<i>Sedum </i>plant named ‘Rosy Cheeks’

Abstract

A new and distinct ornamental perennial Sedum plant named ‘Rosy Cheeks’ is characterized by tight-forming, compact, domed clumps with small-sized, blue-green glaucous foliage that becomes wine-colored with high light. The numerous vertical to arching branched flower stems resist falling over and opening up in the center of the plant throughout the growing season. Numerous stems produce a multitude of flowers of bright rosy-pink effect completely covering the top of the plant. The new plant is useful for the landscape in containers, as specimens, en masse.

Claims

1. A new and distinct perennial Sedum plant named ‘Rosy Cheeks’ as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the unique traits and the overall appearance of Sedum ‘Rosy Cheeks’. 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 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.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a four-year-old plant in early stages of flowering with extensive flower coverage.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the variable color of the foliage of a two-year-old plant in mid-summer prior to flowering.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) 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: ‘Rosy Cheeks’; Parentage: A selection of Sedum tatarinowii plant as the female or seed parent; a proprietary unreleased selection of Sedum cauticola as the male or pollen parent; 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; clumping mound; stems stiff and upright to arching arising from a dense crown; dense and full, not opening in center later in the season; flower heads freely branching; Growth rate: Moderately vigorous; Plant size: About 27.0 cm tall and 75.0 cm wide in full flower; Stems: Terete; glaucous; glabrous; to about 7.0 mm diameter at the base and about 35.0 cm long from base to initial branches; 32 internodes per stem below inflorescence, average length about 9.0 mm; about 80 stems per plant; Stem color: Variable, proximally and where protected from high light exposure between RHS 146D and RHS 147D, with increased light exposure nearest RHS 187A; Lateral branches: Glaucous; primary branches to about 9.0 cm long and about 3.0 mm diameter; moderately to heavily branched with 5 main branches; Lateral branch color: Proximally between RHS 147C and RHS 146C, with increasing blushing distally to nearest RHS 187B; Foliage: Ovate; alternate to sub-opposite; simple; smooth; glabrous and glaucous on both surfaces; sessile; thick, sarcous and succulent; apex bluntly acute to rounded; base attenuate; margin irregularly and moderately dentate, about 5 teeth in distal two-thirds of leaf; teeth about 2.0 mm long, and 4.0 mm apart; attitude outward; Foliage size: To about 3.5 cm long, 2.4 cm across and 3.0 mm thick; average about 2.8 cm long, 1.7 cm across and 2.0 mm thick; Foliage color: Adaxial young between RHS N138B and RHS 147C, abaxial young between RHS 138B and RHS 147C; mature adaxial between RHS N186B and RHS 187B and abaxial nearest RHS N138C; Petiole: Leaves sessile; Venation: Palmate, barely distinguishable; midrib slightly raised abaxial; Vein color: Abaxial and adaxial secondary veins same as surrounding leaf tissue; adaxial midrib nearest RHS 138B, abaxial midrib nearest RHS 148D and; Flower: Stellate, actinomophic; pentamerous; persistent; attitude upright to outwardly in terminal compound cymes; size about 7.0 mm across and 4.0 mm deep; Flower number: About 800 per stem and 10,000 to 20,000 flowers per plant; Fragrance: None detected; Flowering season: Beginning mid to late August in Zeeland, Mich. for about four 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 three weeks; Flower buds about one day prior to opening: Ovoid; apex acute; base rounded; about 4.0 mm long and about 2.5 mm diameter near middle; Flower bud color: Nearest RHS 194D proximally and between RHS 71A and RHS N77B distally; Inflorescence: About 9.0 cm tall from first branch and about 10.0 cm across; up to about 800 flowers per branched inflorescence; Petals: Five; lanceolate; acute apex; base fused; margin entire; glabrous and lustrous abaxial and adaxial; average about 4.0 mm long and about 1.5 mm across near middle; Petal color: When initially open adaxial between RHS 64B and RHS 64C, distally nearest RHS 64A; when initially open abaxial distally nearest RHS 186C proximally and distally nearest RHS 64A; when mature adaxial nearest RHS 186A distally and RHS 186D proximally; when mature abaxial between RHS N186C and RHS N186B along center and edges nearest RHS 186C; Calyx: With five sepals; campanulate; about 2.5 mm across and 1.5 mm deep; Sepals: Linear to lanceolate; narrowly acute apex; fused in basal 0.5 mm; entire margin; glabrous and slightly glaucous both abaxial and adaxial; adpressed to petals, about 2.0 mm long and about 1.0 mm across at fusion; Sepal color: Abaxial and adaxial nearest 148B with moderate blush of nearest RHS 187A; Peduncles: Terete; slightly glaucous, glabrous; stiff and flexible; freely branching; upright to slightly outwardly; with branches to about 45° from perpendicular; about 9.0 cm long and 5.0 mm diameter; Peduncle color: Nearest RHS 187A; Pedicels: Cylindrical; glabrous, slightly glaucous; strong and stiff, yet flexible; about 2.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter; Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 187B; Androecium: Typically ten stamens; Filaments.—Cylindrical; outwardly; alternately free between petals, and fused to inner corolla in basal 1.0 mm; about 3.5 mm long and about 0.2 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 64B. Anthers.—Basifixed; globose; about 0.5 mm diameter; color nearest RHS N77A. Pollen.—Moderate in quantity; color nearest RHS NN155A. Gynoecium: Typically five; cylindrical, conic in distal one third; about 3.0 mm long; Style.—Terete; ellipsoidal, tapering distally and base truncate; about 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter at point of attachment to ovary; glabrous; color nearest RHS NN74B. Stigma.—Minute, acute; about 0.1 mm diameter and 0.1 mm long; color nearest RHS 71A. Ovary.—Nearly terete, acutely tapering at apex to style; base truncate; lustrous; about 2.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter; color initially nearest RHS 64B, maturing to nearest RHS 148D after petals dry. Fruit: Ventrally dehiscent follicle; about 2.2 mm long and 2.0 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 ‘Rosy Cheeks’ is xeromorphic and grow best with good drainage, full sun and moderate to low fertility. ‘Rosy Cheeks’ is cold hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9 and has tolerated temperatures of at least 35 degrees C. ‘Rosy Cheeks’ tolerates heavy rains and wind and is not prone to develop an open center later in the season as many other Sedum cultivars do. Disease and pest resistance: Other pest and disease resistance and tolerance outside that normal for Sedum is not known.