<i>Coleus </i>plant named ‘UF20-140-2’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) plant named ‘UF20-140-2’, selected for its combination of novel foliage shape and multi-colored patterning. It has multi-colored yellowish green foliage with dark red margins and accents, purplish red mid-veins, and pale greenish yellow bases. The foliage color shows stability in both sun and shade. The unique shape of the foliage is extremely uniform across the plant throughout development. It grows quickly under greenhouse production conditions and establishes well in the summer landscape. ‘UF20-140-2’ has an upright and spreading growth habit, but it is highly branched and uniform, growing wider than it does tall.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Coleus scutellarioides plant named ‘UF20-140-2’ as shown and described herein.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) This new Coleus cultivar ‘UF20-140-2’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form and foliage. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. FIGS. 2-5 were taken from plants grown eight weeks from unrooted cuttings in July-September 2022 in a glass-covered greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the pedigree of the new Coleus cultivar ‘UF20-140-2’ as shown and described herein;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the growth habit, form, and foliage of the new Coleus cultivar;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the foliage of the new Coleus cultivar;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the adaxial side of an immature leaf (left) and a mature leaf (right) of the new Coleus cultivar, with corresponding R.H.S. color designations; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows the abaxial side of an immature leaf (left) and a mature leaf (right) of the new Coleus cultivar, with corresponding R.H.S. color designations.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTIVAR

(7) Foliage color was determined under full sun conditions in the middle of the day in a glass-covered greenhouse. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2007 5th Edition. Coleus leaves are rarely one solid color but encompass hues, shades and tints, and color patterns differ from one genotype to another due to varying levels of variegation. The following detailed description of ‘UF20-140-2’ was obtained using ten-week-old plants grown from unrooted cuttings in February-April 2022 in a glass-covered greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla. The plants were propagated in mist for ten days after cuttings were stuck, then grown in one-gallon pots for approximately eight and a half additional weeks.

Botanical Description

(8) Botanical classification: Family.—Lamiaceae. Botanical name.—Coleus scutellarioides. Common name.—Coleus. Cultivar.—‘UF20-140-2’. Parentage: Female or seed parent.—‘UF18-34-7’. Male or pollen parent.—Unknown. Plant description: Habit.—Upright and spreading Height (from top of soil).—40-45 cm. Width (horizontal plant diameter).—65-70 cm. Propagation: Type cuttings.—Vegetative meristem tip cuttings having at least 1 node. Time to initiate roots.—3-4 days. Time to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days. Root habit.—Fibrous. Root description.—Callus forms in 2-3 days, roots initiate in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in 7-10 days. Branches: Quantity per plant.—Approximately 11. Branch color.—RHS 143A (yellow green). Texture.—Smooth. Pubescence.—Not present. Stem description.—Square-shaped stem. Branch diameter.—0.8-0.9 cm at the base of a 13-cm-long branch. Branch length.—12-15 cm. Internode length.—3.5-4.0 cm measured at mid-branch. Anthocyanin.—Not present. Foliage description: Quantity of leaves per branch.—22-24. Arrangement.—Opposite. Fragrance.—Not fragrant. Shape.—Ovate. Length.—9-10 cm. Width.—Approximately 5 cm. Apex.—Broadly Acute. Base.—Attenuate. Margin.—Lobed. Leaf texture.—Upper surface: Pulverulent. Lower surface: Smooth. Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 63A (purplish red). Lower surface: RHS 63A (purplish red). Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Reticulate. Lower surface: Reticulate. Color, immature leaf.—Upper surface, major color: RHS 141B (yellowish green). Upper surface, margins, and accents: RHS 187A (dark red). Upper surface, around the veins: RHS 160C (pale greenish yellow). Lower surface, major color: RHS 141B (yellowish green). Lower surface, margins, and accents: RHS 187A (dark red). Lower surface, around the veins: RHS 160C (pale greenish yellow). Color, mature leaf.—Upper surface, major color: RHS 141B (greenish yellow). Upper surface, margins, and accents: RHS 187A (dark red). Upper surface, around the veins: RHS 160C (pale greenish yellow). Lower surface, major color: RHS 141B (greenish yellow). Lower surface, margins, and accents: RHS 187A (dark red). Lower surface, around the veins: RHS 160C (pale greenish yellow). Petiole length.—4.0-4.5 cm. Petiole diameter.—Approximately 0.2 cm. Petiole color.—RHS N186C (greyish red) and RHS 144A (yellow green) in a striated pattern. Petiole texture.—Smooth, no pubescence. Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed to date during formal trials in Gainesville, Fla. Fruit/seed set: Fruit/seed not observed. Disease and insect resistance: Disease and insect resistance is typical of the species, thus no claims are made of any superior disease or insect resistance with this cultivar. The most common insect pests observed on this plant in Gainesville, Fla. have been long-tailed or citrus mealybugs (Pseudococcus spp.), which occur on older stock plant material held in the greenhouse for over 3-4 months. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (Bunyaviridae) has also been observed in plants confined in greenhouses with mixed crops (peppers) infected with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). The most common pathogen of this species in the U.S. is downy mildew (Perononspora lamii). This pathogen has been observed in stock materials grown closely together in cooler growing seasons.

Comparison with Known Cultivars

(9) When the new cultivar ‘UF20-140-2’ is compared to the commercial cultivar ‘UF20-138-1’ (unpatented, commercial name “Mini Me Watermelon”), ‘UF20-140-2’ and ‘UF20-138-1’ have very similar leaf shape and growth habits; however, ‘UF20-140-2’ has mature leaves that are multi-colored greenish yellow, pale greenish yellow and dark red on the upper surface, whereas ‘UF20-138-1’ has mature leaves that are predominantly colored dark red with yellow green margins and accents on the upper surface.