x <i>Mangave </i>plant named ‘Life on Mars’

Abstract

A new and unique x Mangave plant named Life on Mars characterized by a medium, rounded mound of fleshy, linear to lanceolate leaves that are slightly arching margins and develop glaucous, blue-green with lighter greenish-white to creamy yellow margins and developing bright reddish-purple splotches of variable sizes with high ultraviolet light. The leaves have numerous small, semi-flexible marginal teeth. The new plant is suitable for the garden or as a potted plant in the garden or home.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental x Mangave plant named Life on Mars as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The photograph of x Mangave Life on Mars demonstrates the overall appearance of the new plant including the unique traits as a nine-month-old plant grown in a greenhouse under low ultraviolet light in Zeeland, Mich. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum, temperature, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the young foliage with marginal teeth from above.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view.

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. The new plant, x Mangave Life on Mars, has not been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions are of a nine-month-old plant in a commercial wholesale greenhouse in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer as needed. Parentage: An uninduced whole plant sport of Mission to Mars; Propagation: By sterile shoot-tip tissue culture; Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About three weeks; Growth rate: Moderate to rapid; Crop time: About 16 to 20 weeks to finish in a 3.8 liter container from a 35 mm tissue culture growing at about 21 C.; Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching, with roots up to 20 cm long; Root color: Nearest RHS 158B; Plant shape and habit: Succulent herbaceous perennial with basal rosettes of about 18 leaves radially emerging and slightly arching from central stem, producing a radially-symmetrical, rounded mound; Plant size: Foliage height about 19.0 cm tall from soil line to the top of the leaves and about 38.0 cm wide at the widest point just above soil level; Stem: To about 2.5 cm across; covered with foliage; Foliage description: Linear to lanceolate; simple; sessile; bi-laterally symmetrical; sarcous; apex narrowly acute with terminal spine; base truncate and clasping; margins flat; serrate with small, flexible, outwardly pointing teeth; both adaxial and abaxial glabrous and glaucous, becoming lustrous adaxial; Leaf size: To about 29.0 cm long, about 55.0 mm wide toward middle, about 3.5 cm wide at base; and about 5.0 mm thick; spotting variable sizes from 4.0 mm diameter to overlapping and nearly solid in high intensity ultraviolet light; Variegation: Adaxial to about 18.0 mm wide in middle; abaxial to about 6.0 mm wide; Leaf blade color: Adaxial margin (low light).Blend between RHS 144D and RHS 145D in perimeter half and interior half nearest blend between RHS N138D and RHS 145D with faint overtone spots nearest RHS 180B. Adaxial center (low light).Darker than RHS 139A with faint spots of nearest RHS 183D. Abaxial margin (low light).Nearest blend between RHS 138C and RHS 138B, typically without spots. Abaxial center (low light).Darker than RHS 139A with midrib nearest 138A without spots. Adaxial margin (high light).Blend between RHS 139C and RHS 139D with spots to near solid sections nearest RHS N186C. Adaxial center (high light).Nearest RHS N138A with spots to near solid sections nearest RHS N186C. Abaxial margin (high light).Nearest RHS 138B with spots nearest RHS 183A. Abaxial center (high light).Nearest RHS 139A with spots nearest RHS N186C and surrounding midrib nearest RHS 138A. Foliage fragrance: None observed; Apical spine: About 8.0 mm long and 1.0 mmm wide; semi-flexible; color nearest RHS 200B; Marginal teeth: Small, semi-flexible; protruding about 1.0 mm long from margin and 1.0 mm wide at base, average spacing about 2.8 mm apart; color variable, nearest RHS 157D to RHS 164B on young leaves and nearest RHS 165A mature leaves; Petiole: Leaves sessile; Veins: Parallel; not distinct abaxial or adaxial; Flower description: Not yet observed; Fruit and seed not observed; Disease resistance: X Mangave Life on Mars has not been observed to be resistant to diseases beyond that which is normal for x Mangave, Agave or Manfreda. The new plant is xeromorphic and survives well with minimal water once established. The new plant is estimated to be hardy at least from USDA zone 9. Full extent of winter hardiness has not been tested.