SLINGCO 1

Weigela

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Red Prince'

Summary: The plants of 'SLINGCO 1' are of medium vigour while those of 'Red Prince' are of strong vigour. The plants of 'SLINGCO 1' are shorter than those of 'Red Prince'. The leaf blade of 'SLINGCO 1' is elliptic while the leaf blade of 'Red Prince' is obovate. The leaf blade of 'SLINGCO 1' has weak to medium undulation along the margin while that of 'Red Prince' has strong undulation along the margin. When newly open, the upper side of the leaf blade of 'SLINGCO 1' is dark green with brown purple along the margin while it is brown green for 'Red Prince'. The intensity of red colouration on the upper side of the leaf blade of 'SLINGCO 1' is weak to medium while it is absent or very weak for 'Red Prince'. The sepal of 'SLINGCO 1' has absent or very sparse pubescence while that of 'Red Prince' has medium density pubescence. The full flowering of the plants of 'SLINGCO 1' occurs mid-season while the plants of 'Red Prince' flower early.

Description:

PLANT: medium vigour, erect to spreading growth habit
ONE-YEAR-OLD-SHOOT: light brown

LEAF BLADE: elliptic shaped, many incisions along margin, weak to medium undulation of margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): dark green (closest to RHS 144A) with brown purple (RHS 183C) along margin when newly open in spring, brown green (closest to RHS 137A-B) with a weak to medium intensity of red colouration when mature in summer, no variegation, absent or very weak degree of blistering
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): brown green (closest to RHS 146B-C) when mature in summer, sparse pubescence

INFLORESCENCE: compound panicle
COROLLA: single-coloured, inner side is dark purple red to dark pink red (RHS 53B-C), funnel-shaped
COROLLA LOBE: rounded apex
SEPAL: absent or very sparse pubescence, green with red speckles
OVARY: absent or very sparse pubescence
PISTIL: longer than corolla, same length as sepal
TIME OF FLOWERING: first full flowering occurs mid-season, medium length duration of first flowering, second flowering occurs in autumn

Origin & Breeding History: 'SLINGCO 1' originated from a controlled cross conducted by the breeder, Gijsbertus Verhoef, in Hazerswoude, the Netherlands in late spring 2005. The cross was made between the female parent 'Evita' and the male parent 'Red Prince'. From the resulting progeny, 'SLINGCO 1' his variety was selected during the summer of 2007 based on its compact plant growth habit, bright green foliage and red flower colour. 'SLINGCO 1' was first asexually propagated by softwood cuttings during the summer of 2007 in Hazerswoude, the Netherlands.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'SLINGCO 1' was conducted outdoors during the spring and summer of 2015 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 plants of the candidate variety and 10 plants of the reference variety. All plants were grown from 6 cm rooted liners that were each planted in a 7.5 litre container during the spring of 2014. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety. Flower characteristics were measured and observed in a polyhouse on April 28, 2015. Plant and leaf characteristics were measured and observed on June 22, 2015 after plants were moved to an outdoor irrigated location where pots were arranged in rows with approximately 1 metre spacing between plants. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SLINGCO 1' with reference variety 'Red Prince'

Plant height (cm)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade (RHS)

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Weigela: 'SLINGCO 1' (left) with reference variety 'Red Prince' (right)

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Weigela: 'SLINGCO 1' (left) with reference variety 'Red Prince' (right)

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Weigela: 'SLINGCO 1' (left) with reference variety 'Red Prince' (right)