Bokrasopea

Weigela

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Carnaval'

Summary: In early spring, the flower bud of 'Bokrasopea' is purple red to light blue pink with yellow green at the base while the flower bud of 'Carnaval' is purple to purple red with yellow green at the base. In the summer, the flower bud of 'Bokrasopea' is yellow green with pink tones while the flower bud of 'Carnaval' is red pink with yellow green at the base. The flower of 'Bokrasopea' is single coloured while the flower of 'Carnaval' is bi-coloured. The corolla of 'Bokrasopea' is smaller in diameter than the corolla of 'Carnaval'. In early spring, the inner side of the corolla of 'Bokrasopea' is white with light blue pink tones while the inner side of the corolla of 'Carnaval' is white with light blue pink tones and purple red secondary colour along the margin. In the summer the inner side of the corolla of 'Bokrasopea' is white with light blue pink along the margin and veins while the corolla of 'Carnaval' is white with purple red secondary colour along the margin.

Description:

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

LEAF: elliptic, many incisions on margin, weak to medium undulation of margin, upper side medium green, no variegation, absent or very weak leaf blistering, sparse pubescence on lower side with dense pubescence along veins

INFLORESCENCE: compound panicle, flowers very early with a medium to strong presence of secondary flowering in the fall
FLOWER BUD: purple red to light blue pink (RHS 54C-D) in early spring with yellow green (RHS 150D) at base, yellow green (RHS 1C) with pink tones and lighter yellow green (RHS 1D) at base in summer
COROLLA: single coloured, inner side white (RHS 155C) in early spring with light blue pink (RHS 65D) tones, white (RHS NN155A-B) in summer with light blue pink (RHS 62C) along margin and on veins as flower ages, medium size, funnel shape, lobes with rounded apex
SEPAL: medium pubescence, green
OVARY: sparse pubescence
PISTIL: longer than corolla.

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Bokrasopea' originated from an open pollination that occurred in the summer of 2000 in Boskoop, Netherlands. The female parent was a proprietary seedling designated 93028 and the male parent was unknown. In June 2007, the new variety was selected as a single seedling based on criteria for compact plant habit, white flowers with a yellow throat, abundant flowers and re-blooming throughout the summer. Asexual reproduction of the new variety was first conducted by softwood cuttings in the summer of 2007 in Boskoop, Netherlands.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Bokrasopea' 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. Early observations and measurements on the flowers and buds were taken from 10 plants of each variety on March 30, 2012. Plants were pruned on May 10, 2012. All other observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 5, 2012. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Bokrasopea' with reference variety 'Carnaval'

Corolla diameter (cm)

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

Colour of inner side of corolla (RHS)

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Weigela: 'Bokrasopea' (left) with reference variety 'Carnaval' (right) - in spring

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Weigela: 'Bokrasopea' (left) with reference variety 'Carnaval' (right) - in spring

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Weigela: 'Bokrasopea' (left) with reference variety 'Carnaval' (right) - in summer