Blancena

Verbena

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sunmaririho' (Temari White)

Summary: 'Blancena' differs from the reference variety in growth habit, foliage colour and diameter of inflorescence. The growth habit of 'Blancena' is medium to semi-creeping whereas it is drooping in 'Sunmaririho'. The foliage of 'Blancena' is light green whereas it is medium green in 'Sunmaririho'. The diameter of the inflorescence of 'Blancena' is medium-large whereas it is large in 'Sunmaririho'.

Description:

'Blancena' is an annual verbena with a medium to semi-creeping growth habit. The light to medium green stems have medium to dense pubescence with no anthocyanin colouration. The light green leaves are ovate with a cuneate to truncate-shaped base. The leaf blades are entire with crenate to serrate margins. Pubescence is weak and medium to strong on the upper and lower leaf surfaces respectively.

The inflorescence is a corymb with a flattened apex which is both axillary and terminal in location. The bracts of the single, white florets are smaller in size than the calyx. There is no anthocyanin colouration on the calyx. The florets are medium in size and convex to flat in cross section. The arrangement of the corolla lobes is mostly free and curvature along the longitudinal axis is absent to recurved. The undulation of the corolla lobes is medium. The green yellow corolla eye is present mostly on three lobes. The corolla throat hairs are white.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Blancena' was developed at Syngenta Seeds B.V. in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. It resulted from a cross between 'Z 736' and 'W 688' which took place in 1996. 'Blancena' was selected in 1997 based on flower colour and growth habit. It was developed by clonal selection and propagated vegetatively by cuttings.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Blancena' were conducted in a double poly greenhouse at BioFlora Inc., St. Thomas, Ontario during the summer of 2003. Trials consisted of 15 plants/variety with one cutting/152 mm round pot. Colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 RHS colour chart. Measured characteristics were based on 10 measurements.