Angelonia plant named `Ansublu021`

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named `Ansublu021` characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; relatively long and thick flowering stems; freely flowering habit; large dark purple to purple violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers; and suitable as a cut flower with good postproduction longevity.

Description

Botanical designation: Angelonia angustifolia.

Cultivar denomination: `ANSUBLU021`.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant, botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name `Ansublu021`.

The new Angelonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Angelonia plants with attractive flower coloration and long flowering period.

The new Angelonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2015 in Dresden, Germany of two unnamed proprietary selections of Angelonia angustifolia, not patented. The new Angelonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Angelonia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since the summer of 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Angelonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Angelonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Ansublu021`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `Ansublu021` as a new and distinct Angelonia plant: 1. Broadly upright plant habit. 2. Vigorous growth habit. 3. Freely branching habit. 4. Relatively long and thick flowering stems. 5. Freely flowering habit. 6. Large dark purple to purple violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers. 7. Suitable for cut flower production with good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant and flowering habit as plants of the new Angelonia are more freely branching and freely flowering than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Angelonia can be compared to plants of Angelonia hybrida `Ansublu`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,158. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Angelonia and `Ansublu` differ primarily in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Angelonia are slightly shorter than plants of `Ansublu`. 2. Plants of the new Angelonia flower slightly later than plants of `Ansublu`. 3. Plants of the new Angelonia and `Ansublu` differ in flower color as plants of the new Angelonia have purple to purple violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers whereas plants of `Ansublu` have violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Angelonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Angelonia plant.

The photograph (FIG. 1 of 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of `Ansublu021` grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and the following observations, measurements and values were grown during the summer and autumn in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Angelonia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were at a minimum of 20.degree. C., night temperatures were at a minimum of 16.degree. C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were pinched two times, two and six weeks after planting rooted young plants. Plants were six months old when the description was taken and seven months old when the photograph was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Angelonia angustifolia `Ansublu021`. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.--Unnamed proprietary selection of Angelonia angustifolia, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.--Unnamed proprietary selection of Angelonia angustifolia, not patented. Propagation: Type.--By terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.--About 20 days at temperatures about 20.degree. C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and winter.--About four weeks at temperatures about 20.degree. C. Root description.--Fine, fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots. Rooting habit.--Freely branching; moderately dense. Plant description: Plant form and growth habit.--Herbaceous perennial; broadly upright plant habit; freely branching habit; when pinched, about six to eight lateral branches develop per plant; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate. Plant height.--About 70 cm to 80 cm. Plant width (spread).--About 30 cm. Lateral branches.--Length: About 70 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 144A. Leaf description: Arrangement.--Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile. Length.--About 3 cm to 10 cm. Width.--About 7 mm to 20 mm. Shape.--Lanceolate to oblong. Apex.--Acute. Base.--Attenuate. Margin.--Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces.--Slightly pubescent; slightly viscid. Venation pattern.--Pinnate. Color.--Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137B. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; midvein, close to 138B and lateral venation, close to 137B. Flower description: Flower type and flowering habit.--Single flowers arranged in upright to outward terminal racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly; freely flowering habit; full dense inflorescences. Fragrance.--None detected. Natural flowering season.--Plants begin flowering about 13 to 14 weeks after planting rooted young plants; in the garden, flowering is continuous from mid-May until frost in Central Europe. Postproduction longevity.--Good postproduction longevity, flowers last about 20 days on the plant; flowers not persistent. Flower buds.--Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 137A. Inflorescence length.--Inflorescences are indeterminate and continue to grow longer during the flowering season. Inflorescence diameter.--About 8 cm. Flower diameter.--About 3 cm by 3.2 cm. Flower length.--About 1 cm. Petals.--Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl; petals fused at the base into a tubular throat. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire, undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: More red than 83A to darker than 82A; color becoming closer to 82A with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 82A; color becoming closer to 83A with development. Throat: Close to 82A and 155D. Tube: Close to 82A and 83A. Sepals.--Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 139A. Pedicels.--Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle: Outward to slightly upright, less than 90.degree. from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 148A. Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 85A. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 91A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 177A. Fruits.--Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: Close to 165D. Seeds.--Quantity per flower: About 30 to 50. Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Light brown. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Angelonia have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Angelonia plants. Garden performance: Plants of the new Angelonia have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 1.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C.

Claims

It is claimed:

1. A new and distinct Angelonia plant named `Ansublu021` as illustrated and described.

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