<i>Phlox </i>plant named ‘Balsukalu’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Balsukalu’, characterized by its light reddish-purple colored flowers, medium green colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Balsukalu’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balsukalu’. The plants were approximately five months old. The plants were grown three plants per pot in three-quart containers for approximately 8 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches prior to transplant and one pinch one week after transplant.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balsukalu’.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Balsukalu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

(5) The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2021 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Ill.

(6) The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately five-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown three plants per pot in three-quart containers for approximately 8 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches prior to transplant and one pinch one week after transplant. Prior to transplant plants were grown in liners in a poly-covered greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures ranged from an average high of an average high of 79.5° F. (26.4° C.) to an average low of 68.5° F. (20.3° C.), and supplemental lighting was provided daily for five hours during short days. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants. Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Balsukalu’. Parentage: Female parent.—‘Jade’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,878. Male parent.—Cotton Candy ‘DITOMFAV’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,369. Propagation: Type cutting.—Terminal stem. Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days. Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 42 to 49 days. Root description.—Fine to medium thickness. Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. Plant description: Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot. Growth habit and general appearance.—Herbaceous perennial, vigorous, upright growth habit. Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4b (−25° F. to −20° F./−31.7° C. to −28.9° C.). Size.—Height: Approximately 24.0 cm. Width: Approximately 27.0 cm. Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching will improve branching. Branch.—Quantity: Approximately 4 main branches. Shape: Round. Strength: Strong. Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 8.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 2.7 cm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color of young stems: 146B mottled with N187A. Color of mature stems: 146B mottled with N187A, becoming woody 199B with age. Foliage description: General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 6 to 8. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite, decussate. Leaves.—Shape: Elliptic, slightly carinate. Margin: Entire, minutely ciliate. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly attenuate to rounded. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length: Approximately 4.5 cm. Width: Approximately 2.7 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137B with venation of 146D. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 147B with venation of 146D. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: 137A with venation of 146D. Petioles.—Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146D. Flowering description: Flowering habit.—‘Balsukalu’ is a long day obligate and is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from late spring throughout summer. Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately 10 days. Inflorescence description: General description.—Type: Compound terminal panicle, flowers face upright and outwardly, self-cleaning. Quantity per plant: Approximately 7. Fragrance: Moderately sweet and pleasant. Height of primary: Approximately 9.0 cm. Width of primary: Approximately 13.0 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per primary inflorescence: Approximately 37. Height of secondary: Approximately 5.0 cm. Width of secondary: 6.0 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per secondary inflorescence: Approximately 5. Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Primary erect, axillary acute angle to stem. Length of primary: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter of primary: Approximately 2.0 mm. Length of axillary: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter of axillary: Approximately 1.5 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146B mottled with N187A. Flower description: Type.—Single. Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower. Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblanceolate. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Color: Calyx of 146B with N186A at tips and petal portion of NN155A with NN74D. Corolla.—Shape: Salverform. Diameter: Approximately 2.2 cm. Depth: Approximately 2.9 cm. Petals.—Quantity: 5 in a single whorl, base fused into a narrow tube. Lobe shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Lobe length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Lobe width: Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color of upper surface when first open: Closest to N74D blended with N75A, N74A at orifice. Color of lower surface when first and fully open: NN155A tinted with N78A. Color of upper surface when fully open: Closest to but lighter than N74D blended with 76A, N74A at orifice. Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Diameter at distal end: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of inner surface: Smooth, glabrous with lower 6.0 mm densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: N78B to N78C, 155C at base. Calyx.—Shape: Cupped. Length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, lower half fused. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly apiculate. Length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of inner surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color of inner surface: 146B with tip of N186A. Color of outer surface: 146B with tip and faint central streak of N186A. Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Primary erect, axillary acute angle to peduncle. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146A. Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Stamen length: Approximately 2.3 cm to 2.0 cm. Filament length of free portion: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther shape: Sagittate. Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 158B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 145D. Style length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Style color: NN155D tinted with N78B. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A. Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed. Disease and pest resistance: Increased resistance to powdery mildew has been observed.