<i>Phlox </i>plant named ‘Rose Quartz’

Abstract

A unique cultivar of Hybrid Creeping Phlox named ‘Rose Quartz’ characterized by vigorous, dense, spreading, multi-stemmed, winter-hardy habit with short, bright-green, shiny, linear leaves. Small flowers begin in mid-spring and continuing for up to six weeks in cooler weather conditions, on heavily-branched peduncles and completely cover the plant in peak season. Petals are rose-pink with a lighter center and a moderate notch and the tips of the petals. The new plant is able to withstand dry conditions once established, and the foliage stays clean and resists mildew. The new plant is especially suitable for the landscape as a potted plant and in the garden as a specimen or en masse.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hybrid Creeping Phlox, Phlox plant named ‘Rose Quartz’, as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique traits of Phlox ‘Rose Quartz’ and the overall appearance of the plant at two-years-old growing in a full-sun trial garden in Zeeland, Mich. The colors in the drawings are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Variation in ambient light spectrum; source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a landscape habit view of the new plant in peak flower.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used. Phlox ‘Rose Quartz’ has not been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may vary slightly with different growing environments such as temperature, light, fertility, soil pH, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions are based on two-year-old plants in a partially shaded greenhouse or a full-sun trial garden of a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental fertilizer and water as needed. Botanical classification: Phlox hybrid; Parentage: Female or seed parent is Phlox subulata ‘Drummond's Pink’, male or pollen parent is 14-260-5 which is a cross between Phlox bifida ‘Topnotch’ (not patented) and a proprietary selection of Phlox x procumbens (not patented); Plant habit: Winter-hardy, evergreen herbaceous perennial; short, dense, producing about 50 stiff, highly-branched prostrate stems; foliage and stems to 16.0 cm tall and 48.0 cm wide; flowering to 19.0 cm tall and 52.0 cm wide; Propagation: Stem cuttings; rooting in about 2 weeks; Time to produce finished crop in 3.8 liter pots: About 10 to 12 weeks; vigorous; Root: Fibrous and freely branching; color creamy white to tan depending on soil type; Leaves: Simple; opposite; linear to subulate; apex narrowly acute to apiculate; base truncate, clasping; margin ciliolate; glabrous and moderately lustrous both adaxial and abaxial; to about 25.0 mm long by about 2.5 mm wide and 0.3 mm thick at base, average about 22.5 mm long and 2.0 mm wide and 0.3 mm thick at base; Leaf color: Adaxial expanding nearest RHS 138A and mature adaxial nearest RHS 137A, abaxial expanding nearest RHS 146B and mature abaxial nearest RHS 137A; winter adaxial color variable, proximally and portions protected from strong sun nearest RHS 137C and distally where exposed to high sun nearest a blend between RHS 187A and RHS 182C; winter abaxial color variable, in portions not exposed to high sun nearest a blend between RHS 137C and RHS 146C and where exposed to high sun nearest RHS 137C with light blush of nearest RHS 187A; Foliage fragrance: None detected; Veins: Pinnate; not conspicuous adaxial and abaxial; Vein color: Same color as surrounding leaf; Petiole: Leaves sessile; Stems: Cylindrical; flexible; wiry; prostrate; puberulent when expanding; highly compound branching; to about 68.0 mm long and 2.0 mm diameter near base; Stem color: Young expanding stems nearest RHS 145C, proximal and older stems nearest RHS 156B; Nodes: About 5.0 mm apart proximally; distally about 1.0 mm apart; Node color: Color nearest RHS 156B proximally and nearest RHS 145B distally; Inflorescence: Upright to outwardly; about 3.5 cm long and 5.3 cm wide; average of 3.5 flowers; Flowers: Perfect; salverform; mostly flat faced; about 25.0 mm across face and 15.0 mm long; with fused corolla tube about 14.0 mm long and 2.5 mm diameter near face and 2.0 mm diameter at base; Flower aspect: Upright to outwardly; Flower longevity: About 5 days on plant; self-cleaning; Flower fragrance: Not detected; Buds one to two days prior to opening: Narrowly oblanceolate, to narrowly clavate; bluntly acute apex with rounded base; petals implicate; about 16.0 mm long, 8.0 mm long in terminal bulb portion and 8.0 mm long in tube; corolla tube to 2.0 mm diameter, bulb to 3.5 mm diameter; Bud color: Exposed petal bulb portion nearest RHS N81C; between tube and bulb nearest RHS N92A, corolla tube basal 1.0 mm nearest RHS 145C and distal tube nearest RHS 76B; calyx nearest RHS 137B with strong blushing proximally of nearest RHS 187A; Petals: Five; consisting of limb and basal claw fused into corolla tube; apex rounded, lightly erose and emarginate, cleft to about 2.0 mm deep; limbs imbricate only at base; limb glabrous adaxial and abaxial, tube puberulent adaxial and glabrous abaxial; Petal size: Limb about 11.5 mm long and 9.0 mm wide near middle; corolla tube about 14.0 mm long and 2.5 mm diameter at face and 2.0 mm diameter at base; Petal color upon first opening: Adaxial.—Limb between RHS N80A and RHS N80B with two bars about 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm wide in center eye nearest RHS N81A; proximal 3.0 mm of corolla tube nearest RHS 145D, remaining distal tube portion between RHS N82C and RHS N82D. Abaxial.—Limb nearest RHS N80B; proximal 3.0 mm of corolla tube nearest RHS 145D, distally nearest RHS N82D. Petal color upon maturity: Adaxial.—Limb nearest RHS N80A with center fading to nearest RHS 86C; proximal 3.0 mm of corolla tube nearest RHS 145D, remaining distal tube portion between RHS N82C and RHS N82D. Abaxial.—Limb nearest RHS 86C; proximal 3.0 mm of corolla tube nearest RHS 145D, distally nearest RHS N82D. Androecium: typically five; Filaments.—Typically five, adnate to inner corolla to various heights about 7.0 mm to 11.0 mm from base; free in the distal 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm long and 0.2 mm in diameter; color nearest RHS NN155C. Anther.—Five; oblong elliptic; basifixed; oblong, about 1.5 mm long by 0.7 mm wide; color nearest RHS 17B. Pollen.—Nearly microscopic; color nearest RHS N25D. Gynoecium: one pistil per flower; 12.0 mm long; Style.—Cylindrical; about 9.5 mm long and 0.2 mm diameter when flower is mature; persistent after flower abscission; color nearest RHS 1D. Stigma.—Trifid in proximal 1.0 mm long, about 0.2 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 1D. Ovary.—Inferior; conical; glabrous; lustrous; slightly acute apex and truncate base; about 1.5 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 144A. Calyx: Campanulate; pubescent abaxial, glabrous adaxial; about 8.0 mm long and 4.0 mm across at apex; Sepals: Five; linear to lanceolate; glabrous adaxial and puberulent abaxial; narrowly acute apex, fused in basal 3.0 mm; margin entire; matte abaxial, and lustrous adaxial; individually about 8.0 mm long and 1.0 mm wide at fusion; Sepal color: Adaxial and abaxial nearest RHS 138A with margins of nearest RHS 157A; Peduncle: Puberulent; strong, flexible; mostly upright; cylindrical; to about 1.5 mm diameter at base and 2.2 cm long; with average 4.2 flowers; Peduncle color: Low light or ventrally between RHS 146D and RHS 145B; high light or dorsally nearest RHS 187B; Pedicle: Cylindrical; puberulent; flexible; upright to outwardly; variable lengths from about 9.0 mm to 5.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter; Pedicle color: Variable depending on light exposure; with low light or ventrally nearest RHS 138A; high light or dorsally nearest RHS N186C; Fruit and seeds: Not observed; Hardiness and culture: The new plant grows best with full sun, light moisture and deep drainage; hardy to at least from USDA zone 4 through 8. Disease and pest resistance: Phlox ‘Rose Quartz’ demonstrates excellent powdery mildew resistance under conditions that would normally show symptoms.