<i>Ajuga </i>plant named ‘Petpar’

Abstract

A new cultivar of Ajuga plant named ‘Petpar’ that is characterized by its unique blend of foliage colors; new growth that is emerges light copper then turns into soft yellow-tan as it ages with contrasting leaf veins that are copper in color, its winter foliage that is copper-bronze in color, its vigorous growth habit, its cobalt blue flowers that bloom in late spring, and its high resistance to sun scorch and ability to thrive in full sun in the summer in Michigan.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Ajuga plant named ‘Petpar’ as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Ajuga as grown in a greenhouse in Hudsonville, Mich.

(2) The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a top view of a 1-year-old plant of ‘Petpar’ as grown in a 1-quart container.

(3) The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of an 8-month-old plant of ‘Petpar’ as grown in a 10-inch container.

(4) The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of a 2-year-old plant of ‘Petpar’ as grown in a 1-quart container.

(5) The 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 Ajuga.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(6) The following is a detailed description of 6-month-old plants of the new Ajuga as grown in 4-inch containers in a greenhouse in Hudsonville, Mich. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. General description: Blooming period.—4 to 6 weeks in late spring into summer in Michigan. Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial. Plant habit.—Dense, groundcover, compact upright inflorescences. Height and spread.—10 cm in height (soil level to top of floral plane), an average of 8 cm in height (soil level to top of foliar plane) and 13 cm in width, mature plant in the landscape reaches an average of 10 cm in height and 46 cm in spread. Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8. Diseases and pests.—Plants have been observed to be disease free, however no resistance to any specific diseases is known, no resistance or susceptibility to pests has been observed. Root description.—Fine and fibrous, a blend of 158A and NN155A in color. Propagation type.—Tip stem cuttings and division. Root development.—An unrooted stem cutting will fully root in a 50-cell plug in 8 weeks and a 50-cell plug will fully root in a 1-gallon container in 10 weeks. Growth rate.—Vigorous. Branching habit.—Basal rosettes of leaves from rhizomes. Stolons.—Average of 3 mm in diameter, 159A in color, indeterminate length. Foliage description: Leaf shape.—Spatulate. Leaf division.—Simple. Leaf base.—Truncate to base of rhizome. Leaf apex.—Broadly acute to rounded. Leaf venation.—Pinnate, matches surface colors, main vein on upper surface 145C. Leaf margins.—Entire to slightly undulate. Leaf attachment and arrangement.—Whorled, held in clumps. Leaf orientation.—Emerge upright and then slightly outward. Leaf surface.—Very finely puberulent and slightly rough to the touch on upper and lower surface. Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 137A, base N144A, young lower surface; 138B, mature upper surface; 144A, flushed with 183A, mature lower surface; 138B, flushed with a blend of 185A and 186A, peduncle leaves; upper and lower surface base 145C, center, margins and top 183A and 184A, winter; a blend of 164A, 183A and 138B. Leaf size.—Average of 8 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width. Leaf quantity.—Average of 30 in a 4-inch container. Leaf attachment.—Sessile. Flower description: Inflorescence type.—Verticillaster, terminal spike, individual flowers in clusters held in leaf-axils. Inflorescence size.—An average of 4 cm in height and 2.5 cm in width. Lastingness of inflorescence.—10 to 14 days, self-cleaning. Inflorescence number.—50 to 70 blooms as a fully mature plant grown in a 1-gallon container. Flower type.—Labiate. Flower number.—Average of 15 per inflorescence. Flower fragrance.—None. Flower buds.—Oblanceolate in shape, average of 3 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter, color; 145A, immature calyx 145C, surface matte and densely covered with soft woolly pubescence up to 2 mm in length, 145A in color. Flower size.—Average of 1.5 cm in depth, 8 mm in diameter, throat 2 mm in diameter, tube 5 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter. Peduncles.—An average of 6 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter, vertical angle, moderately strong, color; 145C, surface is glossy and sparsely covered with very short hairs that match surface color. Calyx.—Rotate and tubular in shape, 2 mm in length and diameter. Sepals.—5, 50% fused at base, average of 1.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, ovate in shape, apex acute, entire margins, surface is covered with long woolly hairs matching surface color, color inner and outer surface 145A. Petals.—50% of petals fused into tube, upper central lobe; notched, average of 6 mm in length, 6 mm in width, blunt and rounded in shape, obtuse apex, entire margins with no undulation, upper and lower surface glabrous and slightly glossy, color; upper surface when opening and fully open 97A, veins N92C, lower surface when opening and fully open 97C, outer lobes; 2, average of 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width, oblanceolate in shape, apex is obtuse, entire margins with no undulation, upper and lower surface glabrous and slightly glossy, color; upper surface when opening and fully open 97A, veins N92C, flower throat and tube; outer surface covered with woolly soft pubescence, inner surface is smooth and glabrous, color; inner and outer surface when opening and fully open NN155D. Reproductive organs: Pistils.—1, style; 6 mm in length, NN155D in color, stigma; non-distinguishable, ovary; oblong, 1 mm in length and width, NN155D in color. Stamens.—4, filament; implanted into flower tube, average of 4 mm in length, NN155D in color, anthers; minute, 0.05 mm in diameter, 203A in color, pollen; none observed. Fruit.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed to date.