<i>Hydrangea </i>plant named ‘HIOCE’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘HIOCE’, characterized by its upright and broadly spreading plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching habit; strong and sturdy stems; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large and dense inflorescences with purplish red-colored sterile flowers; and good post-production longevity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘HIOCE’ 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) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HIOCE’ grown in a container.

(3) The photograph at the top of the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘HIOCE’.

(4) The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet (FIG. 3) is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘HIOCE’.

(5) The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 4) is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HIOCE’ that has been treated with aluminum sulfate, or “blued”.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(6) Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the late summer and early autumn in 14-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 light levels averaged 4,000 lux. Plants of the new Hydrangea were pinched one time and were 18 months 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. Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘HIOCE’. Parentage: Female, or seed, patent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 1563, not patented. Male, or pollen, patent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 1671, 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 to broadly obovate in overall shape; strong and sturdy stems; moderately vigorous and moderate growth rate; about six months from propagation are required to produce small finished flowering plants. Plant height.—About 30.5 cm. Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 54 cm. Lateral branch description: Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 17 lateral branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length.—About 14.6 cm. Diameter.—About 4.5 mm. Internode length.—About 4.1 cm. Strength.—Strong, sturdy. Aspect.—About 45° from vertical. Texture, developing and developed.—Smooth, glabrous; becoming woody with subsequent development. Color, developing.—Close to 143B. Color, fully developed.—Close to 144B; when woody, close to 199C and N199D. Lenticels.—Density: Sparse. Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.04 mm. Color: Close to 200A and 200B. Leaf description: Arrangement.—Opposite, simple. Length.—About 13.3 cm. Width.—About 8 cm. Shape.—Ovate. Apex.—Apiculate. Base.—Attenuate. Margin.—Coarsely crenate-serrate. Texture, upper surface.—Slightly rugose, glabrous. Texture, lower surface.—Moderately rugose, glabrous. Venation pattern.—Pinnate. Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A tinged with close to N189A; venation, close to 146D. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146D. Petioles.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to a 146D and towards the margins, close to 144A to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B. 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 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 with a cold storage treatment. Flower longevity.—Good postproduction longevity; sterile flowers maintain good substance for about six weeks on the plant, sterile flowers persistent; fertile flowers last for a few days on the plant, fertile flowers not persistent. Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 65 sterile flowers per panicle and about 15 fertile flowers per panicle. Panicle height.—About 8.9 cm. Panicle diameter.—About 15.7 cm. Panicle peduncles.—Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Primary peduncles, mostly erect; lateral peduncles, about 45° from primary peduncle axis. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 145A. Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Irregular and broadly cup-shaped. Color: Close to a blend of 63A and 63B. Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Color: Close to 62C. Sterile flower diameter.—About 3.7 cm to 6.6 cm. Sterile flower depth (height).—About 1.8 cm. Fertile flower diameter.—About 7 mm. Fertile flower depth (height).—About 5 mm. Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four, or occasionally five, in a single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate, moderately 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 76B; color does not change with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76B; color does not change with subsequent development. Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 2 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 76B; color does not change with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76B; color does not change with subsequent development. Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically four, or occasionally five, in a single whorl; strongly imbricate. Length: About 1.4 cm to 4.1 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 3.2 cm. Shape: Ovate to roughly rhomboidal, slightly concave. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly and coarsely undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to a blend of 58B and 61C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 70C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to a blend of 63B and N66C; with subsequent development, color becoming closer to between 144B and 146D; when treated with aluminum sulfate or “blued”, color becoming closer to N88A to N88B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 63C; with subsequent development, color becoming closer to 147D; when treated with aluminum sulfate or “blued”, color becoming closer to N88B. Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate to roughly deltoid. 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 150D; color does not change with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 150D tinged with close to 62C; color does not change with subsequent development. Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.25 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from main peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 70C. Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 5.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 15° from vertical. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 70C. Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 76D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to NN155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 156D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: Two, or occasionally, one or three. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to NN155A. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to NN155A. Ovary color: Close to 157D. Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Ten. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 69D to lighter than 69D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to NN155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 156D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: Three, or occasionally two or four. Pistil length: About 1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to NN155A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to NN155A. Ovary color: Close to 157D. Seeds.—To date, seed development has not been observed on plants of the new Hydrangea. Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been observed to be tolerant to Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea). To date, plants of the new Hydrangea have 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.