Neoregelia cultivar named ‘Bluzh’

Abstract

A new and distinct Neoregelia cultivar named BLUZH characterized by its low and spreading rosette, plant size measuring about 45 cm in diameter; glossy green-colored lower leaves overlain with red colored (closest to RHS 66C) uppermost leaves and long-lasting habit.

Claims

1. A Neoregelia carolinae plant named BLUZH, representative seed having been deposited at the NCIMB in Aberdeen, Scotland, NCIMB accession number 43382.

2. A Neoregelia seed that produces the Neoregelia carolinae plant of claim 1.

3. A plant part obtained from the Neoregelia carolinae plant of claim 1.

4. A method of producing Neoregelia progeny plant comprising the steps of (a) crossing a Neoregelia carolinae plant of variety BLUZH as the female or male parent, representative seed having been deposited at the NCIMB in Aberdeen, Scotland under NCIMB accession number 43382, with a second Neoregelia plant, and (b) selecting progeny.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second Neoregelia plant is BLUZH.

Description

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(1) The present invention was created by the inventors, Elly Bak and Nicolaas D. M. Steur in 2013 and flowered for the first time in 2015 in Assendelft, The Netherlands.

(2) This invention is directed to Neoregelia plant having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of the cultivar BLUZH produced from seeds which are the product of the cross of the Neoregelia carolinae selection identified by code 1309410321 (unpatented) as the female or seed parent with the Neoregelia carolinae selection identified by code 1309410320 (unpatented) as the male or pollen parent. Both parents have a sufficient degree of homozygosity such that the progeny of the cross were, and continue to be, phenotypically uniform. The new cultivar BLUZH can therefore be produced by sexual reproduction by crossing of the Neoregelia carolinae selections identified by the codes 1309410321 and 1309410320 to produce a population of progeny plants, each of which has the combination of characteristics herein disclosed for the new cultivar BLUZH.

(3) The new cultivar BLUZH can also be produced by asexually reproducing progeny from the cross of the parental inbred lines identified by the codes 1309410321 and 1309410320. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative means by cuttings was first performed in 2015 in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The first BLUZH plants propagated through the use of such cuttings flowered in 2016 in Assendelft, The Netherlands, and have demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true-to-type and that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of BLUZH which in combination distinguish this Neoregelia as a new and distinct cultivar:

(5) 1. The plant habit is a low and spreading rosette;

(6) 2. The innermost leaves at the center of the rosette are red (closest to RHS 66C)

(7) 3. BLUZH has a finely serrated leaf margin;

(8) 4. Long-lasting habit.

(9) The most similar in comparison to the new Neoregelia BLUZH is the specie Neoregelia carolinae. Plants of the new cultivar BLUZH differ from plants of Neoregelia carolinae primarily in color of the uppermost leaves at the center of the rosette.

(10) BLUZH has not been tested and observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, frequency of fertilization, composition of fertilizer, flowering treatment, day length and humidity, without any change in the genotype of the plant.

(11) For example, substantial differences in plant height and diameter, number of leaves, can result depending on the size of the plant at the time that flowering is induced by flowering treatment. Since treatment to induce flowering disrupts normal watering and fertilization regimens. Flowering treatment of relatively smaller plants adversely affects the growth of the plant.

(12) The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Neoregelia carolinae BLUZH as grown in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Plants of BLUZH were grown in a greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20 C. to 28 C. and night temperatures ranging from 18 C. to 23 C. No artificial lighting or photoperiodic treatments were conducted, but plants of BLUZH are forced into flowering.

(13) Color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart (RHS), 2001 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the plants of BLUZH described is about 10 weeks after flowering treatment.

(14) Classification:

(15) Botanical: Neoregelia carolinae.

(16) Parentage: Female Parent: Unnamed proprietary Neoregelia carolinae selection identified by code 1309410321 (unpatented) Male Parent: Unnamed proprietary Neoregelia carolinae selection identified by code 1309410320 (unpatented)

(17) Plant:

(18) General Appearance and Form:

(19) Height: About 10.5 cm (when flowering) Width: About 45 cm Shape: Flattened Funnel form rosette Growth habit: Upright and outwardly arching growth habit. Rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming outwardly arching with development. Plant Vigor: Good Flowering Season: A fully grown plant can flower year round, starting 10 weeks after induction of natural light or through flowering treatment. Cold Tolerance: Frost tender. Temperatures below 5 C. may damage plants. Fragrance: None

(20) Foliage: Arrangement: Rosette, sessile Shape: Oblong Apex: Cuspidate Base: Truncate Margin: finely serrated Quantity: About 26 (depending on the size of the plant) Size of Leaf: Length: About 8 cm (when flowering) Width mid-section: About 4 cm Width base: About 6 cm Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Glossy Color: Leaf color can vary somewhat depending on growing conditions. Lower leaves: upper surface: green, closest to 137 A under surface: green, RHS closest to 137B Uppermost leaves: upper surface: red, closest to RHS 66C Under surface: red, closest to RHS 67B Color of uppermost leaves intensify during flowering. Venation: None

(21) Inflorescence: Form: compound head nestled in the center of the rosette. About 100 flowers per inflorescence Size: Diameter: about 4-5 m Time of Bloom: A fully grown plant can bloom the whole year starting about 10 weeks after induction or through flowering treatment. Flowering is not commercially important in BLUZH Duration of Bloom: Each flower last one day. Flower size: Length: about 3.5 cm Diameter: about 0.8 cm Petals: Quantity per flower: 3 Shape: linear spatulate Apex: acute Margin: entire Length: about 3.5 cm Width: about 0.7 cm Texture: smooth Color: white, closest to 155 D, towards the apex blue violet, closest to 88B

(22) Reproductive Organs: Stamens: Number: 6 per flower Filament length: about 2.4 cm Filament color: Near RHS White 155D Anther color: Near Yellow-White 158B Pistils: Quantity per flower: one Stigma color: Yellow-White 158A Style length: about 2.3 cm Style color: Near RHS White 155D Ovary color: Near RHS White 155D

(23) Seeds/Fruit: Fruit and seed production have not been observed on plants of Neoregelia BLUZH.

(24) Disease/Pest Resistance: Not observed to date.

(25) Disease/Pest Susceptibility: Not observed to date.