U.S. patent number PP34,272 [Application Number 17/803,077] was granted by the patent office on 2022-05-24 for sedum plant named `night light`.
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 |
PP34,272 |
Hansen |
May 24, 2022 |
Sedum plant named `Night Light`
Abstract
A new and distinct ornamental perennial Sedum plant named `Night
Light` is characterized by tight-forming rounded mounds with dark
olive-green leaves with greyed-purple glaucous foliage that resists
powdery mildew and subsequent scaring. The numerous, wine-colored
stems are highly branched and resist lodging in summer heat and
rains. Individual flowers of open light-yellow and mature to pink
with deep-rose carpels nearly completely covering the top of the
plant. The new plant is useful for the landscape in containers, as
specimens 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)
|
Appl.
No.: |
17/803,077 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2022 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
PLT/479 |
Current International
Class: |
A01H
5/02 (20180101); A01H 6/32 (20180101) |
Field of
Search: |
;PLT/479 |
Primary Examiner: McCormick Ewoldt; Susan
Claims
It is claimed:
1. A new and distinct perennial Sedum plant named `Night Light` as
herein described and illustrated.
Description
Botanical designation: Sedum hybrid.
Cultivar denomination: `Night Light`.
STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(b)(6)
The claimed plant was first sold by Walters Gardens, Inc. to Prides
Corner Farms on Apr. 5, 2021 by Walters Gardens, Inc., who obtained
the plant and all information relating thereto, from the inventor.
Prior to that, on Feb. 1, 2021, the plant was featured in a
non-enabling disclosure of a brief description and photograph on a
website operated by Walters Gardens, Inc. and subsequently as a
non-enabling disclosure in the "Walters Gardens 2021-2022 Catalog"
initially distributed on May 21, 2021. No plants of Sedum `Night
Light` 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 to the filing date of this application, and such sale or
disclosure within one year was either derived directly or
indirectly from the inventor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of
Sedum plant, botanically known as Sedum and hereinafter referred to
by the cultivar name `Night Light` or the new plant.
The new Sedum plant is a selection of a planned breeding program
conducted by the inventor, at a wholesale perennial nursery in
Zeeland, Mich., USA.
The new Sedum plant was selected as a single seedling from an
insect-pollination of a proprietary, unreleased, unnamed hybrid
known only by the breeder code 12-66-08 at a wholesale perennial
nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The seed was collected on Oct. 25, 2013.
Sedum `Night Light` was assigned the breeder code number 13-88-11
to keep it separated from among thousands of other seedlings of
this and other crosses when it progressed through the initial trial
phase in the fall of 2015. The selected single seedling clone was
originally selected for its strong, healthy, dense growth, colorful
foliage and flowers and intermediate traits between the two
parents.
Asexual reproduction of Sedum `Night Light` by division at a
wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA since October of
2015 and subsequent vegetative shoot tip cuttings has shown that
the unique features of this new Sedum plant are stable and
reproduced true to type in successive generations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Plants of Sedum `Night Light` have not been observed under all
possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat
with variations in environment such as temperature, available
water, fertility and light intensity without, however, any
variation in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are
determined to comprise the unique characteristics of Sedum `Night
Light` and distinguish it as a new and distinct stonecrop plant
unique from all other stonecrop plants known to the inventor: 1.
Tight-forming rounded mounds with vertical stems. 2. Center stems
remain erect throughout the growing season producing full habit. 3.
Foliage is glaucous, dark, olive-green with grey-purple and resists
powdery mildew and the subsequent scaring. 4. Numerous,
wine-colored stems produce dense flower clusters of light-yellow
that mature to pink with deep-rose carpels and nearly completely
cover the top of the plant.
In comparison with the parent, the new plant has a larger width and
height and retains its upright stems better through the entire
growing season. The nearest comparison varieties known to the
inventor are: `Crystal Pink` U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,094, `Hot
Stuff` U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,212, `Night Embers` U.S. Plant Pat.
No. 29,211, `Coraljade` U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,958, `Black Jack`
U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,736, `Back in Black` U.S. Plant Pat. No.
33,632 and `TNSEDPP` U.S. Plant Patent Application by another
applicant.
`Crystal Pink` has creamy-green buds that open to light-pink and
the stems, and the leaves are green. `Hot Stuff` creamy buds that
open to medium-pink and mature with reddish-purple carpels, and the
stems and leaves are green. `Night Embers` has foliage that is less
glaucous and more glossy and darker burgundy, the habit is more
upright and less mounded, and the flowers are light mauve-pink.
`Coraljade` has foliage that is larger and not as deep burgundy
tinted and the flowers are more coral-colored and age to a more
bronze coloration. `Black Jack` is more upright, with darker
burgundy foliage that is more susceptible to powdery mildew, and
the flowers are deeper pink. `Back in Black` is taller and more
upright with darker foliage and the carpels are more crimson.
`TNSEDPP` (also sold under the cultivar name `Peach Pearls`) has a
more upright habit and less mounded, with less flower coverage in
peak bloom, and the flowers are a deeper burnt yellow and do not
have a pink tepal phase.
The parent, 12-66-08, has a taller and less full habit, darker
burgundy foliage, it tended to lodge later late in the season, and
the flowers were deeper pink.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the unique traits and
the overall appearance of Sedum `Night Light`. The colors are as
accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions of this
type. Variations in ambient light spectrum, source and direction
may cause the appearance of minor variation in color. The plants
used in the photograph were four-year-old plants grown in an open,
full-sun trial garden at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland,
Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer when needed. No plant
growth regulators or pinching have been used.
FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds of the new plant in
mid-summer.
FIG. 2 shows the habit of the new plant with foliage in early
stages of flowering.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The following is a detailed description of four-year-old plants of
the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a full sun trial plot at a
wholesale nursery in Zeeland, Mich. No plant growth regulators have
been used. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under
all possible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in
environment, climate, and cultural conditions without change
however in the genotype. The color reference is in accordance with
the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart
except where general color dictionary terms are used. Botanical
designation: Sedum hybrid; Cultivar denomination: `Night Light`;
Parentage: The female parent is an unnamed proprietary hybrid known
only by the breeder code 12-66-08; the male parent is unnamed, but
may have been any one of a number of other siblings in the
isolation block hybridizing area; Asexual propagation: Stem tip
cuttings and division; Time to initiate roots: About two weeks;
Time to finish a 3.8 liter flowering container: About three months
in the summer from a rooted 2.5 cm plug; Root description: Thick,
fleshy; freely branching; creamy white to light tan in color; Plant
habit: Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial; upright mound; stiff
upright stems; dense and full, not opening in center later in the
season; flower heads freely branching; Growth rate: Moderately
vigorous; Plant size: About 49.0 cm tall and 74.0 cm wide in full
flower; Stems: Terete; glaucous; glabrous; diameter at base to
about 16.0 mm, average about 12.0 mm; heavily branched in distal
portion; about 15.0 cm long from base to initial branches; about 9
stems per plant and 10 branches per stem; Stem color: Proximally or
in shade nearest RHS 147C, distally nearest RHS N186C, with full
glaucous coating nearest RHS N187B; Lateral branches: To about 10
per stem; glaucous; glabrous; terete; primary branches to about
25.0 cm long and about 6.0 mm diameter at base; Lateral branch
color: Nearest RHS N186C; Foliage: Ovate; spirally arranged;
simple; smooth; sarcous; glabrous and glaucous on both surfaces;
sessile; thick; apex bluntly acute to rounded; base attenuate;
margin irregularly and shallowly dentate, 8 to 14 teeth; teeth
about 1.0 mm, to 1.5 mm apart; decreasing in size distally;
attitude outward; about 34 per stem; Foliage size: To about 8.5 cm
long, 5.4 cm across and 4.0 mm thick at midrib; average about 5.2
cm long, 3.1 cm across and 2.6 mm thick; decreasing distally;
Foliage color: Adaxial young between RHS N187C and RHS 189B,
abaxial young nearest RHS 189B; mature adaxial nearest RHS N187A
and abaxial between RHS 191A and RHS N138C variably blushed with
nearest RHS N187A; Petiole: Leaves sessile; Venation: Palmate,
barely distinguishable; slightly raised abaxial; Vein color:
Adaxial midrib nearest RHS N187A and abaxial midrib between RHS
191B and RHS N138C; secondary veins not obvious; Flower: Stellate,
actinomophic; perfect; complete; pentamerous; persistent; attitude
upright to outwardly in terminal compound cymes; size about 6.0 mm
across at petal apices and 5.0 mm tall; Flower number: About 150 to
200 per branch and 1,000 to 1,700 flowers per stem and 8,000 to
15,000 per plant; Fragrance: None detected; Flowering season:
Beginning mid-summer in Zeeland, Mich. for about three weeks;
Longevity: Flower cymes remain effective for about three weeks on
the plant and one week as cut flowers; individual flowers and
calyces persistent and effective for about two weeks; Flower buds
about one day prior to opening: Ellipsoidal; apex acute; base
truncate; about 4.0 mm long and about 3.0 mm diameter near middle;
Flower bud color: Exposed petals nearest RHS 11D with distal midrib
nearest RHS 145C; calyx nearest RHS N138B; Inflorescence: To about
22.0 cm tall from first branch and about 36.0 cm across; up to
about 1,500 flowers per inflorescence; Petals: Typically five;
broadly-lanceolate; acute apex; base truncate and fused; margin
entire; glabrous abaxial and adaxial; about 5.0 mm long and about
2.3 mm across at middle; Petal color: Upon opening adaxial nearest
RHS NN155B proximally and RHS 145D distally, upon opening abaxial
nearest RHS NN155B proximally and RHS 145B distally; adaxial
maturing to between RHS 158A and RHS 158B distally and proximally
nearest RHS 158D; abaxial maturing to between RHS 158A and RHS 158B
distally and proximally nearest RHS 158D; Calyx: With five sepals;
campanulate to stellate; about 4.0 mm across and 3.0 mm deep;
Sepals: Linear to lanceolate; narrowly acute apex; fused base;
entire margin; glabrous and slightly glaucous both abaxial;
adpressed to petals, about 2.0 mm long beyond fusion and about 1.5
mm across at fusion; Sepal color: Nearest RHS N138B; Peduncles:
Terete; glaucous, glabrous, becoming lustrous; stiff and flexible;
freely branching; mostly upwardly to slightly outwardly; with
branches to about 45.degree. from perpendicular; to about 20.0 cm
long and 5.0 mm diameter; Peduncle color: Nearest RHS 146C, and
with exposure to high ultraviolet light nearest RHS N186C where
bloom washed or rubbed away and nearest RHS N186B with bloom
remaining; Pedicels: Cylindrical; glabrous; glaucous, becoming
lustrous; strong and stiff, yet flexible; to about 4.0 mm long and
0.7 mm diameter; average about 3.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter;
Pedicel color: Blend between RHS N138B and with a slight blush of
nearest RHS N186C; Androecium: Typically five stamens, rarely with
five additional undeveloped; Filaments.--Cylindrical; upwardly;
free, not adnate inner corolla; about 2.0 mm long and about 0.3 mm
diameter; color translucent to nearest RHS NN155D.
Anthers.--Basifixed; longitudinal; ellipsoidal; about 0.7 mm long
and 0.6 mm across; color nearest RHS 10B. Pollen.--Moderate in
quantity; color nearest RHS 8D. Gynoecium: Typically five;
cylindrical, conic in distal one third; to about 5.0 mm long and
1.5 mm diameter; Style.--Terete conical; tapering distally with
base truncate; about 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter at point of
attachment to ovary; glabrous; lustrous; color initially upon
opening nearest RHS 145B, progressing to nearest RHS 59B at
maturity. Stigma.--Minute, acute; about 0.2 mm diameter and 0.2 mm
long; color initially upon opening nearest RHS 158D, progressing to
nearest RHS 59B at maturity. Ovary.--Conical; acutely tapering at
apex to style; base truncate; lustrous; about 4.0 mm long and 1.5
mm diameter; color initially upon opening nearest RHS 160C,
progressing to nearest RHS 160D proximally and nearest RHS 59B
distally at maturity, with petals marcescent nearest RHS 46A
distally and nearest RHS 160D proximally. Fruit: Ventrally
dehiscent follicle; about 3.5 mm long and 3.2 mm across; color at
maturity nearest RHS 177A; Seed: Sparse; fine; lanceolate; about
1.0 mm long and less than 0.2 mm across; color between RHS 165A and
RHS 165B; Growing conditions: Plants of the new Sedum `Night Light`
is xeromorphic and grow best with good drainage, full sun and
moderate to low fertility. `Night Light` tolerates heavy rains and
wind and is not prone to develop an open center later in the season
as many other Sedum cultivars do that are known to the inventor.
Hardiness: The new plant is cold hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9 and
has tolerated temperatures of at least 35 degrees C. Disease and
pest resistance: Other pest and disease resistance and tolerance
outside that normal for Sedum is not known.
* * * * *