Elvera

Weigela

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Java Red' and 'Alexandra'

Summary: 'Elvera' has a shorter plant height and narrower plant than the reference varieties. The leaves of 'Elvera' have very strong glossiness on the upper side while the leaves of 'Java Red' have weak glossiness and the leaves of 'Alexandra' have medium to strong glossiness. At maturity the leaves of 'Elvera' are brown green in colour with tones of dark brown while the leaves of 'Java Red' are medium green and the leaves of 'Alexandra' are dark red brown. The flowers of 'Elvera' are a darker blue pink colour than the flowers of 'Java Red'.

Description:

'Elvera' has low compact, bushy rounded growth habit with moderately dense foliage. The stem is light green in colour and has medium anthocyanin colouration. There is medium pubescence on the stem which is arranged in rows along the rib on new growth. There are lenticels present on the stem.

The leaves are opposite in arrangement and simple. The upper side of the leaf blade has very strong glossiness, has sparse pubescence on the blade and medium pubescence on the midrib and veins. The lower side of the leaf blade has no pubescence on the blade and weak to medium pubescence on the midrib and veins. The leaf blade is elliptic to obovate in shape with an acuminate to cuspidate shaped apex and attenuate base. The leaf blade margin is serrulate. When newly opened the upper surface of the leaf blade is dark brown with a darker margin and light green midrib and veins. When mature, the upper surface of the leaf is brown green in colour with tones of dark brown. The lower surface is green to red brown in colour with a dark brown midrib and veins.

The inflorescence is a cyme which is both terminal and axillary in position. There is very strong anthocyanin colouration in the pedicel and strong anthocyanin in the sepal. The flower bud is oblanceolate in shape and the flower is funnel-form to campanulate in shape. The upper side of the petal is blue pink in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Elvera' originated from a cross between 'Victoria', as the female parent and a proprietary selection as the male parent. The cross was made in 1993 and the new variety was discovered and selected by the breeder as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross, in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Weigela varieties having dwarf plant habit and dark coloured foliage.

Tests & Trials: 'Elvera' was tested in an outdoor container trial during the summers of 2004 and 2005, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of each variety. All shrubs were grown from 5 inch liners, planted into 2 gallon containers in May 2004 and transplanted into 3 gallon containers on July 2, 2004. Plants were arranged in rows with approximately 1 metre spacing between plants. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on June 7, 2005. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 RHS colour chart.

Comparison tables for 'Elvera' with reference varieties 'Java Red' and 'Alexandra'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Colour of mature leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of petal (RHS)

Colour of corolla tube (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Weigela: 'Elvera' (centre) and 'Alexandra' (left) with reference variety 'Java Red' (right)