<i>Lobelia </i>plant named ‘Balspringlav’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named Balspringlav, characterized by its light lavender-colored flowers having a white eye with reddish-purple markings, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, upright-mounded, is disclosed.

Claims

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

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of Balspringlav. The plants were approximately 13-weeks old. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch containers for approximately 9 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Illinois. Plants were given two pinches, one at transplant and one three weeks after transplant.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of Balspringlav.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a flower of Balspringlav.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

(5) The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in January 2023 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Illinois.

(6) The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 13-week-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a polycarbonate greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Illinois in 4.5-inch containers for approximately 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given two pinches, one at transplant and one three weeks after transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 68? F. to 70? F. (20? C. to 21? C.) during the day and approximately 60? F. to 65? F. (16? C. to 18? C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants. Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus Balspringlav. Parentage: Female parent.Proprietary Lobelia erinus breeding selection coded LOB-00336-001, not patented. Male parent.Proprietary Lobelia erinus breeding selection coded LOB-00345-001, not patented. Propagation: Type cutting.Terminal stem. Time to initiate roots.Approximately 6 to 9 days. Time to produce a rooted cutting.Approximately 24 to 28 days. Root description.Fine to medium, fibrous. Rooting habit.Freely branching. Plant description: Commercial crop time.Approximately 7 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm container. Growth habit and general appearance.Moderately vigorous, compact, upright-mounded growth habit. Size.Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 17.5 cm. Width: Approximately 38.0 cm. Branching habit.Freely branching, pinching enhances lateral branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 8 main branches with approximately 4 lateral branches per main branch. Lateral branch.Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong, flexible. Length: Approximately 21.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 2.1 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of young stems: 146A. Color of mature stems: 137A. Foliage description: General description.Quantity of leaves per branch: Approximately 9. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate. Leaves.Aspect: Acute angle to stem tip downward turning. Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Margin: Shallowly serrate, sparsely ciliate. Apex: Acute. Base: Sessile. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 5.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of 137B. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 138B with venation of 138A. Flowering description: Flowering habit.Balspringlav is freely flowering under outdoor conditions with substantially continuous blooming from early spring through summer and year-round in a greenhouse environment. Inflorescence description: General description.Type: Loose raceme. Quantity per plant: Approximately 9. Fragrance: None detected. Length or height of inflorescence: Approximately 7.0 cm to 8.5 cm. Width of inflorescence: Approximately 6.0 cm to 8.0 cm. Quantity of fully-open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 3 to 5. Flower description: Type.Single, zygomorphic, bilabiate. Bud just before opening.Shape: Obovoid. Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at distal end: Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 145B. Corolla.Shape: Bilabiate having an upper lip of two narrow lobes and a lower lip of three lobes. Lobes are fused at the base forming a tube that is split between the two upper lobes. Aspect: Facing upward and outward. Width: Approximately 1.9 cm. Length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm. Upper lobes.Shape: Oblanceolate. Margin: Entire, ciliate. Apex: Mucronate. Length from throat: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Sparsely pubescent near base. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Glabrous. Color of upper (inner) surface when first open: Between 91A and 91B. Color of lower (outer) surface when first open: Between 91A and 91B. Color of upper (inner) surface when fully open: 91B. Color of lower (outer) surface when fully open: Between 91B and 91C. Lower lobes.Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire, ciliate at base. Apex: Mucronate. Length from throat: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 9.0 mm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Sparsely pubescent near base. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Glabrous. Color of upper (inner) surface when first open: Between 91A and 91B with basal margins of NN155D and a basal central stripe and tint of N78A. Color of lower (outer) surface when first open: Between 91B and 91C. Color of upper (inner) surface when fully open: 91B with basal margins of NN155D and a basal central stripe of N78A. Color of lower (outer) surface when fully open: Between 91C and 91D. Corolla tube.Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width at opening: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width at base: 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous with sparse pubescence at throat opening. Texture of outer surface: Glabrous. Color of inner surface: NN155D with a zigzag stripe of N78A near throat opening and two nectary tracks of 144A. Color of outer surface: Between 91C and 91D with 144C opposite the two nectary tracks. Calyx.Shape: Star. Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 cm. Sepals.Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused into cup-like structure. Length of free portion: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surface: Glabrous. Color of inner and outer surfaces: 137A. Pedicel.Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute angle. Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 137A. Reproductive organs.Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per flower, upper half of filaments connate. Stamen length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Filament color: NN155D with a faint overlay of N87A near anther. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: N92C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: NN155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma shape: Bilobate. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 86A. Style length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Style color: 144A. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 137A. Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed. Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia has not been observed.