Wizard of Ahhs

Veronica

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Royal Rembrandt'

Summary: The plants of 'Wizard of Ahhs' have an upright-bushy growth habit and are shorter and wider than the plants of 'Royal Rembrandt', which have a narrow upright habit. 'Wizard of Ahhs' has a longer leaf blade than that of 'Royal Rembrandt'. The flowering part of the inflorescence of 'Wizard of Ahhs' is longer than that of 'Royal Rembrandt'. The inner and outer side of the corolla lobe of 'Wizard of Ahhs' is dark blue violet whereas the inner and outer side of the corolla lobe of 'Royal Rembrandt' is dark violet.

Description:

PLANT: vegetatively propagated perennial type, upright-bushy growth habit, medium to dense degree of branching

STEM: medium green, weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, absent or very weak glaucosity, absent or very sparse pubescence, thin to medium thickness, smooth

LEAF: opposite arrangement, simple type, petiole present
LEAF BLADE: elliptic to lanceolate shape, acute apex, attenuate base, serrate margin, absent or very sparse pubescence on upper and lower side, absent or very weak glaucosity on upper side, medium green on upper and lower side, no variegation

FLOWERING PERIOD: only once, begins mid-season, medium to long duration
PEDUNCLE: absent or very weak to weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, absent or very sparse pubescence
INFLORESCENCE: spike type, located at terminal position of stem, erect attitude
COROLLA: partially fused arrangement of lobes, medium to long, medium width, salverform shape, four lobes per flower
COROLLA LOBE: weak undulation of margin, absent or very sparse pubescence on inner and outer side, inner and outer side dark blue violet (RHS N88A to 90A)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Wizard of Ahhs' originated from a cross conducted by the breeder in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. The cross was made between the female parent, a proprietary unreleased hybrid variety known as 'K7-38-309', and the male parent variety 'Blue Pixie' on March 8, 2011. 'Wizard of Ahhs' was selected in the spring of 2013 for its growth habit, inflorescence branching characteristics, number of flowers, flower colour, leaf blade colour, leaf shape, rate of premature lower leaf drop, and disease resistance. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings began in 2013.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Wizard of Ahhs' was conducted in a shadehouse during the summer of 2022 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown in 19 cm pots spaced 45 cm apart. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of each variety at the end of July 2022. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Wizard of Ahhs' with reference variety 'Royal Rembrandt'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Inflorescence length (cm)

Colour of inner and outer sides of the corolla (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Veronica: 'Wizard of Ahhs' (left) with reference variety 'Royal Rembrandt' (right)