<i>Helleborus </i>plant named ‘COSEH 5800’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 5800’, characterized by its upright to slightly outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large purplish red to reddish purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 5800’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

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

(2) The photograph on the left side of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 5800’ grown in a container.

(3) The photograph on the right side of the photographic sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘COSEH 5800’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during late autumn and winter in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 12° C. Plants were eleven months old when the photographs and the description were taken. 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 classification: Helleborus niger X Helleborus x hybridus ‘COSEH 5800’. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Helleborus niger identified as code number P780, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Helleborus x hybridus, not patented. Propagation: Type.—In vitro axillary meristem culture. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 55 days at temperatures about 12° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 170 days at temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to 15° C. Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; typically white to brownish 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.—Low branching; sparse. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright to slightly outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit with flowers held above the foliar plane; plant shape, roughly flattened globular; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate. Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 17.4 cm. Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 47.7 cm. Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 34.5 cm. Leaf description: Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in basal rosettes; leaves palmately compound with typically five leaflets per leaf. Leaf length.—About 17.9 cm. Leaf width.—About 20.6 cm. Leaflet length.—About 11 cm. Leaflet width.—About 7.3 cm. Leaf shape.—Palmate; roughly reniform in outline. Leaflet shape.—Elliptic to obovate. Leaflet apex.—Acute. Leaflet base.—Attenuate. Leaflet margin.—Serrate; younger leaves slightly undulate; older leaves coarsely undulate. Leaflet texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous; moderately glossy. Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate. Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to 137A; midvein tinged at the base with close to N186C. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to between N186C and 200B. Fully developed leaflets, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and N189A; venation, close to 144A and 144B and towards the base, close to 200A to 200B. Fully developed leaflets, lower surface: Close to between 146A and 147B; venation, close to 145A. Petioles.—Length: About 13.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm to 8 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. Flower description: Flower shape and habit.—Rotate single flowers; flowers slightly bowl-shaped; flowers arranged in panicles; freely flowering habit numerous flowers developing during the flowering season; flowers face mostly outwardly to slightly nodding. Fragrance.—None detected. Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten months after planting; plants flower naturally from early winter into the winter in Germany. Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; sepals persistent, other flower parts are not persistent. Flower buds.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 145C; distally, tinged with N77B; venation, close to 70A. Inflorescence height (including peduncle).—About 35.2 cm. Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.8 cm. Flower diameter.—About 9.5 cm by 9.5 cm. Flower depth.—About 2.5 cm. Petals.—All petals are transformed into nectaries. Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five, arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 4.8 cm. Width: About 4.7 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate; flat to slightly concave. Apex: Obtuse to rounded. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 70A and 70B; towards the margins and apex, close to 75A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 70B and N75B; towards the apex, close to N75B; venation, close to 71A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 70B and 71B, towards the apex and margins, close to 70B and 75A; venation, similar to lamina colors; with subsequent development, color becoming closer to 70A and 70B and towards the apex, slightly tinged with close to 151B to 151C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 70B; towards the apex and margins, close to 186C; venation, close to 64A; with subsequent development, color becoming closer to between 70B and N75B, towards the apex, slightly tinged with close to 146D and venation, close to 71A. Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: Typically one or two at each node in the inflorescence. Length: About 6.5 cm. Width: About 4.9 cm. Shape: Ovate, occasionally with two apical lobes. Apex: Acute to broadly and bluntly acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Mostly entire, distally, serrate. Color, upper surface: Close to between NN137A and 147A; towards the base, close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147B. Peduncles.—Length: About 26.5 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm to 10 mm. Aspect: About 25° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 144A, heavily covered with fine dots, close to 183D; higher density of dots towards the base, close to 187A. Pedicels.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect: About 10° to 22.5° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 150A and 150B; heavily covered with fine dots, close to 183C. Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 80. Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close to 155B. Anther shape: Double and broadly reniform; basifixed. Anther size: About 2 mm by 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 151C and 151D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Whitish. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About seven to ten. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style length: About 9.5 mm. Style color: Close to 187A. Ovary color: Close to 145C; rib, close to 187C. Nectaries (transformed petals): Quantity per flower: About 15. Length: About 1.15 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape: Tubular, flattened. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, immature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to N144D; towards the base, close to 151A. Color, mature, inner and outer surfaces: Distally, close to N144B and proximally, close to 146C to 146D; at the base, close to 151A; venation, similar to lamina colors; with subsequent development, becoming closer to N144B and at the base, close to 151A. Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Helleborus. Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, high temperatures about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Helleborus plants.