Poinsettia plant named ‘QS44’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘QS44’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; large and full inflorescences with numerous vivid red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘QS44’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

(1) The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘QS44’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(2) The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Sabro, Denmark and under cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 40 to 50 klux. Plants were pinched one time eight weeks after planting and plants were 25 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘QS44’. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number QS-1177, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., not patented. Propagation: Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at ambient and substrate temperatures about 24° C. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four weeks at ambient and substrate temperatures about 24° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight weeks at ambient and substrate temperatures about 24° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About ten weeks at ambient and substrate temperatures about 24° C. Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; color, close to 161D, 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.—Freely branching; dense. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; inverted triangle with rounded crown; large full inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate. Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 15 cm to 25 cm. Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 20 cm to 30 cm. Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm to 45 cm. Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit, about three to six lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 15 cm to 25 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy; becoming woody with subsequent development. Angle: Mostly upright to outwardly slanted. Color, developing: Close to 138A. Color, developed: Close to 146A; when woody, becoming closer to 197A. Leaf description.—Arrangement and appearance: Alternate, simple. Length: About 7 cm to 12 cm. Width: About 6 cm to 8 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire, moderately and shallowly lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Rugose, glabrous; leathery; matte. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 135B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A; venation, close to 184B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 181D. Petioles: Length: About 3 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 185A. Color, lower surface: Close to 178A. Inflorescence description: Inflorescence type and habit.—Large inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with vivid red-colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral branch with inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane. Fragrance.—None detected. Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the autumn and winter under long nyctoperiod conditions; inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response time is about eight weeks after start of long nyctoperiod conditions. Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and bract color for about eight to ten weeks under interior conditions; flower bracts persistent. Inflorescence diameter (including flower bracts).—About 18 cm to 28 cm. Inflorescence height (including flower bracts).—About 5 cm to 7 cm. Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 to 25. Length: About 9 cm to 12 cm. Width: About 7 cm to 9 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse, rounded. Margin: Entire. Venation: Pinnate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Rugose, glabrous; matte. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly drooping. Color: Developing bracts, upper surface: Close to 144A. Developing bracts, lower surface: Close to 146C. Transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to 187A, 187B and 187C. Transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to 191A and 187C. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 45A; color does not change with subsequent development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 47A; color does not change with subsequent development. Flower bract petioles: Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 185A. Color, lower surface: Close to 184A. Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 8 to 15. Length: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Width: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Shape: Rounded to ovate. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing, inner surface: Close to 144B. Color, developing, outer surface: Close to 144A. Color, fully developed, inner surface: Close to 144B. Color, fully developed, outer surface: Close to 144A and towards the apex, close to N34A. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: If present, typically one. Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Shape: Fan-shaped. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When developing, inner surface: Close to 151B. When developing, outer surface: Close to 144B. Fully developed, inner surface: Close to 151B. Fully developed, outer surface: Close to 17A. Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 138B. Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About 50. Filament length: About 1 mm to 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 200A. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 187B. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 13B. Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About 5 mm to 15 mm. Style length: About 1 mm to 3 mm. Style color: Close to 187C. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Star-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 187A. Ovary color: Close to 137A. Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Poinsettia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettia plants. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 12° C. to about 35° C.