<i>Hydrangea </i>plant named ‘HIMOU’

Abstract

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

Claims

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named HIMOU 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 (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of HIMOU 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 HIMOU.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the autumn 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. 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 HIMOU. Parentage: Female, or seed, patent.Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 1004, not patented. Male, or pollen, patent.Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 1011, 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 one month 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 32.7 cm. Plant diameter or area of spread.About 49 cm. Lateral branch description: Branching habit.Freely branching habit with about ten lateral branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length.About 17.9 cm. Diameter.About 5 mm. Internode length.About 5.5 cm. Strength.Strong, sturdy. Aspect.About 65 from vertical. Texture.Smooth, glabrous; fully developed, woody. Luster.Moderately glossy. Color, developing.Close to 143B becoming closer to 144A with development. Color, fully developed.Close to 199C, 199D and N199C. Lenticels.Density: Medium. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Color: Close to between N186C and 200C. Leaf description: Arrangement.Opposite, simple. Length.About 8.9 cm. Width.About 7.1 cm. Shape.Broadly ovate. Apex.Short apiculate. Base.Short attenuate. Margin.Coarsely serrate. Texture and luster, upper surface.Slightly rugose, glabrous; semi-glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface.Moderately rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Venation pattern.Pinnate. Color.Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between 138B and 146C. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker than between NN137A and 147A; venation, close to 146D. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to between 137D and 147B; venation, close to 146D. Petioles.Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly to moderately glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 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 slightly drooping 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; flower dormancy can be broken by giving a two-month cold treatment. Flower longevity.Good postproduction longevity; sterile flowers maintain good substance for about six weeks on the plant, sterile flowers persistent; fertile flowers last about one week on the plant, fertile flowers not persistent. Quantity of flowers.Freely flowering habit; about 175 sterile flowers per panicle and about 75 fertile flowers per panicle. Panicle height.About 8.9 cm. Panicle diameter.About 12.4 cm. Sterile flower buds.Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Cup-shaped. Color: Close to 65C to 65D. Fertile flower buds.Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Color: Close to 145A to 145B. Sterile flower diameter.About 3 cm. Sterile flower depth (height).About 9 mm. Fertile flower diameter.About 3.5 mm. Fertile flower depth (height).About 3 mm. Petals, sterile flowers.Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Broadly 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 N155B; color does not change with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N155B; color does not change with development. Petals, fertile flowers.Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1 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 145D; color does not change with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 144B; proximally, close to 145B; color does not change with development. Sepals, sterile flowers.Quantity and arrangement: Typically four, occasionally five, in a single whorl. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Broadly rhomboidal to roughly deltoid. Apex: Broad and bluntly acute to emarginate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately to strongly and coarsely undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 73B to 73C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 75B to 75C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 75C; distally, close to 143B, 145A, 145B and 150C to 150D; with development, color becoming closer to 150D strongly tinged with a blend of close to 151D, N170C and 182D with a distal blotch, close to 143A, 143B and 144A to 144B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 68C to 68D; distally, close to 144A to 144D; with development, color becoming closer to 150D, distally, strongly tinged with close to lighter than between 180D and 182A with a distal blotch, close to 143B and 144A to 144B. Sepals, fertile flowers.Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 1 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 143B to 143C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143B to 143C; color does not change with development. Pedicels, sterile flowers.Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 40 from peduncle. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 146D; proximally, close to 75C to 75D. Pedicels, fertile flowers.Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 30 from peduncle. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 144C. Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight. Filament length: About 0.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 156D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: None detected. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: Three, occasionally two. Pistil length: About 0.75 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 157D. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 157D. Ovary color: Close to 145C to 145D. Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight. Filament length: About 0.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 156D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 156A. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: Typically three, occasionally, two. Pistil length: About 0.75 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 157D. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 157D. Ovary color: Close to 145A. 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 been observed to tolerate Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe friesii var. friesii) and Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea). Plants of the new Hydrangea not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Hydrangea plants. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9.