<i>Hydrangea </i>plant named ‘HIFLA’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘HIFLA’, characterized by its upright and broadly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; strong and sturdy stems; freely and reblooming flowering habit; large and dense inflorescences with red purple-colored sterile flowers; and good post-production longevity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘HIFLA’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the 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 colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

(2) The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HIFLA’ grown in a container.

(3) The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘HIFLA’, and the photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘HIFLA’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the early spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 22° C. and lightly levels were about 4,000 lux for 16 hours per day. Plants of the new Hydrangea were pinched one time and were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants are not typically “blued” (treated with aluminum sulfate). Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘HIFLA’. Parentage: Female, or seed, patent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 1340, not patented. Male, or pollen, patent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 1014, not patented. Propagation: Type cutting.—By vegetative terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at temperatures about 22° C. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at temperatures about 20° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four weeks at temperatures about 22° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days at temperatures about 19° C. Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically white in color, 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.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.—Upright, broadly outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; flattened globular in overall shape; strong and sturdy stems; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; about six months from propagation are required to produce a finished flowering plant. Plant height.—About 29.4 cm. Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 46.8 cm. Lateral branch description: Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about eight lateral branches per plant; pinching is not required, but will enhance lateral branch development. Length.—About 15.4 cm. Diameter.—About 5.5 mm. Internode length.—About 4.9 cm. Strength.—Strong, sturdy. Aspect.—About 50° from vertical. Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; fully developed, woody. Color, developing.—Close to 144A; tinged at the internodes with close to N186C. Color, fully developed.—Close to between 144B and 146D; tinged at the internodes with close to N186C; woody, close to between 199A to N199C. Lenticels.—Density: Sparse to medium. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm. Color: Close to N186C. Leaf description: Arrangement.—Opposite, simple. Length.—About 12.9 cm. Width.—About 9.4 cm. Shape.—Broadly ovate to broadly elliptic. Apex.—Apiculate. Base.—Short attenuate to acute. Margin.—Coarsely serrate. Texture and luster, upper surface.—Slightly to moderately rugose, glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately rugose, glabrous; somewhat glossy. Venation pattern.—Pinnate. Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between 144A and N144C. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and N189A; venation, close to 146D. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 147D. Petioles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144B; at the margins, close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A. Flower description: Flower type and habit.—Showy rotate sterile flowers and small, inconspicuous rotate fertile flowers arranged on mophead-type terminal panicles; panicles flattened globular in shape; sterile flowers face upright to outwardly and fertile flowers mostly upright. Fragrance.—None detected. Natural flowering season.—In the garden, plants flower continuously from the late spring to late summer in The Netherlands; plants reblooming. Flower longevity.—Good postproduction longevity; sterile flowers maintain good substance for about six weeks on the plant, sterile flowers persistent; fertile flowers last about three days on the plant, fertile flowers not persistent. Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 85 sterile flowers per panicle and about 30 fertile flowers per panicle. Panicle height.—About 8.7 cm. Panicle diameter.—About 15.1 cm. Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Broad cup-shaped. Color: Close to 150C to 150D; distally, tinged with close to 58A. Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 64D; proximally, close to 150D. Sterile flower diameter.—About 4 cm. Sterile flower depth (height).—About 1.5 cm. Fertile flower diameter.—About 1 cm. Fertile flower depth (height).—About 6 mm. Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four, or occasionally five, in a single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate, concave. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N66C; towards the margins, close to 75D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 76D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N66C; towards the margins, close to 75D; color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 64D. Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 64C; towards the margins, close to 75D; colors do not change with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 64D; color does not change with development. Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically four, occasionally three or five, in a single whorl. Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Reniform to broadly deltoid. Apex: Broad and bluntly acute to obtuse. Base: Broadly cuneate to truncate. Margin: Entire to shallowly crenate; slightly and coarsely undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to between 59C and 60A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 59D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to between 58A and 60B; with development, color becoming closer to 59B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 59D; color does not change with development. Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 150D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 150D; distal half slightly tinged with close to 64D; color does not change with development. Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 35° from peduncle. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 185D. Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 185D. Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 185D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther color: Close to between 156A and 156B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: Three. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 65D. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 65B to 65C. Ovary color: Close to 150D. Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 185D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to between 156A and 156B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: Three. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 65D. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 65B to 65C. Ovary color: Close to 150D. Seeds.—To date, seed development has not been observed on plants of the new Hydrangea. Pathogen & pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions, plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9.