USBENAL20

Verbena

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'USBENAL17' (Superbena Coral Red) and 'Balwilrose' (Wildfire Rose)

Summary: 'USBENAL20' produces plants with a medium growth habit while those of 'USBENAL17' have a semi-upright growth habit and those of 'Balwilrose' are drooping. The leaf blades of 'USBENAL20' are longer than those of the reference varieties. 'USBENAL20' has a smaller inflorescence than 'USBENAL17'. The inflorescences of 'USBENAL20' are shorter than those of the reference varieties. Colour of the fully open florets for 'USBENAL20' is light purple with tones of purple red while for 'USBENAL17', it is light purple red and for 'Balwilrose', it is light purple with tones of purple. Colour of the hairs at the throat of the corolla are dark purple for 'USBENAL20' and cream for 'Balwilrose'.

Description:

'USBENAL20' is an annual verbena with medium growth habit. The medium green stems have dense pubescence and weak to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The dark green leaves are lanceolate with a cuneate shaped base and serrate margins. There is no anthocyanin colouration on the upper surface of the leaf blade. The leaf blade may be divided into lobes at the base. 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 purple in colour with tones of purple red and fade as they mature. The bracts are smaller in size than the calyx. The calyx has anthocyanin colouration on the teeth only. The florets are large in size. The corolla lobes are not touching and curvature along the longitudinal axis is incurved to absent. Undulation of the corolla lobe margins is weak to moderate. 'USBENAL17' has an eye zone which is pale purple in colour and located at the base of three corolla lobes. The throat hairs of the corolla are dark purple in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'USBENAL20' 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, coral pink 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. 'USBENAL20' was selected based on large flower size, vigorous growth habit and resistance to powdery mildew.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'USBENAL20' 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 'USBENAL20' with reference varieties 'USBENAL17' and 'Balwilrose'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Inflorescence length (cm)

Main colour of upper side of floret (RHS)