Lobelia plant named ‘LOBZ0017’

Abstract

A new Lobelia plant named LOBZ0017 particularly distinguished by its relatively large, blue flowers with white eye, medium green foliage, very good branching and a mounding to upright plant habit.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named LOBZ0017 substantially as illustrated and described herein.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photograph drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of LOBZ0017 with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering potted plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of its flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(2) The aforementioned photographs were taken in April 2018 from plants grown in an indoor trial in Andijk, The Netherlands. These plants were grown in containers and were approximately 11 weeks of age. The close-up photograph was taken at the same time.

(3) The measurements were taken in Andijk, The Netherlands in September 2018 on 18 week old plants that were grown outside in containers. Culture of these plants had started in week 21, 2018 with planting of rooted, non-pinched cuttings.

(4) Color chart used: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2001.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY LOBZ0017 AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY

(5) TABLE-US-00001 LOBZ0011, U.S. Plant LOBZ0017 Pat. No. 28,868 Flower color: Blue Lighter blue White zone lower lip: Rather small Rather big Plant habit: Semi-upright Upright to semi upright Plant: Growth and habit.Rather vigorous; dense and freely branched with short internodes, mounding to semi trailing plant habit. Height.About 10 cm. Height (inflorescence included).22 cm. Width.37 cm. Branching characteristics.6 main stems, each with 5 to 6 secondary branches. Crop time to flowering, resp.Time to produce a finished flowering plant: About 12 weeks for a 12 cm pot. Garden performance.Used as patio planters, in mixed container plantings, or in garden beds. Time to initiate and develop roots.14-20 days at 22 C. Root description.Fibrous and freely branching. Stem: Characteristics.With slightly strengthened, protruding edges, side branches are developed at almost every node. Stem length.Between 10-20 cm. Diameter.0.2-0.4 cm. Internode length.1.5-3.5 cm. Color.RHS 144A when young, RHS 137A when old. Texture.Slightly pubescent. Foliage: Arrangement.Alternate. Shape.Lanceolate. Apex.Acute. Base.Attenuate. Margin.Entire to slightly incised. Leaf length.2.6-3.6 cm. Leaf width.0.3-0.9 cm. Immature leaf, color upper surface.RHS 143A. Immature leaf, color lower surface.RHS 143A. Mature color upper surface.RHS 137A. Mature color lower surface.RHS 137C. Venation type.Pinnate. Venation color, upper surface.RHS 137A. Venation color, lower surface.RHS 137A. Texture.Short hairs on both surfaces. Petiole.No petiole, leaves are sessile. Inflorescence: Type of inflorescence.Raceme, composed of single flowers in an alternate arrangement with one flower per node, subtended by a small leaflet. Blooming habit.Continuous through the growing season from spring to the fall. Quantity of inflorescences per plant.About 200. Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.2-3 open flowers. Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.3-6 days, depending on temperature. Fragrance.None. Inflorescence length.About 5 cm. Peduncle: Color.RHS 137A. Length.Up to 15 cm. Diameter.0.2 cm. Texture.Slightly pubescent. Pedicels: Color.RHS 137A. Length.2.2-3.0 cm. Diameter.0.1 cm. Texture.Slightly pubescent. Flower: Corolla type and shape.Single, zygomorphic; upper lip is formed by two small petals, lower lip has three larger petals; petals are fused at the base forming a relatively long funnel-shaped tube. Immature flower: Main color upper surface.RHS 89B. Main color lower surface.RHS 89B. Immature flower, width.1.6 cm. Mature flower: Flower, (horizontal) length.2.0 cm. Flower, (horizontal) width.2.0 cm. Flower, vertical length (depth).2.0 cm. Color upper lip, upper surface.RHS 89B. Color upper lip, lower surface.RHS 89C. Upper petal lobes, length (from the tube opening).1.2 cm. Upper petal lobes, width.0.3 cm. Color lower lip, upper surface.RHS 89B. Color lower lip, lower surface.RHS 94B. Nectaries at base of lower petals.RHS 5A. Lower petal lobes, length (from the corolla opening).1.6 cm. Lower petal lobes, width.0.8 cm. Tube, color (outside).RHS 94B with longitudinal stripes RHS 155A. Tube length.0.9-1 cm. Tube width.0.3-0.4 cm. Petal (lobes): Shape.Obovate. Apex.Mucronulate. Base.Fused. Margin.Entire. Texture upper surface.Smooth; pubescent at base. Texture lower surface.Smooth. Flower bud: Shape.Gibbous. Length.0.6 cm. Diameter.0.4 cm. Color (at tight bud).RHS 145D. Calyx: Shape.5 sepals in a whorl, slanting outwards, bases fused. Sepal color.RHS 138A with red tip RHS 216A. Sepal length.0.9 cm. Width.0.2 cm. Shape.Ligulate. Apex.Acute. Base.Fused. Texture.Smooth. Reproductive organs: Stamens: Quantity.5. Filament, color.RHS 94B. Filament length.0.6 cm. Filament, diameter.0.1 cm. Anther color.RHS 202B. Anther length.0.2 cm. Pollen amount.Not present. Pistil: Quantity per flower.1. Length.0.7 cm. Stigma color.RHS 200B. Stigma length.0.2 cm. Style color.RHS 138C. Style length.0.6-0.8 cm. Fruit and seed set: Yes, some seed development observed in the trial fields. Disease and insect resistance: Resistance and susceptibility typical for the species, no special observations made.