<i>Echeveria </i>plant named ‘Serena’

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of Echeveria plant named ‘Serena’ which is characterized by relaxed succulent foliage in a stemless rosette, glaucescent greyed-purple foliage with a pink hue, and a foliar aspect which varies from convex to concave with an upturned leaf tip thus creating a wavy appearance. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveria plant named ‘Serena’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘Serena’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 1 year old, shown planted in a 12 cm container.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘Serena’.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘Serena’.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘Serena’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(5) The following observations and measurements made in November of 2019 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 1 year old ‘Serena’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria which consisted of minimal subsurface irrigation, fertilizer applications, and chemical pest control measures against thrips as required. No other chemical pest and disease control measures were taken. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

(6) Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘Serena’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where 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 phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

(7) A botanical description of ‘Serena’ and a comparison with the parent and closest known comparator is provided below. Plant description: Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a non-branched basal rosette. Plant form.—Flattened globular. Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—7.8 cm. Plant spread.—Average of 16.7 cm. Growth rate.—Moderately fast. Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous. Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting — Approximately 5 weeks at an approximate temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 1 year to produce a marketable plant in a 12 cm container. Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and diseases has been observed. Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10 to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once established; high tolerance to wind. Root system: General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. Stems: Branching habit.—No stems or branches; leaves arranged in a basal rosette. Foliage: Arrangement.—Rosette. Division.—Simple. Attachment.—Sessile. Quantity.—Approximately 46 leaves per rosette. Shape.—Obovate to nearly spatulate. Dimensions.—7.1 cm long, 4.0 cm wide, and 0.6 cm thick, on average. Aspect.—Slightly inverted carinate to moderately inverted carinate; moderately concave to moderately convex with leaf tip curled upward. Attitude.—Leaves are held upright and outward near the center of the rosette and become progressively more relaxed towards the outer whorls of foliage. Apex.—Broad abruptly acute. Base.—Long cuneate. Margin.—Entire. Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and glaucescent. Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and glaucescent. Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Brown, nearest to 200C, and suffused with greyed-purple distally, nearest to in between RHS 187B and 187C; fading to greyed-red towards the base, nearest to in between RHS 182C and 182D; margined greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182C. Leaves are covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored greyed-purple, nearest to RHS N187C. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Brown, nearest to 200C, and suffused with greyed-purple distally, nearest to RHS 187A; fading to greyed-red towards the base, nearest to in between RHS 182C and 182D; margined greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182C. Leaves are covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored greyed-purple, nearest to RHS N187C. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 177A; suffused with brown distally, nearest to RHS 200C; margined greyed-green, nearest to RHS 195B; fading to greyed-red towards the base, nearest to RHS 182C. Leaves are covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored greyed-green, nearest to in between RHS 198A and 198B. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Nearest to in between yellow-green and greyed-green, RHS 148A and 197A, and margined greyed-green, nearest to RHS 195B; fading to greyed-brown towards the base, nearest to RHS 199B. Leaves are covered with a thin layer of epicuticular wax which is colored greyed-green, nearest to in between RHS 198A and 198B. Venation.—Pattern — No venation is visible. Color, adaxial surface — No venation is visible. Color, abaxial surface — No venation is visible. Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT

(8) Plants of the new cultivar ‘Serena’ differ from the parent, an unnamed Echeveria hybrid plant (not patented) in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

(9) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘Serena’ The parent. Foliage aspect. Inverted carinate. Flat. Foliage aspect. Varying from convex to Distal portion of the concave, creating a wavy leaf margins and tip appearance, with the leaf are curled upward. tip curled upward. General coloration Greyed-purple with a Greyed-purple with a of the foliage. weaker pink hue. stronger pink hue.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

(10) Plants of the new cultivar ‘Serena’ differ from the species Echeveria hybrid ‘AMIECH1819’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,493), which is the closest known comparator, in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

(11) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘Serena’ ‘AMIECH1819’ Foliage aspect. Varying from convex Moderately to strongly to concave, creating a convex and moderately to wavy appearance, with strongly revolute to near- the leaf tip curled tubular; foliage is slightly upward. curved upwards. Presence of Not present. Present. irregularly globular growths on the foliage. Color of the Greyed-purple. Black. epicuticular wax. General coloration Greyed-purple with a Greyed-purple with a of the foliage. stronger pink hue. weaker pink hue.