<i>Rudbeckia </i>plant named ‘ET RDB 17-16’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Rudbeckia plant named ET RDB 17-16, characterized by its upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; freely flowering habit; large and long-lasting single-type inflorescences with yellow orange and reddish brown bi-colored ray florets positioned above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and good postproduction and garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Rudbeckia plant named ET RDB 17-16 as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Rudbeckia showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Rudbeckia plant.

(2) The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ET RDB 17-16 grown in a container.

(3) The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ET RDB 17-16.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 2.5-liter containers during the spring in an outdoor nursery in Boijl, The Netherlands and under cultural conditions typical of commercial Rudbeckia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 16 C. and night temperatures averaged 10 C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following 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: Echinacea purpurea X Rudbeckia hirta ET RDB 17-16. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.Proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea identified as code designation V22, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.Proprietary selection of Rudbeckia hirta identified as code designation W29, not patented. PROPAGATION: Type.By in vitro meristem culture. Time to initiate roots, summer.About seven to eight days at soil temperatures about 15 C. and ambient temperatures about 20 C. Time to produce a rooted young plants, summer.About four weeks at soil temperatures about 15 C. and ambient temperatures about 20 C. Root description.Medium in thickness; fleshy; color, close to 162C; 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; medium density. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.Herbaceous perennial; upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate. Plant height.About 55 cm to 60 cm. Plant width.About 50 cm. Lateral branches (peduncles).Length: About 25 cm to 35 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Internode length: About 5 cm to 10 cm. Angle: Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color: Close to 144A. Leaf description: Arrangement.Alternate, simple; sessile. Length.About 17 cm to 21 cm. Width.About 3 cm to 6 cm. Shape.Oblanceolate to lanceolate. Apex.Acute to acuminate. Base.Attenuate. Margin.Dentate; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces.Pubescent; rough. Venation pattern.Pinnate. Color.Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144A. Inflorescence description: Type and arrangement.Single-type inflorescence form with lanceolate to oblanceolate-shaped ray florets and tubular disc florets; inflorescences borne on terminal and axillary peduncles above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles; inflorescences face upright to outwardly; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Fragrance.None detected. Flowering season.Plants begin flowering about ten weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower continuously from mid-July until the end of October in The Netherlands. Inflorescence longevity.Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences lasting about eight to ten weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent. Quantity of inflorescences.Freely flowering habit, typically more than 20 inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering season. Inflorescence buds.Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Round to ovoid. Color: Close to 142C. Inflorescences.Diameter: Large, about 17 cm to 24 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Receptacle height: About 1 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 7 mm to 10 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 144A. Ray florets.Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 18 to 20 arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 6 cm to 10 cm. Width: About 2 cm to 4 cm. Shape: Lanceolate to oblanceolate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Rough, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 154A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 145A. Fully opened, upper surface: Distally, close to 17A; proximally, close to 166A and 175A; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 14A; venation, similar to lamina; color becoming closer to 154A with development. Disc florets.Arrangement: Numerous disc florets massed at center of receptacle. Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Obtuse. Color, when opening: Apex: Close to N186C. Mid-section: Close to 145C tinged with close to N186C. Base: Close to 145A. Color, fully opened: Apex: Close to N186C. Mid-section: Close to N186C. Base: Close to N186C. Phyllaries.Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 20 to 30 arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 3 cm to 7 cm. Width: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute to obtuse. Base: Fused to receptacle. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough, pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C. Reproductive organs.Androecium (present on ray and disc florets): Quantity per floret: Numerous. Filament length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Filament color: Close to N186B to N186C. Anther shape: Round. Anther length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther color: Close to N186B to N186C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium (present only on disc florets): Pistil length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: Close to N187B to N187C. Style length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Style color: Close to N187B to N187C. Seeds and fruits.To date, seed and fruit production has not been observed on plants of the new Rudbeckia. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Rudbeckia have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Rudbeckia plants. Garden performance: Plants of the new Rudbeckia have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures from about 20 C. to about 40 C.