SMNWFMS

Weigela

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Elvera' (Midnight Wine)

Summary: The plants of 'SMNWFMS' are broader than the plants of 'Elvera'. The intensity of colour on the upper side of the leaf blade is dark for 'SMNWFMS' whereas the intensity is medium for 'Elvera'. The upper side of the leaf blade of 'SMNWFMS' has strong glossiness whereas the leaf blade of 'Elvera' has a medium degree of glossiness. The corolla of 'SMNWFMS' is longer than the corolla of 'Elvera'. The corolla tube of 'SMNWFMS' is larger in diameter than the corolla tube of 'Elvera'. The sepal of 'SMNWFMS' has absent or very sparse pubescence whereas the sepal of 'Elvera' has sparse pubescence.

Description:

PLANT: medium vigour, spreading growth habit
ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOT: grey brown

LEAF BLADE: elliptic and obovate shape, many incisions of margin, absent to weak undulation of margin, no variegation, weak rugosity
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): dark intensity of colour, dark brown (RHS 200A) in spring, brown green (RHS 146A) with shades of brown purple (RHS N186C) anthocyanin colouration throughout in summer, strong glossiness
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): absent or very sparse pubescence

FLOWERING: begins early, short duration
INFLORESCENCE: simple panicle type
SEPAL: absent or very sparse pubescence, red
FLOWER: one coloured, funnel shape, medium size
COROLLA LOBE: brown purple (RHS 186B) inner side, rounded apex
COROLLA TUBE: purple (RHS 58A) and brown purple (RHS 186A) outer side
PISTIL: same length as corolla
OVARY: absent or very sparse pubescence

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMNWFMS' was bred and developed by the breeder, Timothy D. Wood, an employee of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. It originated from an open pollinated cross that occurred in May of 2009, in Grand Haven, Michigan, between the variety 'Verweig', as the female parent, and an unknown male parent. From the resulting progeny, 'SMNWFMS' was selected in June of 2011 for its hardiness, plant growth habit, leaf colour and flowering characteristics. 'SMNWFMS' was first propagated asexually by softwood cuttings in June of 2011, in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'SMNWFMS' was conducted as an outdoor trial during the spring and summer of 2017 at BioFlora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 12 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. The plants were grown from 10 cm long rooted liners and planted into 8.8 litre containers on July 18, 2016. The plants were overwintered in a polyhouse and moved outdoors in late May of 2017 to a drip irrigated field where they were arranged in rows with approximately 1 metre spacing between plants. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or 10 parts of plants of each variety on June 16, 2017 with the exception of the flower characteristics which were observed on June 1, 2017. The colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMNWFMS' with reference variety 'Elvera'

Plant width (cm)

Corolla length (cm)

Corolla tube diameter (cm)

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Weigela: 'SMNWFMS' (left) with reference variety 'Elvera' (right)

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Weigela: 'SMNWFMS' (left) with reference variety 'Elvera' (right)

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Weigela: 'SMNWFMS' (left) with reference variety 'Elvera' (right)