USBENAL11

Verbena

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'USBENAL21' (Superbena Blue Purple), 'Sunmaricos' (Temari Lilac) and 'Spikena' (Tukana Denim Blue)

Summary: 'USBENAL11' produces plants with a semi-upright to medium growth habit while those of 'USBENAL21' and 'Sunmaricos' have semi-creeping growth habit and those of 'Spikena' are drooping. 'USBENAL11' has a longer leaf blade and shorter inflorescence than the reference varieties. Colour of the fully open florets for 'USBENAL11' is light violet fading to paler violet as the florets mature while for 'USBENAL21', it is light violet with darker blue violet at the base of the corolla lobes, for 'Sunmaricos', it is violet and for 'Spikena', it is dark violet fading to a lighter violet as the florets mature.

Description:

'USBENAL11' is an annual verbena with a semi-upright to medium growth habit. The light green stems have moderate to dense pubescence and weak to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration along the edges of the stem. The dark green leaves are lanceolate with a truncate to cuneate shaped base and crenate to dentate margins. There is no anthocyanin colouration on the upper surface of the leaf blade. The leaf blade is not divided. Pubescence of the leaf blade is moderately dense on the upper surface and dense on the lower surface.

The inflorescence is a dome shaped corymb which is both axillary and terminal in location. The single florets are light violet in colour and fade as they mature. The bracts are smaller in size than the calyx. The calyx has no anthocyanin colouration. The florets are medium in size and have a convex shape in cross-section. The corolla lobes are not touching. Undulation of the corolla lobe margins is weak to moderate. 'USBENAL11' has an eye zone which is cream in colour and located at the base of one corolla lobe. The throat hairs of the corolla are blue in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'USBENAL11' is the product of a planned breeding program by the breeder, Ushio Sakazaki, of Hikone, Shiga, Japan. It originated from a cross made on April 20, 1999, between an unnamed, lilac coloured seedling selection as the female parent and a wild verbena as the male parent. It was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny on June 10, 2000 in Bonsall, California, United States of America. 'USBENAL11' was selected based on vigorous growth habit and resistance to powdery mildew.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'USBENAL11' were conducted in a poly greenhouse at BioFlora Inc., St. Thomas, Ontario during the summer of 2003. The trial consisted of 15 plants of each variety grown in 15 cm pots. Colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) colour charts. Measured characteristics were based on 10 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'USBENAL11' with reference varieties 'USBENAL21', 'Sunmaricos' and 'Spikena'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Inflorescence length (cm)

Floret diameter (mm)

Main colour of upper side of floret (RHS)