<i>Cornus </i>plant named ‘CORHEESFT’

Abstract

A new and distinct Cornus kousa plant named ‘CORHEESFT’ which is characterized by a broad spreading to broad-upright growth habit with a globular profile, uniquely variegated juvenile foliage, dark green and relatively large mature foliage, as well as the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Cornus kousa plant named ‘CORHEESFT’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary 12-month-old ‘CORHEESFT’ plant in a 13 cm nursery pot, grown in a greenhouse in Aalters, Belgium.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the juvenile foliage of ‘CORHEESFT’.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the mature foliage of ‘CORHEESFT’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(4) The following observations and measurements were made in August of 2022 and describes 24-month-old ‘CORHEESFT’ plants grown in a 24 cm nursery pot and produced in both an unheated greenhouse and grown outdoors in Aalters, Belgium. Plants were grown using conventional production protocols for Cornus which consisted of growing in full sun exposure with regular overhead irrigation and slow-release fertilizer applications as needed. No pest or disease control measures were otherwise utilized in production. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

(5) Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘CORHEESFT’ 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 characteristics 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 (sixth edition).

(6) A botanical description of ‘CORHEESFT’ and comparisons with the parents and most similar commercial variety of Cornus are provided below. Plant description: Growth habit.—Deciduous shrub with a broad-upright to spreading-upright growth habit. Plant profile.—Globular. Average height from base to top of foliage.—132 cm. Average width.—86.0 cm. Growth rate.—Moderately fast growing. Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous. Propagation details.—Asexual propagation is accomplished by grafting a scion onto rootstock. Time to produce a marketable plant.—Approximately 2 years are required to produce a marketable 3-liter nursery container. Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Plants have not been observed to be susceptible or resistant to pathogens and pests common to Cornus kousa. Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to at least USDA Zones 6 and 10; moderate tolerance to rain; moderate tolerance to wind; low tolerance to drought. Root system: Density.—Moderately dense. Distribution in the soil profile.—Roots are relatively shallow. Texture.—Fleshy; no root hairs present. Stem: Branching habit.—Basally branching main stem; freely branching with lateral branches. Number of main stems per plant.—3. Number of lateral branches per plant.—22. Aspect.—Rounded. Length of main stems.—61.0 cm. Diameter of main stems.—0.8 cm at the widest point. Internode length on main stems.—9.0 cm. Attitude.—Upright; between 25 and 40 degrees from vertical. Strength.—Strong. Texture.—Glabrous; lenticels are present on mature stems, mature lateral branches, and oldest wood. Lenticels on the mature stems and branches predominantly occur at and near the axils and are linear in shape; approximately 0.5 mm wide and varying in length. Lenticels on the oldest wood are orbicular, 0.5 mm in diameter. Luster.—Matte. Color, juvenile.—Red, nearest to RHS 48C; progressively suffused with a combination of a darker shade of red and greyed-red, nearest to RHS 53B, 52B, and 182A, as stems mature. Color, mature.—Nearest to a mixture of greyed-orange and grey-brown, RHS 177B and N199C; lenticels are colored greyed-brown, nearest to a combination of RHS 199B and 199C. Color, internodes.—Nearest to a mixture of greyed-orange and grey-brown, RHS 177B and N199C; lenticels are colored greyed-brown, nearest to a combination of RHS 199B and 199C. Color, oldest wood.—Greyed-brown, nearest to RHS 199A; densely covered with orbicular lenticels which are colored greyed-brown, nearest to RHS 199A. Foliage: Arrangement.—Opposite. Division.—Simple. Attachment.—Petiolate. Quantity.—Average of 14 leaves per lateral branch. Lamina.—Dimensions — 14.7 cm long and 7.6 cm wide, on average. Shape — Ovate to near elliptic. Aspect — Slightly carinate and moderately curled downward; apex is slightly spiraled and curled. Apex — Apiculate. Base — Obtuse to long attenuate. Margin — Entire; moderately to strong undulated. Pubescence, texture and luster of adaxial surface — Pubescent, smooth, and slightly to moderately glossy; sparsely covered with very short, adpress hairs with an average length of 0.2 mm and colored white, nearest to RHS RHS 155D. Pubescence, texture and luster of abaxial surface — Pubescent, smooth, and matte; sparsely covered with very short, adpress hairs with an average length of 0.2 mm and colored white, nearest to RHS 155D. Color — Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Proximal one-third portion of the laminar surface is yellow-white, nearest to RHS 158D, and heavily suffused with a mixture of orange-red and red, RHS 35B and 37A; distal two-thirds portion of the laminar surface is yellow-white, nearest to RHS 158D, and suffused with yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 144A and 144B; sparsely to moderately blotched, marbled and margined with a combination of white, green-white and yellow-green, nearest to RHS 155C, 157A, and 147D; veined yellow-green, nearest to RHS 145B. As foliage matures, it becomes progressively suffused with yellow-green, RHS 147A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — White, nearest to RHS 155C, with the proximal one-third portion of the laminar surface suffused with red, nearest to RHS 39D; sparsely blotched, marbled and margined with a combination of white, green-white and greyed-green, nearest to RHS 155C, N155A, and 189D. As foliage matures, it becomes progressively suffused with yellow-green, RHS N148D. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to in between green and yellow-green, RHS 139A and 147A yet closest to 139A. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS N148B. Venation — Pattern — Arcuate and cross-venulate. Venation color, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS N144C; occasionally suffused with greyed-red towards the base, nearest to a mixture of RHS 179A, 179B, and 179C. Venation color, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 150D; becoming darker towards the base, nearest to RHS 151C. Petiole.—Length —1.15 cm. Width — 0.25 cm. Texture — Smooth and glabrous. Luster — Matte. Strength — Strong. Color, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 154C; occasionally suffused with greyed-red, nearest to a mixture of RHS 179B and 179C; base of the petiole is brown, nearest to RHS 200A yet darker. Color, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to a combination of RHS 146D, 151B, and 151C. Inflorescence: Not yet observed. Bud: Not yet observed. Flower: Not yet observed. Reproductive organs: Not yet observed. Seed and fruit: Not yet observed.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANTS

(7) Plants of the new cultivar ‘CORHEESFT’ differ from the seed parent, an unnamed and unpatented Cornus kousa plant, by the characteristics described in Table 1.

(8) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘CORHEESFT’ The seed parent. Plant size. Smaller than the seed Larger than parent. ‘CORHEESFT’. Foliage size. Larger than the seed parent. Smaller than ‘CORHEESFT’. General Pale yellow-white; heavily Yellow-green, coloration of suffused with a mixture of and suffused the juvenile orange-red and red near the with a mixture foliage. base, and lightly suffused of orange- with yellow-green elsewhere; red and red marbled, blotched, and near the base. margined with a mixture of white, green-white, and yellow-green. General White, suffused with red Yellow-green coloration near the base and marbled, and suffused of the blotched, and margined with with a mixture juvenile foliage; a mixture of white, green- of orange- abaxial surface. white and greyed-green. red and red near the base.

(9) Plants of the new cultivar ‘CORHEESFT’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed and unpatented Cornus kousa plant, by the characteristics described in Table 2.

(10) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘CORHEESFT’ The pollen parent. Growth habit. Broad-upright to spreading- Upright. upright. Foliage size. Larger than the pollen Smaller than parent. ‘CORHEESFT’. General coloration Pale yellow-white; heavily Yellow-green of the suffused with a mixture of and suffused juvenile foliage. orange-red and red near the with a mixture base, and lightly suffused of orange- with yellow-green elsewhere; red and red marbled, blotched, and near the base. margined with a mixture of white, green-white, and yellow-green. General coloration White, suffused with red Yellow-green of the near the base and marbled, and suffused juvenile foliage; blotched, and margined with with a mixture abaxial surface. a mixture of white, green- of orange- white and greyed-green. red and red near the base.

COMPARISON WITH THE MOST SIMILAR CORNUS CULTIVAR KNOWN TO THE INVENTOR

(11) Plants of the new cultivar ‘CORHEESFT’ differ from the commercial variety, Cornus ‘Pink Lips’ (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

(12) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘CORHEESFT’ ‘Pink Lips’ Bloom period. Spring. Summer. Foliage size. Larger than ‘Pink Lips’. Smaller than ‘CORHEESFT’. General coloration Pale yellow-white; heavily Mottled with of the suffused with a mixture of pale yellow- juvenile foliage; orange-red and red near the white and adaxial surface. base, and lightly suffused yellow-green, with yellow-green elsewhere; and heavily marbled, blotched, and suffused with margined with a mixture of red-purple. white, green-white, and yellow-green.