<i>Coleus </i>plant named ‘UF20-103-3’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) plant named ‘UF20-103-3’, selected for having a combination of desirable traits that make it well-suited for use as an annual plant in the summer landscape. ‘UF20-103-3’ was selected for its consistent foliage color patterning, and also for its fast growth rate and vigor in the greenhouse and landscape. ‘UF20-103-3’ has ruffled, highly lobed foliage that is predominantly dark red with consistent yellow green accents and leaf margins. ‘UF20-103-3’ maintains these contrasting colors and patterns in both sun and shade. ‘UF20-103-3’ is upright and spreading in habit, but it is highly branched, growing wider than it does tall.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Coleus scutellarioides plant named ‘UF20-103-3’ as shown and described herein.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) This new Coleus plant 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, Florida.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the pedigree of the new Coleus cultivar ‘UF20-103-3’ 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 ‘UF20-103-3’ was obtained using ten-week-old plants grown from unrooted cuttings in February-April 2022 in a glass-covered greenhouse in Gainesville, Florida. 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.—‘UF20-103-3’. Parentage: Female or seed parent.—‘UF17-73-7’. Male or pollen parent.—Unknown. Plant description: Habit.—Upright and spreading. Height (from top of soil).—40-45 cm. Width (horizontal plant diameter).—60-65 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 to 3 days, roots initiate in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in 7-10 days. Branches: Quantity per plant.—Approximately 6. Branch color.—RHS 145C (light yellow green). Texture.—Smooth. Pubescence.—Not present. Stem description.—Square-shaped stem. Branch diameter.—0.7-0.8 cm at the base of a 35-cm-long branch. Branch length.—35-40 cm. Internode length.—5.5 cm measured at mid-branch. Anthocyanin.—Not present. Foliage description: Quantity of leaves per branch.—18-20. Arrangement: Opposite. Fragrance.—Not fragrant. Shape.—Ovate. Length.—12-13 cm. Width.—11-12 cm. Apex.—Broadly acute. Base.—Attenuate. Margin.—Highly lobed. Leaf texture.—Upper surface: Pulverulent. Lower surface: Smooth. Venation color.—Upper surface, apex: RHS N186C (greyish red). Upper surface, base: RHS 161C (pale yellow). Lower surface: RHS 145A (yellow green). Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Reticulate. Lower surface: Reticulate. Color, immature leaf.—Upper surface, major color: RHS 187C (dark red). Upper surface, margins: RHS N144C (yellow green). Upper surface, base: RHS N144C (yellow green). Lower surface, major color: RHS 146C (yellow green). Lower surface, margins: RHS 144B (yellow green). Lower surface, area around veins: RHS N186A (purplish grey). Color, mature leaf.—Upper surface, major color: RHS 187A (dark red). Upper surface, margins: RHS N144C (yellow green). Upper surface, base: RHS 140A (yellowish green). Upper surface, spots: RHS 160B (light yellow). Lower surface, major color: RHS 139B (yellowish green). Lower surface, area around veins: RHS N186A (purplish grey). Petiole length.—Approximately 2.5 cm. Petiole diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm. Petiole color.—RHS 145A (yellow green). Petiole texture.—Smooth, no pubescence. Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed to date during formal trials in Gainesville, Florida. 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, Florida 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 ‘UF20-103-3’ is compared to the commercial cultivar ‘UF17-52-25’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,041, commercial name “Copperhead”), ‘UF20-103-3’ has a yellow green coloration along the base of the upper surface of mature leaves that is broken into numerous spots, whereas ‘UF17-52-25’ has a yellow green coloration along the base of the upper surface of mature leaves that is more broadly open with little to no spotting.