<i>Dianthus </i>plant named ‘WP20 NEO01’

Abstract

A new cultivar of Dianthus plant named ‘WP20 NEO01’ that is characterized by a compact mounding habit with glaucous blue-green foliage, single bright magenta flowers with a dark purple pilose band, blooming from May through October, suitable for use as a flowering plant in pots and containers, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant named ‘WP20 NEO01’ as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dianthus variety ‘WP20 NEO01’ showing colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actual colors of the new variety ‘WP20 NEO01’.

(2) FIG. 1 depicts an entire flowering plant of ‘WP20 NEO01’.

(3) FIG. 2 depicts a close-up view of the flower of ‘WP20 NEO01’.

(4) Photographs were taken in June 2020 in Dawlish, Devon, United Kingdom of and from 10 months old plants which have been grown outdoors in 3-liter containers. No chemicals were used to treat the plants. All photographs were made using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance, they are as accurate as possible by conventional photography.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(5) The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar ‘WP20 NEO01’. Data was collected from plants grown in 3-liter containers under an unheated glasshouse in Ashcombe, Dawlish, United Kingdom. The color determinations are in accordance with the sixth edition (2015) of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. No chemicals were used to treat the plants. Growing conditions are typical to other Dianthus. Botanical classification: Dianthus. Variety.—‘WP20 NEO01’. Species.—X hybrida. Common names.—Hybrid Dianthus, Alpine Pink. Commercial classification.—Hardy perennial. Use.—Ornamental plant for pots and containers. Parentage: ‘WP20 NEO01’ is a hybrid plant that resulted from the controlled cross-pollination between two Dianthus x hybrida plants. Female parent plant.—‘Alcione’ experimental Dianthus plant (unpatented). Male parent plant.—‘13.097’ experimental Dianthus plant (unpatented). Plant description: Bloom period.—May to October. Plant habit.—Compact mounding habit. Plant height.—18 cm in overall height, including flower canopy. Plant width.—30 cm in width. Plant hardiness.—Hardy to minus 15° Centigrade. Type.—Perennial. Root system.—Fibrous. Propagation.—Propagation is accomplished using shoot cuttings. Cultural requirements.—Plant in full sun, well-drained and moderately fertile soil and keep well fertilized and watered. Time required to produce a rooted cutting.—5 weeks are needed to produce a rooted cutting. Temperature recommended for cuttings to produce roots.—The air temperature needed is a minimum of 15° Centigrade air temperature and base heat of 21° Centigrade. Crop time.—6 to 9 months is needed to produce a finished 3-litre container size from a well-rooted cutting. Stem: Shape.—Cylindrical, solid. Dimensions.—4 to 5 cm in length, 2 to 3 mm diameter. Surface.—Glabrous and glaucous. Color.—145B, 145C and 145D (in the sheathing zone). Branching.—Numerous shoots from the axils of the lower leaves. Internode length.—1 to 2 mm between nodes (before extension of peduncle). Node dimensions.—1 mm in diameter and 1 mm in length. Leaf: Type.—Evergreen. Dimensions.—4 cm in length, 3 mm in width. Color adaxial surface.—N189B. Color abaxial surface.—N189C. Shape.—Linear. Division.—Simple. Apex.—Acute. Base.—Decurrent. Venation.—Absent on the adaxial surface and only one central vein visible on the abaxial surface. Margins.—Entire. Attachment.—Sheathing. Arrangement.—Opposite and spiraling up stem. Surfaces (adaxial and abaxial).—Glaucous. Fragrance.—Absent. Flowers: Inflorescence.—Simple cyme. Type.—Single, polypetalous. Number.—1 to 2 per stem. Dimensions (including calyx).—22 mm in length and 33 mm in diameter. Shape.—Circular. Lastingness.—10 days at 20° Celsius on the plant; 8 to 10 days off the plant. Fragrance.—Slight, clove-like. Flowering period.—May to October. Peduncle: Shape.—Cylindrical, solid. Dimensions.—13 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter. Surface.—Glabrous, waxy. Strength.—Strong, rigid. Color.—N138A. Bud: Shape.—Cylindrical. Color.—N138A to N138B on apical half and 144A to 144B on basal half (below the bracts). Anthocyanin.—Absent. Dimensions.—15 mm in length and 4 mm in width. Petals: Corolla.—Upper and lower part of corolla is flat. Petal arrangement.—Persistent, apopetalous and overlapping. Margin.—Serrate. Indentations.—Up to 3 mm deep. Texture.—Soft. Type.—Single. Number of petals.—5. Dimensions.—34 mm in length, 18 mm in width. Petal shape.—Fan shape. Petal surface.—Glabrous and (in the band only) pilose, with barely visible short fine white hairs (NN155D) and very short purple hairs (71A) too short to measure. Petal apex.—Fan shaped, serrate. Petal base.—Strap shaped, tapering towards base. Color pattern.—Blade is magenta, with dark purple and magenta mottled band. Petal color (adaxial surface).—Ground color of blade: NN78C. Color of band: Mottled NN78C and 71A Band width: 5 mm. Color of middle of strap: 145C. Color of base of strap: 145D. Petal color (abaxial surface).—Ground color of blade: 75A and 76C towards the strap. Color of middle of strap: 145C. Color of base of strap: 145D. Calyx: Dimensions.—16 mm in length and 5 mm in width. Shape.—Cylindrical and straight. Sepals.—5, fused up to 4 mm below the apex. Sepal dimensions.—17 mm in length and 3 mm in width. Apex.—Acute. Base.—Truncate. Color of sepals, outer surface.—N138B to N138C on apical half and 144A to 144B on basal half (below the bracts). Color of sepals, inner surface.—138A on the apical half and 138B on the basal half. Anthocyanin.—Absent. Splitting.—Not observed. Epicalyx: Number of bracts.—1 pair of 2. Bracts shape.—Medium acuminate. Bracts dimensions.—8 mm in length and 4 mm in width. Bracts color.—N138A, N138B, 139C and 139D are all present. Anthocyanin.—Absent. Number of bracteoles.—1 pair of 2. Bracteoles shape.—Medium acuminate. Bracteoles dimensions.—7 mm in length and 6 mm in width. Bracteoles color.—N138A, N138B, 139C and 139D are all present. Bracteoles anthocyanin.—Absent. Reproductive organs: Stamen number.—10, malformed, stunted. Stamen dimensions.—Undeveloped, length approximately 5 mm. Color of filaments.—Whiter than NN155A. Anther number.—10. Anther dimensions, color, attachment.—Undeveloped, not observed. Pollen.—None observed. Style number.—2. Style shape.—Cylindrical, shoulder absent. Color of style.—N81A except base, white (whiter than NN155D). Style dimensions.—7 mm in length and 1 mm in width. Stigma dimensions.—10 mm as linear extension to style, 1.0-1.5 mm in diameter, fimbriated, protrudes approximately 5 mm above petal plane at maturity. Stigma number.—One on each style. Stigma shape.—Linear, as extension to style, strongly recurving when mature. Stigma color.—N81A. Ovary position.—Superior. Ovary dimensions.—8 mm in length and 3 mm in diameter. Ovary shape.—Spindle. Ovary surface and texture.—Smooth. Ovary color.—145B at the uppermost surface, becoming paler 145C at the lowest surface. Seed: Color.—202A. Length.—4 mm. Diameter.—3 mm. Shape.—Oval and flattened. Surface.—Crinkled. Number.—Varies, up to 10 per pod. Diseases and pests: Susceptible to known Dianthus pests and disease but no other susceptibilities to pests or disease are known.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINE AND KNOWN VARIETY

(6) ‘WP20 NEO01’ is distinguishable from the male parent as follows. The flower color of ‘13.097’ is light to medium pink with a medium pink pilose band. The foliage and habit of ‘13.097’ is open and loose when compared with ‘WP20 NEO01’.

(7) ‘WP20 NEO01’ is distinguishable from the female parent as follows. The female parent ‘Alcione’ bears single magenta flowers, identical in color to ‘WP20 NEO01’. However, the band of ‘Alcione’ flowers is star-shaped, whereas the band of ‘WP20 NEO01’ flowers is circular. In addition, plants of ‘Alcione’ bear far fewer flowers than plants of ‘WP20 NEO01’.

(8) The variety of Dianthus considered to most closely resemble ‘WP20 NEO01’ is Dianthus Plant Named ‘Neon Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,549). In comparison with ‘Neon Star’, ‘WP20 NEO01’ bears single magenta flowers with a prominent mottled purple and magenta band whereas ‘Neon Star’ exhibits little or no banding. The petal margins of ‘WP20 NEO01’ are less deeply serrated than the petal margins of ‘Neon Star’. Plants of ‘WP20 NEO01’ are slightly more compact and bear more flowers than plants of ‘Neon Star’.