Aechmea plant named ‘Patricia's Secret’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Aechmea plant named ‘Patricia's Secret’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; unique yellow green and green variegated leaves with green-colored margins and yellow green-colored longitudinal stripes with a rosy pink-colored blush; inflorescences held upright and above the foliar plane on strong orange-colored scapes; tightly branched inflorescences with greyed orange-colored flower bracts with greyed yellow-colored sepals; and long-lasting inflorescences.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Aechmea plant named ‘Patricia's Secret’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aechmea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. 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 Aechmea plant.

(2) The photograph on the right side of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Patricia's Secret’ grown in a container.

(3) The photograph on the left side of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Patricia's Secret’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 20-cm containers during the winter and spring in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Princeton, Fla. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 28° to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C. and light levels ranged from 3,200 to 5,000 foot-candles. Plants were 14 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Aechmea eurycorymbus×(Aechmea chantinii×Aechmea tessmannii) ‘Patricia's Secret’. Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Aechmea eurycorymbus×(Aechmea chantinii×Aechmea tessmannii) ‘Patricia’, not patented. Propagation: Type.—By offsets. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 to 45 days at temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 to 60 days at temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three months at temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C.

(5) Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six months at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 22° C. Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; yellow and white in color, actual color will depend on substrate composition. Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming outwardly arching with development; plants readily produce offsets; vigorous growth habit. Plant height, soil surface to top of leaf canopy.—About 74.3 cm. Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About 80 cm. Plant diameter or spread.—About 90 cm. Leaf description: Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves clasping; simple. Length.—About 64.8 cm. Width.—About 9.2 cm; at the base, about 15.5 cm. Shape.—Lanceolate, strap-like. Apex.—Cuspidate. Base.—Truncate. Margin.—Serrate and spinose. Aspect.—Upright to arching with development. Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; stiff. Luster, upper surface.—Slightly glossy. Luster, lower surface.—Matte. Venation.—Parallel. Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Towards the margins, 146B; central parallel longitudinal stripes, 146C to 146D, 147B and 160D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Towards the margins, 147C; central parallel longitudinal stripes, 146D, 147C and 160D. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Towards the margins, 146B; central parallel longitudinal stripes, 146C, 147A and 160D; overlain with close to 182B to 182C; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Towards the margins, 146C; central parallel longitudinal stripes, 146B to 146D and 161D; venation, close to 145A. Inflorescence description: Inflorescence form and arrangement.—Long, open terminal panicles with tightly branched lateral panicles supported by erect and strong scapes; about 21 lateral panicles each with about 17 individual flowers; flowers distichous, sessile. Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 12 to 14 weeks after planting. Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Aechmca are very long-lasting, typically bract color will be maintained for about two months in the interior and about four months in the landscape depending on environmental conditions; inflorescences persistent. Fragrance.—None detected. Inflorescence length.—About 31.75 cm. Inflorescence width.—About 28 cm. Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid, pointed. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 162A. Flower length.—About 2.1 cm. Flower diameter.—About 5 mm. Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl. Length: About 2.1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elongated ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, inner surface: Close to 28B. When opening and fully opened, outer surface: Close to 28A. Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl. Length: About 2.7 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Elongated ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, inner surface: Close to 162B. When opening and fully opened, outer surface: Close to 163B to 163C. Primary bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: One subtending each lateral panicle. Length: About 8.4 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner surface: Close to 179C. Color, outer surface: Close to 179B. Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: One per flower; subtending and closely appressed to the flower. Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 8mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to N167C. Scapes.—Length, primary, to base of inflorescence: About 47 cm. Length, laterals: About 1.5 cm. Diameter, primary: About 6 mm. Diameter, laterals: About 4.5 mm. Strength, primary and laterals: Strong. Aspect, primary: Mostly upright. Aspect, laterals: Curving upright. Texture, primary and laterals: Smooth, glabrous. Color, primary and laterals: Close to 34B. Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to 162A. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther shape: Elongated oblong. Anther color: Close to 162C. Pollen: None observed, Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to N163C. Stigma shape: Ovoid. Stigma color: Close to N163D. Ovary color: Close to 196D. Seeds.—Seed production has not been observed on plants of the new Aechmea. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 36° C. Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been observed to be resistant to Pythium and Phytophthora. Plants of the new Aechmea not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Aechmea plants.