Sunset

Weigela

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Verweig' (My Monet)

Summary: The plant of 'Sunset' is narrower than the plant of 'Verweig'. The leaf of 'Sunset' is longer and wider than the leaf of 'Verweig'. The leaf of 'Sunset' has medium to strong undulation of the margin while the leaf of 'Verweig' has weak undulation. In the spring, the upper side of the leaf of 'Sunset' is dark to light green when newly open and brown green when fully open while the leaf of 'Verweig' is dark green with brown green veins. In the spring the leaf of 'Sunset' has brown green secondary colour which is not conspicuous while the leaf of 'Verweig' has white, red pink and brown purple secondary colour. In the summer the leaf of 'Sunset' is brown green when newly open with light yellow and dark pink red secondary colour at the margin. When full open the leaf of 'Sunset' is dark green with light yellow secondary colour. The leaf of 'Verweig' remains the same colour throughout the growing season.

Description:

PLANT: erect to spreading growth habit, light brown one year old shoot

LEAF: ovate to elliptic, many dentate incisions on margin, medium to strong undulation of margin, variegation present along margin, absent or very weak leaf blistering, sparse pubescence on lower side
COLOUR IN SPRING: main colour on upper side dark to light green (RHS 144A-B) when newly open, brown green (RHS 146A-B-C) when fully open
COLOUR IN SUMMER: upper side brown green (RHS 138A) with light yellow (RHS 5D) and dark pink red (RHS N34C) secondary colour when newly open, upper side dark green (RHS 137A) with light yellow (RHS 5D) secondary colour when fully open, lower side brown green (RHS 138A) turning to brown purple (RHS 178A) with light yellow (RHS 5D) secondary colour overlaid with dark purple red (RHS N34A).

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Sunset' originated from an open pollination of Weigela florida, that occurred in the summer of 2002 at North Carolina State University, Mills River, North Carolina, USA. The variety was selected as a single plant from the resultant seedlings in the spring of 2003. The new variety was selected based on having a compact semi-dwarf habit and unique variegated foliage.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Sunset' were conducted in an outdoor container trial during the spring and summer of 2012 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 plants of the candidate variety and 10 plants of the reference variety. Plants were grown from 11 cm rooted liners and planted into 8.8 litre containers on July 7 2011. The plants were overwintered in a polyhouse and moved outdoors in late April 2012. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on May 17, 2012. Summer colours were observed on June 25, 2012. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Sunset' with reference variety 'Verweig'

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade in spring (RHS)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade in summer (RHS)

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Weigela: 'Sunset' (left) with reference variety 'Verweig' (right) - in spring

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Weigela: 'Sunset' (left) with reference variety 'Verweig' (right) - in summer