<i>Hydrangea </i>plant named ‘H220909’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘H220909’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems; freely and uniformly flowering habit; lacecap-type inflorescences with numerous double sterile flowers that are white in color; and good postproduction longevity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘H220909’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea 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 from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

(2) The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘H220909’.

(3) The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘H220909’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the late spring and early summer in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. Plants of the new Hydrangea treated with aluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences do not show any significant color changes. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘H220909’. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 212292-009, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 212297-018, not patented. Propagation: Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at temperatures about 23° C. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at temperatures about 20° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four weeks at temperatures about 23° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five weeks at temperatures about 20° C. Root description.—Thick; typically whitish brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; strong and sturdy stems; rapid growth rate and vigorous growth habit. Plant height.—About 25 cm to 35 cm. Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 50 cm to 60 cm. Lateral branch description: Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about eight lateral branches develop per plant. Length.—About 20 cm to 25 cm. Diameter.—About 5 mm to 7 mm. Internode length.—About 2 cm to 5 cm. Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; fully developed, woody. Aspect.—Upright to slightly outwardly. Strength.—Strong, sturdy. Color.—When developing: Close to 144B; at internodes, close to 185C; lenticels, close to 145C. Developed: Close to 144B; at the internodes, close to 185C; when woody, close to 177C; lenticels, close to 145C. Leaf description: Arrangement.—Opposite, simple. Length.—About 8 cm to 11 cm. Width.—About 6 cm to 8 cm. Shape.—Ovate. Apex.—Cuspidate. Base.—Obtuse. Margin.—Dentate to serrate. Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface.—Rugose, glabrous. Venation pattern.—Pinnate. Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 146D. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 146D. Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D. Flower description: Flower type and habit.—Double showy sterile flowers arranged on lacecap-type terminal panicles; to date, fertile flower development has not been observed on plants of the new Hydrangea; panicles flattened globular in shape; rounded flowers face upright to outwardly depending on their position in the inflorescence. Fragrance.—None detected. Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally in the early summer and is continuous throughout the summer in Northern Europe. Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about four months on the plant, sterile flowers persistent. Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 280 sterile flowers per panicle. Panicle height.—About 6 cm to 8 cm. Panicle diameter.—About 20 cm to 23 cm. Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 145B. Sterile flower diameter.—About 4 cm to 5 cm. Sterile flower depth (height).—About 1 cm. Petals, sterile flowers.—To date, petal development has not been observed on sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea. Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About 14 in about three whorls. Length, outer whorl: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Length, inner whorls: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Width, outer whorl: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Width, inner whorls: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145D and 145B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D; with development, color becoming closer to 145B; when “blued”, inner whorls becoming closer to 155B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D; with development, color becoming closer to 145C. Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to NN155D. Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: To date, stamen development has not been observed on plants of the new Hydrangea. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About two or three. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 155A. Ovary color: Close to 155A. Seeds.—To date, seed development has not been observed on plants of the new Hydrangea. Pathogen & pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions, plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants to date. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 38° C.