Sunvivaro

Verbena

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: ‘Sunvp-su' and ‘Sunvivapa'

Summary: ‘Sunvivaro' produces plants with shorter stems and longer leaves than ‘Sunvp-su'. Plant growth habit for ‘Sunvivaro' is semi-prostrate while for ‘Sunvp-su' it is prostrate. Intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the stem for ‘Sunvivaro' is weak to moderate while for ‘Sunvivapa' it is absent to very weak. ‘Sunvivaro' has sparse to moderate pubescence on the upper surface of the leaves while those of ‘Sunvivapa' have moderate to dense pubescence. Floret colour for ‘Sunvivaro' is purple with a blue-violet eye zone while for ‘Sunvp-su' it is red with no eye zone and for ‘Sunvivapa' it is violet with a lighter violet eye zone. The corolla tube hairs for ‘Sunvivapa' are violet in colour while those for ‘Sunvp-su' are cream.

Description:

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

‘Sunvivaro' flowers a long time. The inflorescences produced by ‘Sunvivaro' are medium to dense corymbs which are terminal in location. The florets are single with bracts that are smaller in size to equal to the size of the calyx. The florets are purple in colour with a blue-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: ‘Sunvivaro' resulted from a cross between a wild type of verbena plant VBA Verbena peruviana f. rosea as the female parent and another wild type of verbena plant VBB V. peruviana f. rosea as the pollen plant. This cross was performed at the Hakushu Nursery Center of Suntory Ltd. in the spring of 1993. Propagation of the selected seedling was carried out asexually from the spring of 1994 to the autumn of 1995.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for ‘Sunvivaro' 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 'Sunvivaro' with reference varieties ‘Sunvp-su' and ‘Sunvivapa'

Length of leaf (including petiole) (cm)

Colour of floret (RHS)

Colour of fully open floret (RHS)

Colour of lower side of fully open floret (RHS)

Colour of eye zone