<i>Philodendron </i>red moon plant named ‘Fire Moon’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Philodendron Red Moon named ‘Fire Moon’ particularly characterized by its distinctive leaf appearance; large plant size; mostly open and outwardly spreading fuller plant habit; vigor and slow growth rate; less-freely branching; flat leaves; and long and wide petioles with long petiole sheaths.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Philodendron Red Moon plant named ‘Fire Moon’, as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Philodendron Red Moon ‘Fire Moon,’ showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in color reproductions of this type.

(2) The photographs on sheets one through four comprise top perspective views of a typical plant of ‘Fire Moon’ including immature leaves in a (size, e.g. 15 cm) container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(3) The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Umatilla, Fla., under a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse and conditions which closely approximate those used in general, standard commercial horticultural practice. Plants were grown in fertilized soil under day temperatures ranging from 25 to 32 C and night temperatures ranging from 22 to 27 C. Light level ranged from 800 to 2,000 footcandles.

(4) Plants used for this description were asexually reproduced by taking cuttings (twigs), rooted and planted into fertilized soil in 15-cm containers. Information was collected for this description and the cultivar comparisons in May, 2022, when the plants were about 2 months old from taking cuttings (twigs). Numerical measurements represent averages from typical plants. Environmental conditions were tropical, humid, and required less water than typical Philodendron Red Moon.

(5) In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Araceae Philodendron Red Moon cultivar ‘Fire Moon.’ Parentage: Self-pollination of an unidentified selection of Araceae Philodendron Red Moon. Propagation: type.—By taking cuttings (twigs). Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 21 days at about 25 to 30° C. Winter: About 28 days at about 22 to 27° C. Time to develop (time to produce a rooted liner).—Summer: About 10 to 12 weeks at about 25 to 30° C. Winter: About 13 to 14 weeks at about 22 to 27 C. Rooting habit.—Strong root system. Main roots thick; abundant lateral roots. Thick short aerial roots are occasionally observed. Plant description: Growth habit.—Self-heading, not vining, and self-supporting. Mostly upright, but outwardly spreading, open, freely branching, Somewhat asymmetrical; mature plants, more rounded in overall shape. Appropriate for 15 to 25-cm containers. Plant size.—Height, Soil Surface to top of leaf canopy: About 50.7 cm. Width: About 99.2 cm. Plant vigor.—Vigorous, slow growth rate. Crop time.—About 48 to 52 weeks are required to produce a 40 to 50-cm tall plant in a 15-cm container from a 1 to 2-cm taken cutting (twigs). Foliage description.—Shape of leaves on young plants: Between elliptic and ovate; apex, acuminate with some acute tendencies, base, obtuse; margin, entire. Shape of leaves on older plants: Ovate, apex, acuminate with Some acute tendencies, base, truncate; margin, entire. Length, mature leaves: About 36.7 cm. Width, mature leaves: About 18.8 cm. Length to width ratio, mature leaves: About 1.95 to 1. Aspect: Almost flat; Slightly concave at the petiole attachment. Texture: Thick, leathery, smooth. Surface: Glossy; young leaves very glossy. Color: Young, upper surface: At unrolling: Slightly darker than 144A. Once unrolled: Much darker than 144A. Young, lower Surface: 144A. Mature, upper surface: Darker than 147A. About 1mm wide band along margin, lighter green, 144A. Mature, lower surface: Darker and Slightly greener than 144A, with subsequent development, leaf becomes slightly darker and greener than 147B. Venation, upper Surface of mature leaves: Midrib adjacent to petiole, 144B to 146B to 146C with short darker green striae; distal, darker green, 147A. Primary veins are slightly lighter green than surrounding leaf tissue. Venation, lower surface of mature leaves: midrib and primary veins, mostly 146C. Petiole aspect: Erect to semi erect. Petiole shape: Rounded lower Surface; upper Surface Slightly concave. Petiole length, primary shot: About 43.4cm. Petiole diameter, just below leaf blade: About 10.3 mm. Petiole sheath length: About 21.2 cm. Petiole color, young leaves: 144A to 146C with short darker green striae. Petiole color, upper Surface of mature leaves: Adjacent to leaf blade, close to 146A to 146B with Some 144A, proximally darker to 146A to 147B; slightly lighter near base. Short darker green Striae. Petiole color, lower Surface of mature leaves: Adjacent to leaf blade, close to 146B to 146D and 14.4A to 144B; proximally darker, close to 146A, base, close to 144A. Short darker green striae. Petiole sheath:144B and 144D with short darker green striae, Some grayed orange, close to 166C to 166D, present at proximal end near edges, more noticeable at distal end. Inflorescence.—Typical of Philodendron Red Moon, no commercial significance. Plants typically form inflorescences about 18 to 23 months after planting of a twig taken from cutting. Description of inflorescences taken from plants grown for about 2.5 years after planting a twig taken from cutting. Arrangement.—Spathes with spadices with one to three inflorescences in each floral sympodium. Each developing inflorescence enclosed by two sheaths, which deteriorate before spathe opens. Spathes erect, situated near shoot base on short, thick, usually bent peduncles. Spathes typically tightly tolled around spadices, Spathes typically open for about one day. When spathes are open, the spadix is fully exposed, leaning forward beyond spathe margins, at about 50 to penduncle axis. Fragrance.—Weak, Similar to other Philodendrons, but weaker. Peduncle.—Length: About 7.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Color: 144B or between 144B and 144C. Spathe.—Shape: Boat-shaped; longitudinal section elliptic; apex between acuminate and cuspidate; base, obtuse; margin, entire and usually rolled back especially distally. Length: About 18.3 cm. Width: About 7.6 cm. Length to width ratio: About 2.4 to 1. Depth: About 4.8 cm. Texture: Very thick, fleshy, not glossy. Color: Open, front surface: Between 47A and 47B around spadix base, distally and toward margin, much lighter, 48D to 49D to close to 159C near apex with some scattered light pink. Some yellow green, 144B, on midrib and along margins near apex. Open, rear surface: Most of the central Zone of proximal half is an uneven color, varying between different combinations of 146C, 146D, 144A, 144B and 144C. Color becomes lighter and more yellow towards margins, near margins, between145Cand 145D and translucent. In the distal half, there is a band along midrib between 144B, and 146C and 146D. Spathe color on either side of this band is variable, but much lighter and more yellow, most areas more yellow than 145C and more green than 150C. Often there is a wide, almost whitish, translucent band on one side near the margin. Spadix.—Shape: Cylindrical, Strongly tapering towards acute apex. Female Zone, Situated at the base, shorter than the male Zone and Separated by an intermediate Sterile Zone. Sterile and male Zones not clearly distinguished when Spathe is open. Spadices typically sessile. Length: About 17.1 cm; female Zone, about 4.8 cm; Sterile and male Zones combined, about 12.6 cm. Diameter: Female Zone, about 1.9 cm; sterile and male zones, about 1.8 cm proximally. Color: Female Zone, between 145C and 145D; sterile and male zones, slightly darker than 159C. Pollen: Cream in color. Dehiscence about one to three days after spathe closes. Seed production.—Seed production has not been observed. Typically, spathes and spadices gradually deteriorate after spathe closure. Disease tolerance: Resistance to pathogens common to Philodendron Red Moon has not been observed.