Sunvivapa

Verbena

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Sunmariripi' and 'Sunvivaro'

Summary: Intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the stem for 'Sunvivapa' is absent to very weak while it is weak for 'Sunmariripi' and weak to moderate for 'Sunvivaro'. The florets of 'Sunvivapa' are violet in colour with a lighter violet eye zone while those for 'Sunmariripi' are blue-pink with a yellow-green eye zone and for 'Sunvivaro' they are purple with a blue-violet eye zone. The corolla tube hairs for 'Sunvivapa' are violet in colour while those for 'Sunmariripi' are cream.

Description:

'Sunvivapa' is an annual plant with a medium to semi-prostrate growth habit. The stems have dense to very dense pubescence and are medium green in colour with absent to very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The leaves are ovate to triangular in shape with an obtuse to truncate shaped base, doubly-dentate leaf margins and no lobing. The leaves are medium to dark green in colour with medium to dense pubescence on the upper surface and dense to very dense pubescence on the lower surface. There is a leaf petiole present.

'Sunvivapa' flowers a long time. The inflorescences produced by 'Sunvivapa' are moderate to dense corymbs which are terminal in location. The non-fragrant florets are single with bracts that are smaller in size than the calyx. The florets are violet in colour with a lighter violet eye zone at the center. There are no petal markings. The hairs on the upper edge of the corolla tube are violet in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sunvivapa' resulted from a cross between Verbena hybrida 'Showtime Blaze' as the female parent and a wild type of verbena plant VBC V. peruviana f. rosea as the pollen plant. This cross was performed at the Hakushu Nursery Center of Suntory Ltd. in May of 1992. Propagation of the selected seedling was carried out asexually from the spring of 1993 to the autumn of 1994.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Sunvivapa' were conducted in a poly-house at Norseco Inc., Boisbriand, Quebec during the summer of 2001. The trials consisted of fifteen plants per variety. The plants were grown in 4 litre black pots spaced approximately 35 cm apart. Unless indicated otherwise, measured characteristics were based on thirty measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Sunvivapa' with reference varieties 'Sunmariripi' and 'Sunvivaro'

Colour of floret (RHS)

Colour of fully open floret (RHS)

Colour of lower side of fully open floret (RHS)

Colour of eye zone