branching
STEM: purple, strong anthocyanin colouration, very sparse pubescence, thin, smooth

LEAF: alternate arrangement along stem, simple
LEAF BLADE: palmate shape, acuminate apex, cordate base, lobed, deep incisions between lobes, upper and lower sides have sparse pubescence on edge only, no variegation, upper side is dark green (RHS 144A) changing to greyed purple black (RHS N186A) at maturity, lower side is brown green (closest to RHS 147C) and developing purple tones while changing to dark violet (N79A) at maturity
MIDRIB: upper side is dark violet (RHS N79A), lower side is dark violet (RHS N79B)
PETIOLE: upper side has strong brown purple (RHS N77A) anthocyanin colouration, lower side has strong dark violet (RHS N79B) anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER: sparse density
COROLLA: upper side is white to light blue violet (RHS 69D) with blue pink (RHS N74D) margin and violet (RHS N80A) at area of transition to corolla tube, lower side is light blue violet (RHS 76C)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Seki Blapalm' was developed by the breeder, Jason Jandrew, an employee of Goldsmith Seeds, Inc., in Gilroy, California, U.S.A. as part of a planned breeding program. It originated from an open-pollinated cross conducted in July 2006 between the female parent variety 'Sweet Caroline Purple' and an unknown male parent. The resultant seed was sown in a greenhouse in December 2006. In March 2007, a single plant from the progeny was selected by the breeder based on its foliage quality, foliage colour and plant growth habit.

Tests & Trials: The trial of 'Seki Blapalm' was conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2009 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. It included 15 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings transplanted into 15 cm pots on May 28, 2009. Most observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety on July 3, 2009. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Seki Blapalm' with reference variety 'Sweet Caroline Purple'

Colour of fully developed leaf blade (RHS)

Petiole length (cm)

Flower length (mm)

Flower width (mm)

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Sweet Potato: 'Seki Blapalm' (left) with reference variety 'Sweet Caroline Purple' (right)

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Sweet Potato: 'Seki Blapalm' (left) with reference variety 'Sweet Caroline Purple' (right)

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Sweet Potato: 'Seki Blapalm' (left) with reference variety 'Sweet Caroline Purple' (right)