Coleus plant named ‘UF18-97-2’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Plectranthus scutellarioides (coleus) named ‘UF18-97-2’, selected for its excellent vigor, lateral branching, uniform overall habit, and intense crimson color in sun and shade. The new coleus cultivar ‘UF18-97-2’ was selected because it has superb vigor with brilliant crimson colored leaves with well-defined chartreuse margins. It does not produce flowers, so leaf abscission is minimized late in the landscape season. What makes it a rare red foliage genotype is that it is extremely vigorous and can easily grow three feet tall and five feet wide in the landscape while maintaining intense deep red color in both sun and shade.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Plectranthus scutellarioides plant named ‘UF18-97-2’ as shown and described herein.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The accompanying photographs (as shown in FIGS. 1-3) illustrate the overall appearance of the new coleus cultivar ‘UF18-97-2’. The colors shown in these photographs are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Colors shown in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describes the colors of the new coleus cultivar. FIGS. 2 and 3 were taken from plants grown nine (9) weeks from unrooted cuttings in June-August 2020 in a glass-covered greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the pedigree of ‘UF18-97-2’;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the growth habit, form, and foliage of ‘UF18-97-2’; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the foliage of ‘UF18-97-2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTIVAR

(5) The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of the new coleus cultivar ‘UF18-97-2’. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) Colour Chart, 2007 (5th Edition).

Description of Growing Conditions

(6) The detailed botanical description was obtained using nine-week-old plants grown from unrooted cuttings in June-August, 2020, in a glass-covered greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla. The plants were propagated in mist for ten (10) days after cuttings were stuck, then grown in one-gallon pots for approximately seven and a half additional weeks.

Botanical Description

(7) Botanical classification: Family.—Lamiaceae. Botanical name.—Plectranthus scutellarioides. Common name.—Coleus. Cultivar.—‘UF18-97-2’. Parentage: Female or seed parent.—‘UF15-23-40’. Male or pollen parent.—Unknown. Propagation: Type.—Cuttings; vegetative meristems having at least one node. Time to initiate roots.—3-4 days. Time to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days. Root description: Root description.—Callus forms in 2-3 days, roots initiate in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in 7-10 days. Rooting habit.—Fibrous. Plant description: Plant form.—Upright. Growth habit.—Spreading. Plant height (from top of soil).—30-32 cm. Plant width (horizontal plant diameter).—50-55 cm. Branches.—Quantity per plant: 7-8. Color: RHS 143D (light green). Texture: Smooth. Pubescence: Not present. Stem description: Square-shaped stem, 0.9 cm in diameter at the soil line. Branch diameter: 0.6-0.7 cm at the base of a 27-cm-long branch. Branch length: 25-28 cm. Internode length: 3-4 cm. Anthocyanin: Not present. Foliage description: Quantity of leaves per branch.—19-20. Arrangement.—Predominantly opposite, with an occasional meristem tip with three leaves arranged in a whorl. Fragrance.—Not fragrant. Length.—10-12 cm. Width.—7-8 cm. Shape.—Ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin.—Crenate. Leaf texture (both surfaces).—Smooth. Pubescence floor (both surfaces).—Not present. Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 59B (dark purple red). Lower surface: RHS 143C (medium green). Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Reticulate. Lower surface. Reticulate. Color, immature leaf.—Upper surface: Center: RHS 172A (medium brown). Margin: RHS N144C (light green). Lower surface: RHS N143C (medium green). Color, mature leaf.—Upper surface: Center: RHS 175B (medium brown). Margin: RHS N144A (light green). Lower surface: RHS 145A (light green). Petiole length.—3-3.5 cm. Petiole diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm. Petiole color.—RHS 145A (light green). Petiole texture.—Smooth, no pubescence. Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed to date during formal trials in Gainesville, Fla. Fruit/seed set: Fruit and seeds have not been observed to date during formal trials in Gainesville, Fla. 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, Fla., have been long-tailed or citrus mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.), 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 (Pernonspora lamii). This pathogen has been observed in stock materials grown closely together in cooler growing seasons.