U.S. patent number PP34,442 [Application Number 17/501,727] was granted by the patent office on 2022-07-26 for mahonia plant named `ncmh1`.
This patent grant is currently assigned to North Carolina State University. The grantee listed for this patent is North Carolina State University. Invention is credited to Nathan Lynch, Andra Windorf Nus, Irene Palmer, Thomas Ranney, Darren H. Touchell.
United States Patent |
PP34,442 |
Ranney , et al. |
July 26, 2022 |
Mahonia plant named `NCMH1`
Abstract
`NCMH1` is a new cultivar of Mahonia with a compact habit, dark
green semi-evergreen foliage, and showy yellow flowers.
Inventors: |
Ranney; Thomas (Arden, NC),
Touchell; Darren H. (Arden, NC), Nus; Andra Windorf
(Mills River, NC), Palmer; Irene (Mills River, NC),
Lynch; Nathan (Mills River, NC) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
North Carolina State University |
Raleigh |
NC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
North Carolina State University
(Raleigh, NC)
|
Appl.
No.: |
17/501,727 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
PLT/226 |
Current International
Class: |
A01H
6/00 (20180101); A01H 5/02 (20180101) |
Field of
Search: |
;PLT/226 |
Primary Examiner: Robinson; Keith O.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Myers Bigel, P.A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A new and distinct Mahonia plant named `NCMH1` as illustrated
and described herein.
Description
Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the novel,
ornamental plant variety disclosed herein is Mahonia.
Variety denomination: The inventive cultivar of Mahonia disclosed
herein has been given the varietal denomination `NCMH1`.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a new and distinct Mahonia cultivar
hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `NCMH1`. This new
Mahonia was developed through a breeding program in Mills River,
N.C. `NCMH1` was selected from a population of seedlings grown from
a controlled cross of Mahonia x media `Winter Sun` (unpatented) x
Mahonia `Soft Caress` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,183). The first
asexual propagation of `NCMH1` was carried out in December 2014 by
rooting stem cuttings in Mills River, N.C. and has been asexually
reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings over a four-year
period. `NCMH1` roots from hardwood cuttings were treated with a
basal dip of 5,000-10,000 ppm indole butyric acid (potassium salt)
in water. `NCMH1` has been found to retain its distinctive
characteristics through successive asexual propagations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`NCMH1` is distinguishable from other Mahonia cultivars, when grown
under standard horticultural practices in Mills River, N.C., by its
compact habit with dense branching; soft, dark evergreen foliage
with a refined look; and long racemes of showy yellow flowers
produced sporadically in fall, winter, and spring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This new Mahonia is illustrated by the accompanying photographs
which show the plant's form, foliage and inflorescences. The colors
shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional
photographic procedures. Colors in the photographs may differ
slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical
description, which accurately describe the colors of the new
Mahonia.
FIG. 1 is a color photograph of a typical 3-year-old specimen of
Mahonia `NCMH1` grown under standard horticultural practices
showing yellow (RHS 7A) inflorescences and long racemes.
FIG. 2 is a color photograph of a typical 3-year-old specimen of
Mahonia `NCMH1` grown under standard horticultural practices
showing the habit of a container-grown plant.
FIG. 3 is a color photograph of a typical 3-year-old specimen of
Mahonia `NCMH1` grown under standard horticultural practices
showing the dark green (RHS 137A) lustrous foliage of `NCMH1`.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
Although Mahonia species are sometimes classified as Berberis, the
most recent taxonomic treatment by Yu and Chung Taxon
66(6):1371-1392 (2017) classifies Mahonia and Berberis as separate
genera. The following is a detailed description of the botanical
characteristics of the new and distinct Mahonia cultivar known by
the denomination `NCMH1`. All colors cited herein refer to The
Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart designations (The Royal
Horticultural Society (R.H.S.), London, Sixth Edition (2016). Where
specific dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are
given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are
approximations or averages set forth as accurately as
practicable.
The detailed descriptions reported herein were taken in 2019 from a
three-year-old container-grown plant that was grown in Mills River,
N.C. under standard horticultural practices. Mahonia `NCMH1` has
not been observed under all possible environmental conditions;
therefore, the phenotype may vary under different environmental
conditions such as season, temperature, light intensity, day
length, cultural conditions, and the like, without however, any
variance in the genotype.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
Classification: Botanical name.--Mahonia `NCMH1`. Common
name.--Mahonia. Variety name.--`NCMH1`. Parentage: Selected from a
population of seedlings grown from a controlled cross of Mahonia x
media `Winter Sun` (unpatented) x Mahonia `Soft Caress` (U.S. Plant
Pat. No. 20,183). Plant description: Growth habit.--Compact and
rounded shrub. Growth rate.--Moderate. Height.--About 100 cm.
Width.--About 60 cm. Roots: Type.--Fibrous. Root color.--Moderate
Yellow (RHS 160A). Shoot and stem: Lateral branch length.--Average
is .about.25 cm (.about.20 cm to .about.30 cm). Lateral branch
diameter.--Average is .about.0.9 cm (.about.0.6 cm to .about.1.2
cm). Internode length.--Average is .about.4.5 cm (.about.3 cm to
.about.7.5 cm). Immature shoot texture (current year).--Glabrous.
Immature shoot color (current year).--Yellow-Green (RHS N144A).
Mature stem texture (from prior year).--Glabrous with vertical
fissures. Mature stem color (from prior year).--Grey-Brown (RHS
N199C). Leaves: Type.--Compound, odd-pinnate.
Persistence.--Evergreen. Leaf fragrance.--None. Leaf
arrangement.--Alternate. Leaf length.--Average is .about.29.2 cm
(.about.25 cm to .about.37 cm). Leaf width.--Average is .about.10.3
cm (.about.7 cm to .about.16 cm). Rachis.--Length: Average is
.about.23.5 cm (.about.17 cm to .about.26.5 cm). Width: About 0.1
cm. Color: Yellow-Green (RHS N144A). Texture: Glabrous.
Leaflet.--Arrangement: Opposite with terminal leaflet. Number: 13
to 19 leaflets. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Long acuminate. Base:
Oblique to rounded. Venation: 3 to 5-nerved. Color, below:
Yellow-Green (RHS 146B). Margins: Infrequently spiny-serrate with 6
to 11 teeth. Length: Average is .about.7.3 cm (.about.3.5 cm to
.about.12.6 cm). Width: Average is .about.1.7 cm (.about.0.8 cm to
.about.2.8 cm). Color: Emerging foliage, upper leaflet:
Yellow-Green (RHS 146B). Emerging foliage, lower leaflet:
Yellow-Green (RHS 146C). Mature foliage, upper leaflet: Green (RHS
137A). Mature foliage, lower leaflet: Yellow-Green (RHS 146C).
Texture: Glabrous. Attachment: Sessile. Leaf
attachment.--Petiolate. Petiole.--Length: Average is .about.2 cm
(.about.0.9 cm to .about.3 cm). Diameter: About 0.2 cm. Color:
Yellow-Green (RHS N144A). Texture: Glabrous. Inflorescence:
Description.--Single flowers arranged on terminal racemes, opening
from base to apex. Number of racemes per terminal.--Average is
.about.9 (.about.5 to .about.15). Number of flowers per
raceme.--.about.75 to .about.100. Flowering season.--November to
March in Mills River, N.C. Fragrance.--None. Lastingness.--2 to 6
weeks. Raceme.--Length: Average is .about.15.8 cm (.about.13 cm to
.about.19 cm). Width: Average is .about.2.2 cm (.about.2 cm to
.about.2.5 cm). Flower.--Height: Average is .about.0.5 cm
(.about.0.4 cm to .about.0.6 cm). Diameter: Average is .about.1 cm
(.about.0.8 cm to .about.1.2 cm). Lastingness.--3 to 7 days.
Bud.--Shape: Ovate to rounded. Length: Average is .about.0.3 cm
(.about.0.1 cm to .about.0.4 cm). Diameter: Average is .about.0.3
cm (.about.0.1 cm to .about.0.4 cm). Color: Yellow (RHS 7A).
Texture: Glabrous. Petals.--Number: 6. Arrangement: Whorled.
Length: .about.0.5 cm. Width: .about.0.2 cm. Shape: Oblong. Margin:
Entire. Apex: Rounded. Base: Truncate. Color: Yellow (RHS 7A).
Texture: Glabrous. Sepals.--Number: 9, consisting of 6 petaloid
sepals and 3 true sepals. Arrangement: Whorled. Petaloid sepals:
Length: .about.0.6 cm. Width: .about.0.4 cm. Shape: Oblong. Margin:
Entire. Apex: Obtuse to rounded. Base: Rounded. Color: Yellow (RHS
7A). Texture: Glabrous. True sepals: Length: About 0.3 cm. Width:
Less than 0.2 cm. Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse.
Base: Rounded. Color: Yellow (RHS 7A) with a blush of Greyed-Red
(RHS 178C). Texture: Glabrous. Peduncle.--Length: Average is
.about.15.5 cm (.about.12.5 cm to .about.18.5 cm). Diameter: About
0.1 cm. Color: Yellow-Green (RHS N144A). Texture: Glabrous.
Pedicels.--Length: Average is .about.0.4 cm (.about.0.1 cm to
.about.0.6 cm). Diameter: Less than 0.1 cm. Color: Yellow-Green
(RHS N144A). Texture: Glabrous. Reproductive organs:
Gynoecium.--Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: .about.0.4 cm. Stigma
shape: Round. Stigma color: Yellow (RHS 7A). Style length:
.about.0.3 cm. Style color: Yellow-Green (RHS 144A).
Androecium.--Stamen number: 6. Stamen shape: Linear. Stamen length:
About 0.4 cm. Anther shape: Two-lobed. Anther size: About 0.1 cm.
Anther color: Yellow (RHS 7A). Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen
color: Green-Yellow (RHS 1D). Fruit and seed: Fruit type.--Berry.
Shape: Ovoid. Length: Average is .about.1 cm (.about.0.8 cm to
.about.1.2 cm). Width: Average is .about.0.4 cm (.about.0.3 cm to
.about.0.5 cm). Color: Greyed-Purple (RHS N186A). Texture:
Glabrous, pruinose. Seed.--None observed. Disease and insect
resistance: No significant disease or insect pests have been
observed. Cold hardiness: At least USDA zone 7b; testing has not
been completed in colder zones.
COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL SPECIES
`NCMH1` is distinguished from Mahonia x media `Winter Sun` in that
`NCMH1` has narrower evergreen leaflets, whereas Mahonia x media
`Winter Sun` has wider leaflets and fragrant flowers. `NCMH1` is
distinguished from Mahonia `Soft Caress` (U.S. Plant Pat. No.
20,183) in that `NCMH1` has wider evergreen leaflets with
infrequent spines, whereas Mahonia `Soft Caress` (U.S. Plant Pat.
No. 20,183) has narrower leaflets with infrequent spines. `NCMH1`
also has longer racemes, up to 19 cm, whereas Mahonia `Soft Caress`
has racemes up to 14 cm and more flowers (about 75 to 100 per
raceme) than Mahonia `Soft Caress` (about 50 per raceme).
COMPARISON WITH ANOTHER MAHONIA CULTIVAR
`NCMH1` differs from `NCMH2` (U.S. Plant patent application Ser.
No. 17/501,735), a Mahonia cultivar, in that `NCMH1` has yellow
(RHS 7A) flower buds while `NCMH2` has multicolored flower buds at
the balloon stage that are vivid reddish orange (RHS 42A) with
increasing amounts of vivid yellow (RHS 17C) and some strong
reddish purple (RHS 72B) towards the base.
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