<i>Sedum </i>plant named ‘Powderpuff’

Abstract

A new and distinct ornamental perennial Sedum plant named Powderpuff is characterized by tight-forming compact clumps with small-sized, blue-green glaucous foliage and blue-green vertical to arching branched flower stems that resist falling over and opening up in the center of the plant throughout the growing season. Numerous stems produce a multitude of flowers of bright rosy-pink effect completely covering the top of the plant. The new plant is useful for the landscape in containers, as specimens, en masse.

Claims

1. A new and distinct perennial Sedum plant named Powderpuff as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the unique traits and the overall appearance of Sedum Powderpuff. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions of this type. Variations in ambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color. The plants used in the photograph were four-year-old plants grown in an open, full-sun trial garden at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer when needed. No plant growth regulators or pinching have been used.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the plant in early stages of flowering with foliage.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the foliage of the plant in late spring.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The following is a detailed description of four-year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a full sun trial plot at a wholesale nursery in Zeeland, Mich. No plant growth regulators have been used. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under all possible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in environment, climate, and cultural conditions without change however in the genotype. The color reference is in accordance with the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color dictionary terms are used. Botanical designation: Sedum hybrid; Cultivar denomination: Powderpuff; Parentage: A selection of Sedum tatarinowii plant as the female or seed parent; 08-77-94 as the male or pollen parent; Asexual propagation: Stem tip cuttings and division; Time to initiate roots: About two weeks; Time to finish a 3.8 liter flowering container: About three months in the summer from a rooted 2.5 cm plug; Root description: Thick, fleshy; freely branching; creamy white to light tan in color. Plant habit: Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial; clumping mound; stems stiff and upright to arching arising from a dense crown; dense and full, not opening in center later in the season; flower heads freely branching; Growth rate: Moderately vigorous; Plant size: About 27.0 cm tall and 42.0 cm wide in full flower; Stems: Terete; glaucous; glabrous; diameter at base average about 5.5 mm and about 21.0 cm long from base to initial branches; 25 internodes per stem, average about 8.4 mm; about 12 stems per plant; Stem color: Proximally between RHS N138D and RHS 122A, with increasing spotting to moderate blush distally of nearest RHS 187C; Lateral branches: Glaucous; primary branches to about 7.0 cm long and about 3.0 mm diameter; Lateral branch color: Proximally between RHS N138D and RHS 122A, with increasing spotting to blush distally of nearest RHS 187C; Foliage: Ovate; alternate to sub-opposite; simple; smooth; sarcous; glabrous and glaucous on both surfaces; sessile; thick, fleshy and succulent; apex bluntly acute to rounded; base attenuate; margin irregularly and shallowly dentate, 6 to 7 teeth in distal two-thirds of leaf; teeth about 3.0 mm to 8.5 mm apart; decreasing in size distally; attitude outward; Foliage size: To about 8.5 cm long, 3.4 cm across and 3.0 mm thick; average about 3.8 cm long, 2.1 cm across and 2.0 mm thick; Foliage color: Adaxial young between RHS 138B and RHS 143C, abaxial young between RHS 138C and RHS 143C; mature adaxial nearest RHS 137B and abaxial nearest RHS N138C; Petiole: Leaves sessile; Venation: Palmate, barely distinguishable; slightly raised abaxial; Vein color: Abaxial and adaxial secondary veins same as surrounding leaf tissue; adaxial midrib lightly nearest RHS 138D, abaxial midrib between RHS 138D and RHS 142D; Flower: Stellate, actinomophic; pentamerous; persistent; attitude upright to outwardly in terminal compound cymes; size about 11.5 mm across and 7.5 mm deep; Flower number: About 1,200 to 3,000 flowers per plant; Fragrance: None detected; Flowering season: Beginning mid-August in Zeeland, Mich. for about three weeks; Longevity: Flower cymes remain effective for about three weeks on the plant and one week as cut flowers; individual flowers and calyces persistent and effective for about three weeks; Flower buds about one day prior to opening: Ellipsoidal; apex acute; base attenuate; about 6.5 mm long and about 2.7 mm diameter near middle; Flower bud color: Nearest RHS NN74C along petal margin and nearest RHS 65D along petal midrib maculate with nearest RHS NN74C; Inflorescence: About 7.0 cm tall from first branch and about 9.5 cm across; up to about 200 flowers per inflorescence; Petals: Typically five, broadly-lanceolate; narrowly acute apex; base fused, truncate; margin entire; glabrous abaxial and adaxial; average about 6.5 mm long and about 2.0 mm across at fusion; Petal color: Adaxial nearest RHS NN74D with apex nearest RHS NN74A; abaxial distally nearest RHS NN74C, basally between RHS 65D and RHS NN155D; adaxial maturing to nearest RHS NN74D with apex nearest RHS NN74C; abaxial maturing to nearest RHS 75D in longitudinal center and RHS NN74D along margins; Calyx: With five sepals; campanulate to stellate; about 5.0 mm across and 3.0 mm deep; Sepals: Linear to lanceolate; narrowly acute apex; fused base; entire margin; glabrous and slightly glaucous both abaxial and adaxial; adpressed to petals, about 2.5 mm long and about 1.0 mm across; Sepal color: Abaxial and adaxial nearest 138B; Peduncles: Terete; slightly glaucous, glabrous; stiff and flexible; freely branching; upright to slightly outwardly; with branches to about 45 from perpendicular; about 7.0 cm long and 5.5 mm diameter; Peduncle color: Nearest RHS 148D maculate with RHS 187C; Pedicels: Cylindrical; glabrous, slightly glaucous; strong and stiff, yet flexible; about 4.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter; Pedicel color: Blend between RHS N138D and RHS 186C; Androecium: Typically ten stamens; Filaments.Cylindrical; outwardly; alternately free to fused to inner corolla in basal 1.0 mm; about 5.5 mm long and about 0.3 mm diameter; color nearest RHS NN74D. Anthers.Basifixed; longitudinal; ellipsoidal; about 0.7 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter; color nearest RHS N186D. Pollen.Moderate in quantity; color nearest RHS 160D. Gynoecium: Typically five; cylindrical, conic in distal one third; about 6.0 mm long and 1.2 mm diameter; Style.Terete; ellipsoidal, tapering distally and base truncate; about 2.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter at point of attachment to ovary; glabrous; color nearest RHS NN74B. Stigma.Minute, acute; about 0.2 mm diameter and 0.2 mm long; color nearest RHS NN74B. Ovary.Nearly terete, acutely tapering at apex to style; base truncate; lustrous; about 2.0 mm long and 1.2 mm diameter; color nearest RHS NN74B. Fruit: Ventrally dehiscent follicle; about 3.5 mm long and 3.2 mm across; color at maturity nearest RHS 177A; Seed: Sparse; fine; lanceolate; about 1.0 mm long and less than 0.2 mm across; color between RHS 165A and RHS 165B; Growing conditions: Plants of the new Sedum Powderpuff is xeromorphic and grow best with good drainage, full sun and moderate to low fertility. Powderpuff is cold hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9 and has tolerated temperatures of at least 35 degrees C. Powderpuff tolerates heavy rains and wind and is not prone to develop an open center later in the season as many other Sedum cultivars do. Disease and pest resistance: Other pest and disease resistance and tolerance outside that normal for Sedum is not known.