<i>Hebe </i>plant named ‘HM150255’

Abstract

A new cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HM150255’ that is characterized by its consistently healthy plants that have a low susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, its strong stems, its leaves that are small in size, its flowers that are self-cleaning, its flowers that are lavender-violet in color, and its floriferous blooming habit.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HM150255’ as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hebe. The photographs were taken of a 7-month-old plant of ‘FSK17S28’ as grown outdoors in a 12-cm container in Wezep, The Netherlands.

(2) The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘HM150255’ in bloom.

(3) The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences and foliage of ‘HM150255’.

(4) The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hebe.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(5) The following is a detailed description of 7-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 12-cm containers in Wezep, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. General description: Blooming period.—An average of 5 weeks from summer into autumn in the Netherlands. Plant type.—Evergreen shrub. Plant habit.—Compact. Height and spread.—Average of 18 cm in height (soil level to top of foliar plane), 19.2 cm (soil level to top of floral plane) and 27.9 cm in spread as a 7-month-old plant, an average of 60 cm in height and spread as grown in the landscape. Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 8. Diseases and pests.—Low susceptibility to leaf spot disease (Septoria veronicae) and downy mildew (Perenospora ssp.), no susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed. Root description.—Fibrous to slightly fleshy. Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings and tissue culture. Root development.—3 to 4 weeks to initiate roots and 10 weeks to produce a young rooted plant. Growth rate.—Moderate. Branch description: Branch size.—Lateral branches are an average of 17.4 cm in length and 3.25 mm in width. Branch shape.—Round. Branch color.—Young and mature; 146C, tinged 177B, internodes 144A, tinged 177C. Branch surface.—Moderately glossy, densely covered with very short glandular hairs; 0.1 mm in length, matches surface color. Branch strength.—Strong. Internode length.—Average of 9.5 mm. Branching habit.—Held in an average angle of 30° to vertical, average of 8 primary branches, 5 secondary branches. Foliage description: Leaf shape.—Ovate to elliptic, slightly carinate. Leaf division.—Single. Leaf base.—Cuneate. Leaf apex.—Shallow retuse. Leaf venation.—Pinnate; often with 3 main veins visible, upper surface; 146C, lower surface; 147B. Leaf margins.—Entire, very slightly undulate. Leaf attachment.—Sessile. Leaf arrangement.—Opposite. Leaf surface.—Both surfaces smooth, glabrous, non-rugose, moderately glossy. Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 137A, margins 182B to 182C, young lower surface; 143A, mature upper surface; NN137A, mature lower surface; 146A. Leaf number.—Average of 14 per lateral branch 17 cm in length. Leaf size.—An average of 1.8 cm in length and 1.1 cm in width. Flower description: Inflorescence type.—Raceme. Inflorescence size.—Average of 6.3 cm in height and 1.9 cm in width. Inflorescence lastingness.—About 7 days, self-cleaning. Flower shape.—Campanulate. Flower fragrance.—None. Flower quantity.—Average 40 florets per inflorescence, 1,000 flowers per plant, 5,000 flowers and flower buds per plant. Flower arrangement.—Axillary racemes. Flower aspect.—Outward. Flower size.—Average of 7 mm in height, 6 mm in diameter, 7 mm in depth, throat diameter 1 mm, flower tube length 2 mm, flower tube diameter 1.75 mm. Peduncles.—Strong strength, 5.7 cm in length and about 1.5 mm in diameter, 144A in color, held at about a 40° angle to lateral branch, surface is very slightly glossy and densely covered with very short glandular hairs; an average of 0.1 mm in length, color matches surface color. Pedicels.—Moderately strong strength, average of 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter, held at about a 45° angle to peduncle, 146C in color, surface is very matte and densely covered with very short glandular hairs; an average of 0.1 mm in length, color matches surface color. Flower buds.—Narrow oblong to narrow elliptic, 5 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter, color; 86B to 86D, immature calyx 138B, surface is matte, smooth and glabrous. Calyx.—Rotate-shaped, average of 2 mm in length and diameter. Sepals.—4, 1 whorl, 2 mm in length, 1 mm in width, elliptic in shape, entire margins, arrangement; rotate, acute tip, base cuneate and fused, surfaces dull and smooth, color: when opening and fully open upper and lower surface; 138B. Petals.—Average 4, 1 whorl, upper petal and lateral petals obovate, lower petal narrow obovate, lower ⅓.sup.rd of petals fused, 6 mm in length and 2.5 mm in width, entire and very slightly concave margins, apex obtuse, upper and lower surface is smooth and glabrous, non-rugose, both surfaces very slightly glossy, color: upper surface when opening; 86C, lower surface when opening; N87D, margins N87A, upper surface when fully open; a blend of 86D and N88D, margins N88D, lower surface when fully open; 85D, margins a blend of 86B and N87A. Floral bracts.—A single bract is placed below each individual flower, narrow ovate in shape, tip acute, cuneate base, 1.5 mm in length, 0.75 mm in width, both surfaces glabrous and 138B in color. Reproductive organs: Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 5 mm in length, stigma; club-shaped, 5 mm in length, N79A in color, style; 5 mm in length and N79D in color, ovary; 143C in color. Androecium.—Stamens: 2, anthers; oblong in shape, 1 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width and 175D in color, filaments; 4 mm in length, color; 85C to 85D, pollen; none observed. Fruit and seed.—None observed to date.