RIKAV45801

Verbena

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Empress Sun Cherry' and 'USBENAL20'

Summary: The plants of 'RIKAV45801' have a creeping growth habit whereas the plants of 'Empress Sun Cherry' have a semi-upright growth habit. The plants of 'RIKAV45801' are taller and wider than the plants of 'Empress Sun Cherry' and shorter and narrower than the plants of 'USBENAL20'. Including the petiole, 'RIKAV45801' has a shorter leaf than 'USBENAL20'. The upper side of the leaf blade is medium green for 'RIKAV45801' whereas the leaf blade is dark green for 'Empress Sun Cherry'. 'RIKAV45801' has a longer corolla tube than 'USBENAL20'. The arrangement of the corolla lobes for 'RIKAV45801' is free whereas it is overlapping for 'Empress Sun Cherry'. The tips of the protruding hairs of the corolla tube of 'RIKAV45801' are mostly light green whereas those of 'USBENAL20' are purple. The inner side of the corolla lobe of 'RIKAV45801' is mainly purple red fading to lighter purple red with a dark purple red centre whereas the corolla lobe of 'USBENAL20' is mainly blue pink with a purple red centre fading to a lighter blue pink with a purple centre. The eye of the corolla of 'RIKAV45801' is absent to very small with a green yellow colour whereas the eye of the corolla for 'USBENAL20' is small with a light purple colour.

Description:

PLANT: creeping growth habit

STEM: weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration

LEAF BLADE: ovate, no divisions, mostly crenate margin, medium green on upper side, no anthocyanin colouration on upper side

INFLORESCENCE: broad ovate in profile
CALYX: anthocyanin colouration on along margin of teeth only
COROLLA: arrangement of lobes is free, strongly fading change of colour with age
COROLLA LOBE: incurved along the longitudinal axis, weak undulation of margin
COROLLA LOBE (INNER SIDE): one colour (excluding eye zone) in shaded pattern, distribution of colour is lighter towards apex, purple red (RHS N57A) with dark purple red (RHS 60A) at centre fading to a lighter purple red (RHS N57C) when aged
COROLLA EYE: absent to very small diameter, green yellow
COROLLA TUBE: tips of protruding hairs are mostly light green

Origin & Breeding History: 'RIKAV45801' was bred and developed by the breeder, Rika Matsumoto, in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. It originated from a controlled cross conducted on May 20, 2015, between a seedling designated '13V282-01', as the female parent, and a seedling designated '11V182-11', as the male parent. From the resulting progeny, 'RIKAV45801' was selected on May 26, 2016, in Bonsall, California, USA, for its plant growth habit, flower size, flower colour, leaf colour and resistance to powdery mildew. Asexual reproduction of 'RIKAV45801' was first conducted by vegetative cutting on May 30, 2016, in Bonsall, California, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'RIKAV45801' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring of 2019, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 20 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 15 cm diameter pots on April 15, 2019. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of each variety on June 4, 2019. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'RIKAV45801' with reference varieties 'Empress Sun Cherry' and 'USBENAL20'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Leaf length (including petiole) (cm)

Corolla tube length (cm)

Colour of inner side of corolla lobe (RHS)

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Verbena: 'RIKAV45801' (left) with reference varieties 'Empress Sun Cherry' (centre) and 'USBENAL20' (right)

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Verbena: 'RIKAV45801' (left) with reference varieties 'Empress Sun Cherry' (centre) and 'USBENAL20' (right)

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Verbena: 'RIKAV45801' (left) with reference varieties 'Empress Sun Cherry' (centre) and 'USBENAL20' (right)