<i>Coreopsis </i>plant named ‘Riding Hood’

Abstract

A new cultivar of hybrid Coreopsis plant named ‘Riding Hood’ that is characterized by its compact plant habit reaching an average of 35 cm in height and 60 cm in width, its floriferous and long blooming season with its nearly sterile inflorescences that do not require deadheading; bloom commences in late-June and lasts until frost in Kensington, Conn., its medium sized inflorescences with ray florets that are dark red in color, its resistance to powdery mildew and leafspot and its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 4.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Riding Hood’ as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs were taken of a 4-month-old plant of ‘Riding Hood’ as grown outdoors in a 1-gallon container in Belchertown, Mass.

(2) The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of a plant of ‘Riding Hood’ in bloom.

(3) The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Riding Hood’.

(4) The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(5) The following is a detailed description of 4-month-old plants of ‘Riding Hood’ as grown outdoors in one-gallon containers in Belchertown, Mass. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. General description: Blooming period.—Blooms from late-June until frost in Kensington, Conn. Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial. Plant habit.—Clump-forming, compact, upright leafy flowering stems with inflorescences held above the foliage. Height and spread.—An average of 16 cm in height (foliar plane), 27 cm in height (floral plane) as grown in a one-gallon container, a fully mature plant in the lanscape reaches 35 cm in height and 60 cm in width. Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 4. Diseases and pests.—Resistance to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii), no resistance or susceptibility to pests has been observed. Root description.—Fibrous and fine, NN155A in color. Propagation.—Stem cuttings. Time required for root initiation.—An average of 10 days for root initiation. Growth rate.—Vigorous, but stays compact. Stem description: Shape.—Flattened, solid. Stem color.—144A. Stem strength.—Strong. Stem size.—Main stems; an average of 14 cm in length and 5 mm in width, lateral stems; an average of 6 cm in length (excluding peduncles) and 3 mm in width. Stem surface.—Glossy, moderately covered with villous hairs up to 2 mm in length and NN155C in color. Branching habit.—Freely branched, an average of 25 basal main stems, lateral stems typically branched as oppositely arranged pairs at each node. Internode length.—An average of 3.5 cm. Foliage description: Leaf division.—Simple. Leaf margins.—Entire, bi-fid and trifid. Leaf size.—Entire leaves; an average of 9 cm in length and 7 cm in width, trifid leaves; center lobe an average of 7 cm in length and 1 cm in width, lateral lobes an average of 4.5 cm in length and in 5 mm width. Leaf shape.—Linear. Leaf base.—Cuneate. Leaf apex.—Acute. Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, same color as leaf. Leaf attachment.—Sessile. Leaf arrangement.—Opposite. Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces; dull and sparsely to moderately covered with villous hairs; up to 2 mm in length, NN155A in color. Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface; 138A, lower surface; 138B. Inflorescence description: Inflorescence type.—Composite with a single row of ray florets surrounding disc florets in the center, forming a radiant head, inflorescences are borne on branch terminals in loose corymbs. Lastingness of inflorescence.—8 to 10 days until senescence of ray florets, phyllarys and disc florets are persistent. Fragrance.—Moderate floral scent. Quantity of inflorescences.—Free flowering, an average of 8 corymbs per main branch, an average of 4 composits per corymb. Inflorescence size.—Corymbs; up to 20 cm in length and 14 cm in width, composite; an average of 2 cm in depth and 6 cm in diameter. Inflorescence buds.—Globose and flattened in shape, an average of 6 mm in depth and 7 mm in diameter, smooth and shiny surface; color; a blend of 146A and 147A. Peduncle.—Rounded in shape, strong, an average of 16 cm in length and 1.5 mm in diameter, 144A in color, smooth and glabrous surface. Phyllaries (involucral bracts): Phyllary number.—2 rows; outer (lower) row 8, inner (upper) row 8. Phyllary arrangement.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; 5% fused, held horizontal to slightly downwards, inner (upper) phyllaries; surround receptacle with 5% of apical portion free. Phyllary size.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; an average of 1 cm in length and 2 mm in width, inner (upper) phyllaries; an average of 1 cm in length and 5 mm in width. Phyllary color.—Upper and lower surfaces, outer (lower) phyllaries; 144A, base 144B, inner (upper) phyllaries; transluscent, 152B, margins flushed with 22A, base 144A. Phyllary texture.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; glabrous and smooth on both surfaces, inner (upper) phyllaries; glabrous, slightly transluscent and slightly waxy on both surfaces. Phyllary apex.—Acute. Phyllary base.—Truncate. Phyllary shape.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; elliptic to lanceolate, inner (upper) phyllaries; broadly lanceolate. Ray florets (sterile): Number.—8. Shape.—Oblanceolate, with the appearance of 3 longitudinal sections. Size.—An average of 2.5 cm in length and 1.5 cm in width. Apex.—Rounded with notched and undulate lobes. Base.—Cuneate. Margins.—Entire and slightly undulate. Aspect.—Held mainly horizontal and slightly upwards, perpendicular to peduncle. Texture.—Upper surface; satiny, velvety, glabrous and dull, lower surface; glabrous with a slight sheen. Color.—Upper surface when opening and fully open; closest to a blend of 187A and 187B, lower surface when opening and fully open; 162A with streaks in the mid-section of 187C, margins surrounding the florets 187C. Disc florets (male and female): Number.—An average of 80. Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared and slightly curled at apex. Size.—About 5.5 mm in length and 0.4 mm in width. Color.—En masse; 17A, individual; corolla (tube) base and mid-section transluscent, 22A in color. Receptacle.—An average of 1 cm in diameter and 5 mm in depth, 144A in color. Reproductive organs: Presence.—Disc florets only. Gynoecium.—1 Pistil; an average of 5 mm in length, style; very fine and 8D in color, bifid pillose, stigma; 17B in color with recurved branches about 0.5 mm in length, ovary is inferior, oblong in shape, an average of 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width, and 145A in color. Androecium.—4 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style, an average of 2 mm in length and less than 0.5 mm in width, 200B in color, pollen; abundant in quantity and 22A in color. Seed.—Observed to be nearly sterile, seed development has not been observed to date.