U.S. patent number PP33,318 [Application Number 16/974,101] was granted by the patent office on 2021-08-03 for hosta plant named `drop-dead gorgeous`.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Walters Gardens, Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Hans A Hansen. Invention is credited to Hans A Hansen.
United States Patent |
PP33,318 |
Hansen |
August 3, 2021 |
Hosta plant named `Drop-dead Gorgeous`
Abstract
A new and distinct Hosta plant named `Drop-dead Gorgeous` of
very large, arching, long, ovate, green leaves having wavy yellow
margins. The flowers are white with light lavender veins and
blushing. Prior to flower bud opening, the floral bracts produce a
broad, short, light lavender, water-lily effect of compact
lanceolate bracts. `Drop-dead Gorgeous` has excellent very large
mounded habit and is useful in the landscape, as a specimen or en
masse.
Inventors: |
Hansen; Hans A (Zeeland,
MI) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hansen; Hans A |
Zeeland |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Walters Gardens, Inc. (Zeeland,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
77063156 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/974,101 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
PLT/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01H
6/12 (20180501) |
Current International
Class: |
A01H
5/12 (20180101); A01H 6/12 (20180101) |
Field of
Search: |
;PLT/353 |
Other References
The Hosta Helper, Hosta `Drop-dead Gorgeous` from PlantsGalore,
http://www.plantsgalore.com/hostas/cultivars/D/Hosta_Drop-dead_Gorgeous.h-
tm, downloaded Jan. 19, 2021. cited by examiner.
|
Primary Examiner: Grunberg; Anne Marie
Claims
It is claimed:
1. A new and distinct Hosta plant cultivar named Hosta `Drop-dead
Gorgeous` as herein described and illustrated.
Description
Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid (Tratt.).
Variety denomination: `Drop-dead Gorgeous`.
STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(b)(6)
Hosta `Drop-dead Gorgeous` was first introduced by the inventor as
a non-enabling description through the International Cultivar
Registration Authority registration in early 2020. No plants of
Hosta `Drop-dead Gorgeous` have been sold, in this country or
anywhere in the world, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been
made, more than one year prior the filing date of this
application.
BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE PLANT
The present invention relates to a new and distinct Hosta plant,
Hosta `Drop-dead Gorgeous` hereinafter also referred to as the new
plant or by the cultivar name, `Drop-dead Gorgeous`. Hosta
`Drop-dead Gorgeous` was a cross by the inventor between two
non-patented, unreleased, proprietary hybrids on Jun. 14, 2012 at a
wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA. The female
parent was identified as a proprietary, unreleased sport known only
as "streaked `Niagara Falls`" (not patented) and the male parent
was `Empress Wu` U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,774. The new plant was
assigned the breeder code 12-115-4 and passed the initial
evaluation in the summer of 2014. It has been asexually propagated
by division at the same nursery since 2018 and also by careful
shoot tip plant tissue culture with the resultant asexually
propagated plants having retained all the same traits as the
original plant. Hosta `Drop-dead Gorgeous` is stable and reproduces
true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
There are nearly 7,000 registered and established Hosta cultivars
with The American Hosta Society, which is the International
Cultivar Registration Authority for the genus Hosta. Several of
these have green leaf blades with variegated margins. The most
similar Hosta cultivars known to the applicant are `Bridal Falls`
U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,594, `Atlantis` U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,093,
`Satisfaction` (not patented) and `Wu-La-La` U.S. Plant Pat. No.
31,309.
`Bridal Falls` has similar ruffled margins, but the variegation is
creamy-white. `Atlantis` has a more pointed leaf blade and the
margin is not as ruffled. `Satisfaction` has leaves that are more
bullate and the margin is less ruffled. `Wu-La-La` has a larger
habit and a more rounded leaf with a thinner variegated margin that
is not ruffled. The female parent has leaves with random streaked
variegation in the margin and center with ruffled leaf margins. The
male parent has larger leaves and much larger habit with slightly
glaucous leaves that are not variegated.
Other Hosta cultivars may have ovate leaf blades with yellow
variegated margins and green centers, thick leaf substance or other
individual traits similar to `Drop-dead Gorgeous` but the new plant
differs from the above listed cultivars and all other Hostas known
to the applicant, by the combination of the following traits. 1.
Leaves are very large-sized, long, ovate, with broadly acute apices
and cordate base; 2. Arching leaves have a moderately-wavy yellow
margin; 3. Leaf center is dark green with numerous featherings of
intermediate colors between the margin and center; 4. Flowers are
white, faintly blushed with light lavender and densely arranged on
scapes with the first flowers beginning to open above the foliage;
5. Floral bracts form broad, short, light-lavender, water-lily
effect well before flowers buds open; 6. Very large mounded habit
and useful in the garden as edging or front border, in containers,
as a specimen or en masse.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the overall appearance
of the plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as
accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient
light spectrum, temperature, source and direction may cause the
appearance of minor variation in color.
The drawings show a seven-year-old `Drop-dead Gorgeous` plant in a
trial garden at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplement
fertilizer and water as needed.
FIG. 1 shows the landscape foliage habit of a new plant just before
flowering.
FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds.
FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the immature flower scape with colorful
bracts.
FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the foliage.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The following descriptions and color references are based on the
2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except
where common dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hosta
`Drop-dead Gorgeous`, has not been observed under all possible
environments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain
characteristics will vary with plants that are more mature or
plants that are less mature. The phenotype may vary slightly with
different environmental conditions, such as temperature, light,
fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in
the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions are
of a seven-year-old plant in a shaded trial garden in Zeeland,
Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer. Botanical
classification: Hosta x hybrid; Parentage: Female or seed parent
the proprietary "`Niagara Falls` streaked"; male or pollen parent
`Empress Wu`; Propagation: Garden division and sterile shoot tip
plant tissue culture; Time to initiate roots from tissue culture:
About two to three weeks; Growth rate: Moderately vigorous; Crop
time: About three months to four months to finish during the spring
in a one-liter container from rooted tissue culture plantlet;
Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching; Root color: Nearest RHS
NN155C when actively growing; Plant shape and habit: Hardy
herbaceous perennial with basal rosette of leaves emerging from
rhizomes producing a large mound of arching petioles and leaves and
erect scapes flowering above foliage; Plant size: Foliage height to
about 76.2 cm above soil line to the top of the leaves, to about
104.1 cm tall to the top of the flowers and to about 218.4.0 cm
wide at the widest point at the soil line; Foliage description:
Ovate; narrowly acute apex, cordate base; margin entire, heavily
sinuate; glabrous both surfaces, and. adaxial matte and abaxial
lustrous when young becoming slightly glaucous with maturity;
flexible but stiff; smooth, without blistering, dimpling or
bulging; deeply impressed adaxial veins and costate abaxial veins;
leaf blade profile tends to be slightly cupped only on inner shoot
leaves early in the season, and all leaves tend to become flat to
slightly arched distally later in season; Leaf blade size: To about
43.2 cm long and about 28.0 cm wide about one-half of the way from
the base; average about 36.5 cm long and 24.7 cm wide; margin width
to about 2.5 cm wide, average 2.0 cm wide; Leaf blade color: Early
season and expanding adaxial margin nearest RHS 145C and abaxial
margin nearest blend between HRS 145C and RHS 145D, adaxial center
nearest RHS 146C and abaxial center between RHS 146B and RHS 146C,
adaxial intermediate colors comprising RHS 148D and RHS 146D,
abaxial intermediate colors comprising RHA 147D and between RHS
148D and RHS 146D; mid-season and mature adaxial margins between
RHS 11B and THS 160D, abaxial margin between RHS 150D and RHS 160D,
adaxial center between RHS 137A and RHS NN137D, abaxial center
between RHS 189A and RHS NN137D, adaxial intermediate colors
comprising RHS 188C, RHS N138D and RHS145A with RHS N138D
undertones, abaxial intermediate colors comprising RHS 145B, RHS
145D and RHS 144B; Petiole: Glabrous and slightly glaucous both
adaxial and abaxial; deeply concavo-convex proximally and more
shallowly concavo-convex distally; stiff; to 64.5 cm long and 16.0
mm wide at base and about 10.0 mm deep near base, average about
58.0 cm long and 14.0 mm wide; Petiole color: Adaxial center
between RHS 145A and RHS 146D, margins about 1.0 mm wide nearest
RHS 150D; abaxial center between RHS 145A and RHS 146D, margins
about 1.0 mm wide nearest RHS 150D; Veins: Thirteen to fourteen
pairs and midrib; parallel; deeply impressed adaxial; costate and
asperous abaxial; Veins color: Adaxial nearest RHS 150D; abaxial
nearest RHS 148D; Flower description: Buds one to two days prior to
opening: Clavate with rounded apex and narrow tube base; about 37.0
mm long and 8.0 mm in diameter at widest with base narrowing in
basal 12.0 mm to about 3.0 mm diameter; Bud color: Nearest RHS
NN155D distally and nearest RHS 155C proximally; Flowers: Perfect;
flared campanulate; outwardly; to 37.0 mm long to exserted stigma;
corolla fused in basal 20.0 mm, free in the distal 17.0 mm, about
37.0 mm long and 30.0 mm wide at tepal apices, decreasing distally;
corolla tube portion 12.0 mm long and 3.0 mm diameter; persists for
a normal period, usually about one day on plant; flowers tightly
arranged on scape; Flowering period: Scapes remain effective with
flowers beginning early-July for about four and a half weeks; with
about 60 flowers per scape; mostly secund; Fragrance: No detectable
fragrance; Tepal: Two nearly identical sets of three, glabrous;
entire margins; Inner set.--About 39.0 mm long and 8.0 mm wide
slightly above fusion point; fused in basal 20.0 mm; clavate with
broadly acute apex; entire margin with 1.0 mm wide transparent
border; base fused into tube. Inner set color.--Vitreous along
margin; adaxial and abaxial nearest RHS NN155D with adaxial having
very faintly blushed distal veins less pink and more lavender than
RHS 76D; corolla tube base adaxial and abaxial between RHS 76B and
RHS 76C. Outer set.--About 39.0 mm long and 8.0 mm wide slightly
above fusion point; fused in basal 20.0 mm; clavate with broadly
acute apex; entire margin without transparent border; base fused
into tube. Outer set color.--Adaxial and abaxial nearest RHS NN155D
with adaxial having very faintly blushed distal veins less pink and
more lavender than RHS 76D; corolla tube base adaxial and abaxial
between RHS 76B and RHS 76C. Gynoecium: Single; 43.0 mm long;
superior; Style.--Cylindrical; about 34.0 mm long, 0.7 mm diameter;
curved upward 90 degrees in distal 10.0 mm; color nearest RHS
NN155D distally and nearest RHS 145C proximally.
Stigma.--Puberulent; tri-lobed; about 1.2 mm across and 1.0 mm
tall; color nearest RHS NN155A. Ovary.--Ellipsoidal; superior; apex
rounded; base rounded to truncate; to about 6.5 mm long and 2.5 mm
diameter in middle; color nearest RHS 145A. Androecium: Six;
Filaments.--Six, approximately 32.0 mm long and 0.3 mm in diameter;
curved upward to nearly 90 degrees in the apical 5.0 mm; color
distally nearest RHS NN155B, base nearest RHS 145C.
Anthers.--Ellipsoidal with rounded ends; near-basifixed,
longitudinally dehiscent; about 3.5 mm long and 1.2 mm wide; color
prior to dehiscing nearest RHS 164C adaxial and abaxial between RHS
161D and RHS 158A; after dehiscing abaxial nearest RHS 202A.
Pollen.--Spherical; less than 0.1 mm long; color nearest RHS 17B.
Flower fragrance: None observed; Peduncle: Cylindrical; usually one
per mature division; about 12 per plant; glabrous, slightly
glaucous; erect; to about 104.1 cm tall, and about 10.0 mm in
diameter at base, average about 92.0 cm tall and 9.0 mm diameter at
base; Inflorescence: Flowering portion about 30.0 cm long and 8.0
cm wide; with large lavender blushed floral bracts subtending each
flower; Peduncle color: Proximal portion below leaves nearest RHS
138C and distal portion nearest RHS 138A; Pedicel: Variable in
length; terete; glabrous; slightly lustrous; about 10.0 mm to 14.0
mm long and 1.5 mm diameter; outwardly to slightly drooping;
Pedicel color: Variable; distally nearest145D, middle portion
nearest RHS 145B, proximally nearest RHS 145A with base nearest RHS
NN137D; Floral bracts: Each flower normally subtended by a single
bract; lanceolate; narrowly acute apex and truncate base; entire
margin; glabrous and slightly lustrous abaxial and adaxial; to
about 8.0 cm long 9.0 mm wide, decreasing distally; prior to flower
development forming compact attractive cluster about 12 cm across;
drying before flowers open; Bract color: Young distal adaxial and
abaxial nearest RHS 85D near longitudinal center with margins
between RHS 85C and RHS 86B, older proximal bracts nearest RHS 145D
in longitudinal center with margins between RHS 146D and RHS 145A;
Fruit: Tri-valved dehiscent capsule; ellipsoidal to cylindrical
with apex apiculate to acute and attenuate base; about 32.0 mm long
and 7.0 mm diameter; Fruit color: Nearest RHS 146D as maturing and
RHS 161D when ripe; Seed: Typically about 30 per capsule;
endospermic; flattened-ellipsoidal wing surrounding embryo at one
end of ellipse; to about 9.0 mm long, 3.5 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick
at embryo; Seed color: Nearest RHS 202A; Disease resistance: The
thick glaucous leaves provide some resistance to slug feeding.
Other resistance to pests (including: Odocoileus virginianus and
Oryctotagus cuniculus) and diseases common to Hostas is equal that
typical of other cultivars. The plant grows best and shows best
coloration with plenty of moisture, adequate drainage and light
shade, but is able to tolerate some drought when mature. Hardiness
at least from USDA zone 3 through 8, and other disease resistance
is typical of that of other Hostas.
* * * * *
References