x <i>Mangave </i>plant named ‘Desert Dawn’

Abstract

A new and unique x Mangave plant named Desert Dawn characterized by a rounded mound of fleshy, fleshy, linear to lanceolate leaves that develop dense reddish to greyed reddish-purple spotting with intense light and is proximally outwardly with slightly upwardly toward apex. The leaves have numerous small, firm marginal teeth pointing outwardly to slightly recurving toward base. The upper foliage develops a distinct purplish center stripe. 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 Desert Dawn as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The photograph of x Mangave Desert Dawn demonstrates the overall appearance of the new plant including the unique traits as four-year-old plants grown 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 a side view of a greenhouse grown plant that was grown in full-sun for the most recent season.

(3) FIG. 2 shows top view of a greenhouse grown that was grown in full-sun for the most recent season.

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 Desert Dawn, 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 three-year-old plant in a commercial wholesale greenhouse in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer as needed. Parentage: A proprietary unnamed selection of Agave nizandensis as female or seed patent and x Mangave Bloodspot as the male or pollen parent; Propagation: By sterile shoot-tip tissue culture and removal of basal offsets; Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About 21 days; Growth rate: Moderate; Crop time: About 14 to 18 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 30 cm long; Root color: Nearest RHS NN155B; Plant shape and habit: Succulent herbaceous perennial with basal rosettes of about 76 leaves radially emerging outwardly from central stem and then curving slightly upwardly in distal portion, producing a radially-symmetrical, rounded mound; Plant size: Foliage height about 38.0 cm tall from soil line to the top of the leaves and about 47.0 cm wide at the widest point about 15 cm above soil level; Stem: To about 5.0 cm across; covered with leaves; Foliage description: Linear to lanceolate; simple; sessile; bi-laterally symmetrical; sarcous; apex narrowly acute with firm terminal spine; base truncate; flat proximally to slightly concavo-convex distally; margins flat; margins finely serrate with small, firm, outwardly to slightly recurved facing teeth; glabrous abaxial and adaxial; matte abaxial and adaxial; Apical spine size: To about 11.0 mm long and 1.0 mm wide at base; Marginal teeth size: Firm and sharp; about 1.0 mm long and 2.0 mm wide at base, average spacing about 1.8 mm apart; Leaf size: To about 33.0 cm long, about 42.0 mm wide toward middle; center base about 11.0 mm thick at basal midrib; average about 28.0 cm long, 38.0 mm wide and 10.0 mm thick in longitudinal center near base; mottled to maculate adaxial and abaxial with spots of variable sizes from 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm across; Foliage fragrance: None observed; Leaf number: About 76 per plant; Leaf blade color: Adaxial (low light).Margins between RHS N138B and RHS 191B with spots between RHS 187A and RHS N187A and center nearest blend between RHS N187B and RHS 79B. Abaxial (low light).Margins and centers nearest blend between RHS N138A and RHS 189B. Adaxial (high light).Longitudinal center 8.0 to 12.0 mm wide blend of nearest RHS N186C and RHS N187A, marginally nearest RHS N187A with small green patches nearest RHS 137A of about 1.0 mm diameter, becoming nearest RHS N187A distally with highest light intensity. Abaxial (high light).Small, irregular, green mottled patches of variable size between 1.0 and 5.0 mm across, nearest RHS 137B on a blend between RHS N187A and RHS 137B. Teeth.Variable with maturity; on young developing leaves nearest RHS 163B, on semi-mature leaves nearest RHS 166B, on mature leaves nearest RHS 166A. Terminal spine.On young developing leaves nearest RHS 171A, on mature leaves between RHS 200A and RHS 202A. Petiole: Leaves sessile; Veins: Parallel; not distinct abaxial or adaxial; Flower description: Not yet observed; Fruit and seed not observed; Disease resistance: x Mangave Desert Dawn 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.