<i>Salvia </i>plant named ‘GRUSALRP’

Abstract

GRUSALRP is a new and distinctive Salvia plant which is characterized by a broad upright growth habit, a broad inverted triangular plant form, large dark green foliage, an abundance of dark violet flowers borne on long terminal inflorescences that sit above the foliage, and plants bearing a large number of inflorescences at once. The new variety propagates successfully by stem cuttings and has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Salvia hybrid plant named GRUSALRP, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, an exemplary GRUSALRP plant at approximately 3 months old, potted into an 11 cm nursery pot, grown in a greenhouse in Rockajne, the Netherlands.

(2) FIG. 2 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, the typical foliage of GRUSALRP.

(3) FIG. 3 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, the typical inflorescence of GRUSALRP.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(4) The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinct variety of Salvia known as GRUSALRP, based upon observations of 3 month old plants in 11 cm nursery containers, grown outdoors in Rockanje, the Netherlands. Plants were grown using conventional field production protocols for Salvia plants which consisted of regular overhead irrigation. No pest or disease control measures were utilized in production. Temperatures ranged between 18 to 35 degrees Celsius during the day and 12 to 22 degrees Celsius at night. Plants were produced with full sun exposure and no photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants. Observation data was recorded in September of 2019.

(5) Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. GRUSALRP has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such measurements are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 edition.

(6) A botanical description of GRUSALRP and comparisons with the parent plants and most similar variety of common knowledge are provided below. General plant description: Growth habit.A broad, upright herbaceous perennial. Plant profile.Broad, inverted triangular. Height.18.5 cm to the top of the foliar plane; 35.2 cm to the top of the floral plane. Spread.31.5 cm. Plant vigor.Moderate vigorous. Growth rate.Moderately fast growing. Propagation.Softwood stem cuttings; rooting is initiated in approximately 10 days when grown in a greenhouse with an ambient average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. Time to produce a finished plant.Approximately 12 weeks are required to produce a marketable finished plant in a 13 cm pot. Pest resistance and susceptibility.Not any more or less tolerant or susceptible to pests or diseases known to effect Salvia. Environmental tolerances.Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 3 to 10 and temperatures ranging from minus 28 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius; moderate to high tolerance to rain; moderate tolerance to wind. Root system: Thin, fibrous, and freely branched. Stem: Branching habit.Basally branching main stems growing from a caudex; freely branching with short lateral branches. Stems and branches emit a slight fragrance when touched, typical for the species. Pinching isn't required but will improve branching. Number of main stems per plant.8. Number of lateral branches per plant.4. Appearance and shape.Quandrangulate. Main stem length.13.5 cm, excluding the inflorescence. Main stem diameter.3.0 cm. Internode length.3.1 cm. Texture.Moderately pubescent; very short, soft hairs with an average length of 0.05 cm and colored translucent white, RHS NN155D. Luster.Matte. Aspect.Main stems are upright; lateral branches are at an average angle of 50 degrees to the main stems (varying between 10 and 90 degrees). Strength.Strong. Color, juvenile.Yellow-green, nearest RHS 144B. Color, mature.Yellow-green, nearest RHS 144B. Color at internodes.Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 145A. Foliage: Arrangement.Opposite. Attachment.Petiolate. Division.Simple. Abundance of foliage.Abundant. Lamina.Dimensions 7.0 cm long and 3.0 cm wide, on average. Shape Narrow ovate to narrow oblong. Aspect Flat to involute and slightly reflexed. Apex Broad, bluntly acute. Base Cordate. Margin Crenate; not undulated. Pubescence and luster of adaxial surface Smooth, glabrous, and very slightly glossy. Pubescence and luster of abaxial surface Smooth, glabrous, and matte. Color Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS NN137B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS 138B. Mature foliage, adaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS NN137A. Mature foliage, abaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147B. Venation Pattern Pinnate. Venation color, adaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to 145A. Venation color, abaxial surface Yellow-green, RHS 145B. Petiole.Length 0.8 cm. Width Petioles are flattened; 0.225 cm, horizontally, and 0.125 cm, vertically. Texture, adaxial surface Glabrous. Texture, abaxial surface Glabrous. Margins Moderately pubescent with short hairs with an average length of 0.01 cm and colored translucent white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster, adaxial surface Slightly glossy. Luster, abaxial surface Slightly glossy. Color, adaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A. Color, abaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B. Strength Strong. Inflorescence: Type.Terminal verticillaster with individual flowers in whorls. Natural flowering season.Late spring into summer in Rockanje, the Netherlands. Time to flower.Approximately 10 weeks after flowering. Flowering habit.Very freely flowering. Dimensions.An average of 19.1 cm high, not including peduncle, and 2.4 cm in diameter. Quantity of inflorescence per plant.15, on average. Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.Approximately 2,500 flowers and buds. Attitude.Upright. Peduncles.Length 18.6 cm. Diameter 0.2 cm. Aspect Quadrangulate. Attitude Upright; near vertical. Strength Strong. Texture Moderately pubescent; short glandular hairs with an average length of 0.05 cm and colored translucent white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster Matte. Color Green, RHS 1388, and moderately blotched greyed-purple, RHS 187A. Flower buds: Shape.Obovate. Length.Average of 0.55 cm. Diameter.0.2 cm, horizontally; 0.3 cm, vertically. Texture.Moderately pubescent; very short glandular hairs with an average length of 0.02 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster.Matte. Color.Yellow-green, RHS 147A, and fading lighter towards the base, RHS 144B; veined purple, RHS N77C. Immature sepals are violet, RHS 86A, and finely dotted white, RHS NN155D. Flower: Flowering habit.Freely flowering. Shape.Labiate. Dimensions of the flower height.Length is 1.05 cm, vertical height is 1.0 cm, and the horizontal width is 0.6 cm. Floral throat diameter.0.1 cm. Dimensions of the floral tube.Tube flattened; length is 0.45 cm, vertical height is 0.15 cm, and the horizontal width is 0.1 cm. Attitude.Outward facing. Fragrance.Non-fragrant. Lastingness.Approximately 10 days. Persistent.Self-cleaning. Pedicels.Dimensions 0.2 cm long and 0.5 cm in diameter. Attitude Upward; approximately 60 degrees to the peduncle axis. Strength Moderately strong. Texture Densely pubescent; short glandular hairs with an average length of 0.02 cm and colored translucent white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster Matte. Color Purple, nearest to in between RHS N77C and N77D. Petals.Quantity of Petals 2. Arrangement Labiate; one upper lip and one lower lip which with approximately 35 percent of the proximal portion of the corolla fused. Shape of petal lobes Upper lip is folded into an oblanceolate shape; lower lip is spatulate with a larger central lobe and two smaller lateral lobes. Dimensions, free portion of the upper petal 0.7 cm long and 0.1 cm wide. Dimensions, free portion of the lower petal 0.6 cm long and 0.6 cm wide. Apex Upper lip is emarginate; lobes of the lower lip are obtuse. Base Truncate; fused at the base. Margin Both petal lobes with entire margins; upper petal not undulated and lower petal slightly undulated. Aspect, upper lip Concave. Aspect, lower lip Central lobe is carinate and reflexed; lateral lobes are concave. Pubescence, texture and luster of upper surface Both petals are glabrous, slightly velvety and matte. Pubescence, texture and luster of lower surface Moderately pubescent with short glandular hairs that have an average length of 0.02 cm and are colored the same as the petal; slightly velvety and matte. Petal color when opening, upper surface Upper petal Violet, RHS N88B; no visible venation. Lower petal Violet, RHS N89D; no visible venation. Petal color when opening, lower surface Upper petal Violet, RHS N88B, and finely dotted white, RHS NN155D; no visible venation. Lower petal Violet, RHS N88A; no visible venation. Petal color when fully opened, upper surface Upper petal Violet, RHS N88B; no visible venation. Lower petal Violet, RHS N88B; no visible venation. Petal color when fully opened, lower surface Upper petal Violet, RHS N88B, and finely dotted white, RHS NN155D; no visible venation. Lower petal Violet, RHS N88A; no visible venation. Upper petal, faded color Upper petal Violet, RHS N88B; no visible venation. Lower petal Central lobe is violet, RHS N88A; lateral lobes are violet, RHS 86B; no visible venation. Lower petal, faded color Upper petal Violet, RHS N88A, and finely dotted white, RHS NN155D; no visible venation. Lower petal Central lobe is violet, RHS N88A; lateral lobes are violet, RHS 86B; no visible venation. Floral throat color Violet, RHS 86B; no visible venation. Floral tube color when fully opened, inner and outer surfaces Violet, RHS 86B, and fading to white towards the base, nearest to RHS N155A; no visible venation. Calyx.Shape Campanulate. Dimensions Calyx is flattened; length is 0.6 cm, the height is 0.35 cm, and the width is 0.25 cm. Sepals Length 0.6 cm. Width 0.25 cm. Arrangement Campanulate; the proximal 70 percent of the sepals are fused. Quantity 2. Shape Both sepals oblanceolate. Apex Upper sepal is emarginate; lower sepal is cleft. Base Fused. Sepal lobe margin Both sepals are entire; not undulated; moderately pubescent with very short glandular hairs with an average length of 0.2 cm and colored translucent white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Pubescence, texture and luster, upper surface Both sepals are smooth, glabrous, and matte. Pubescence, texture and luster, lower surface Both sepals are moderately pubescent with very short glandular hairs with an average length of 0.2 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D; matte. Color when opening, upper surface Green, nearest to in between RHS 138B and 138C; veined darker green, RHS 139B. Color when opening, lower surface Yellow-green, RHS 147A, and fading lighter towards the base, RHS 144B; veined purple, RHS N77C. Color when fully opened, upper surface Green, nearest to in between RHS 138B and 138C; veined darker green, RHS 139B. Color when fully opened, lower surface Yellow-green, RHS 147B, and fading lighter towards the base, RHS 147C; veined purple, RHS N77C. Floral bract Position Below each floral bud. Quantity 1. Shape Broad ovate. Length 0.7 cm. Width 0.6 cm. Apex Abruptly acute. Base Broad cuneate. Margin Entire. Pubescence, texture and luster, upper surface Smooth, glabrous, and matte. Pubescence, texture and luster, lower surface Smooth, glabrous, and matte. Color when fully opened, upper surface Yellow-green, RHS 145D, and slightly suffused with greyed-purple, RNS 186D; veined green, RHS 137C. Color when fully opened, lower surface Yellow-green, RHS 145D, and slightly suffused with greyed-purple, RNS 186D; veined green, RHS 137C. Reproductive organs: Stamens.Quantity 2. Anthers Attachment Basifixed. Shape Narrow oblong. Dimensions Approximately 0.15 cm long and 0.05 cm wide. Color Black, nearest to RHS 203A. Filaments Length 0.4 cm, on average. Color Violet, RHS N87D. Pollen, amount Sparse. Pollen color Greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS 160B. Pistil.Quantity 1. Length 1.4 cm. Style Length 1.3 cm. Color Violet-blue, RHS 90D, and fading to white towards the base, RHS N155A. Stigma Shape Cleft; decurrent. Length 0.1 cm. Diameter 0.1 cm. Color Violet-blue, RHS N89B. Ovary Color Yellow-green, RHS 144A. Seed and fruit: No fruit or seeds have been detected to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANTS AND MOST SIMILAR VARIETY OF COMMON KNOWLEDGE

(7) Plants of the new cultivar GRUSALRP differ from its parent, Salvia x sylvestris Rianne (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number 41746), by the characteristics described in Table 1.

(8) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Characteristic GRUSALRP Rianne Plant height. Taller than Rianne. Shorter than GRUSALRP. Foliage size. Larger than Rianne. Smaller than GRUSALRP. Flower size. Larger than Rianne. Smaller than GRUSALRP.

(9) Plants of the new cultivar GRUSALRP may be distinguished from its most similar known commercial comparator, Salvia Blauhugel (not protected), by the characteristics described in Table 2.

(10) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Characteristic GRUSALRP Blauhugel Plant height, in Shorter than Taller than flower. Blauhugel. GRUSALRP. General coloration Darker shad of Lighter shade of of the flower. violet. violet.