<i>Astilbe </i>plant named ‘Lovely Day’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe plant named Lovely Day, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; dark green-colored leaves; freely and uniformly flowering habit; light pink-colored flowers on strong, tall and upright peduncles; and good container and garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named Lovely Day as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Astilbe 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 slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Astilbe plant.

(2) The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of Lovely Day grown in a container.

(3) The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of Lovely Day.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heemskerk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Astilbe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 C. to 40 C. and night temperatures ranged from 8 C. to 24 C. Plants were one year 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. Botanical classification: Astilbe arendsii Lovely Day. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.Unidentified Astilbe arendsii seedling selection, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.Unidentified Astilbe arendsii seedling selection, not patented. Propagation: Type.By vegetative divisions. Time to initiate roots.About three weeks at temperatures about 20 C. Root description.Thick, fleshy; typically brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation. Rooting habit.Freely branching; dense. Plant description: Plant form and growth habit.Herbaceous perennial; compact, broadly upright and mounding plant form with inflorescences held above the foliar plane; flowering stems and leaves basal; freely flowering with numerous basal branches developing per plant, dense and bushy; moderately vigorous growth habit; and freely and uniformly flowering habit. Growth rate.Moderately rapid; from divisions, about three months are required to produce fully-grown flowering plants in containers. Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).About 24.7 cm. Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).About 42.1 cm. Plant width (spread).About 42 cm. Stem description.Length: About 18.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 25 from vertical. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color, developing: Close to 144A. Color, developed: Close to 146C. Leaf description: Arrangement.Alternate; biternately compound; on average, about 17 leaflets per leaf. Leaf length (excluding petiole).About 11.5 cm. Leaf width.About 10.7 cm. Terminal leaflet length.About 4.4 cm. Terminal leaflet width.About 1.9 cm. Lateral leaflet length.About 3.1 cm. Lateral leaflet width.About 1.1 cm. Leaf shape, in outline.Broadly ovate to deltoid. Leaflet shape.Elliptic to narrowly obovate. Leaflet apex.Apiculate to acuminate. Leaflet base.Attenuate to long attenuate. Leaflet margin.Biserrate. Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.Sparsely pubescent; slightly to moderately glossy. Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.Sparsely to moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Leaflet venation pattern.Pinnate. Leaflet color.Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to 144A. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to between 143B and 144B. Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and N189A; venation, close to 146D. Fully expanded leaflets, lower surface: Close to NN137C; venation, close to 146D. Leaf petiole length.About 10.2 cm. Leaf petiole diameter.About 2 mm. Leaf and leaflet petiole strength.Strong. Leaf and leaflet petiole texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy. Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper surface.Close to 146C. Leaf and leaflet petiole color, lower surface.Close to 146D. Flower description: Flower type and flowering habit.Single rotate flowers arranged on terminal compound panicles; flowers face upright, outward or downward depending on position on the inflorescence; panicles conical in shape; freely and uniformly flowering habit with about 2,000 flowers developing per inflorescence and about 28,000 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season. Fragrance.Moderately strong; sweet and pleasant. Natural flowering season.Plants begin flowering about 13 weeks after planting; continuously flowering from late spring until late summer in The Netherlands. Postproduction longevity.Flowers last about ten days on the plant; flowers not persistent. Flower buds.Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Sepals, close to 145B and petals, close to 69B. Inflorescence height.About 19.9 cm. Inflorescence diameter.About 15.7 cm. Flower diameter.About 8 mm. Flower depth.About 4 mm. Petals.Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl. Length: About 4.5 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Developing petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 75D. Fully expanded petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 75C to 75D; color does not change with development. Sepals.Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl, lower 25% fused towards the base forming a campanulate-shaped calyx. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing sepals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to between 150D and 155A; at the apex, tinged with close to 75D. Fully expanded sepals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 150D; at the apex, tinged with close to 75D; colors do not change with development. Peduncles.Length: About 19.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm. Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 144A. Pedicels.Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle: About 45 from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Close to N155B. Reproductive organs.Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically ten; anthers basifixed. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 75D. Anther shape: Broadly ovate. Anther length: About 0.3 mm. Anther diameter: About 0.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to NN155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 75D. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to NN155A. Ovary color: Close to NN155A. Seeds and fruits.To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Astilbe. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Astilbe have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe plants. Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind, temperatures ranging from about 25 to 35 C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 10.