Dianthus plant named ‘Classic Coral’

Abstract

A new and unique plant cultivar of perennial carnation or pinks, Dianthus plant named Classic Coral with numerous, large, fully-double, lightly-fragrant flowers producing a rounded full face. The numerous stems cover top to bottom of clump on well-branched stems having up to 11 flowers per stem. Petals are coral pink and have fine serrations. The habit is compact with long blue-green foliage.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named Classic Coral essentially as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The photographs of the new invention are of a two-year-old plant grown in full-sun trial garden and demonstrate the overall appearance of the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation of color may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength, direction or reflection.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the habit of the plant in mid-season flowering.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers and bud.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(4) The following detailed description of the new plant is based on observations of one-year-old plants in greenhouse-grown containers in addition to two-year-old plants in full-sun trial garden at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental watering, light additions of fertilizer and free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage is in accordance with the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used. Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid; Parentage: Dianthus Double North as the female or seed parent, and as the male or pollen parent an individual yellow-flowering selection of Dianthus caryophyllus Lillipot yellow strain; Plant habit: Caespitose, herbaceous, evergreen, winter-hardy perennial; stems and peduncles branched, mostly erect stems; height of foliage about 15.0 cm and about 36.0 cm across; height in flower is about 25.0 cm; Root system.Fine, fibrous; color nearest RHS 155D. Vigor.Good, spring planted plugs finish in 3.8 liter pots in seven to eight weeks. Foliage: Leaf type.Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile, glabrous, glaucous both adaxial and abaxial; margin entire to microscopically serrulate; acute apex; base decurrent, adpressed along stem to slightly perfoliate; no fragrance detected. Leaf dimensions.To about 9.0 cm long and about 7.0 mm wide, average about 8.5 cm long and 5.0 mm wide. Leaf color.Young expanding leaves abaxial nearest RHS 137B and adaxial nearest RHS 137A; mature abaxial nearest RHS N138B and adaxial blend between RHS N138A and RHS 189A. Venation.Not pronounced; obscurely pinnate, coloration same as that of leaf top and bottom. Stems: About 52 per plant; upright; terete, glabrous, glaucous; solid; branching in upper nodes; Stem size.About 20.5 cm long to peduncle and about 3.0 mm wide at base. Stem color.Nearest RHS 122A. Branching.Numerous; typically alternate from upper nodes; about 4 per main stem and about 200 per plant; branch size average about 7.0 cm long and 1.0 mm diameter at time of initial flowering. Nodes.About 3.5 mm across; color nearest RHS 145D. Internodes.About 11 per stem before peduncle; average about 1.9 cm apart depending on growing temperature, shorter in cooler conditions. Inflorescence: Type.Terminal, cymose; perfect; salverform; actinomophic; fully double. Attitude.Upright to slightly outward around perimeter of plant. Dimension.About 4.6 cm across and extending about 4.6 cm above base of calyx tube and 1.4 cm wide at apex of calyces. Flowers per stem.Up to 11, average 9. Pedicel.Glaucous, glabrous, terete, stiff; primarily upright. Pedicel size.Terminal flower about 2.0 mm long and about 2.5 mm diameter; other flowers average about 4.0 mm long and 2.0 mm diameter. Pedicel color.Nearest RHS 189B. Flower bud.Slowly opening; glabrous; glaucous; with calyx still closed: ellipsoid with rounded base and apex; about 3.2 cm long and 1.2 cm across at distal fusion point of sepals; with petals extended beyond calyx and still parallel to calyx side: terete, with rounded base and truncate apex or petal tops, about 3.2 cm long and 1.2 cm across near apices of petals. Flower bud color.With petals enclosed in calyx distally between RHS 160D and RHS 158D, mid portion between RHS 146A and RHS 146B and base nearest RHS 146D; with petals extended beyond calyx petal portion lighter than RHS 58D. Flower period.Beginning late spring and continuing for about six weeks. Flower fragrance.Light, sweet spicy, clove-like. Flower lasting quality.Individually about seven to ten days on or cut from plant. Petals.Glabrous; up to about 51 per flower, average about 47; consisting of a rounded blade or limb and a claw; limb and claw combined are flabellate; limb apex and margin with fine irregular dentations average 1.5 mm wide and 1.0 mm long; limb bent outwardly in distal 16.0 mm to nearly a ninety degree angle creating a full rounded face; persistent. Petal dimensions.Limb to about 22.0 mm across, average about 20.0 mm across; claw tapering to attenuate base of about 1.0 mm across; whole petal to about 43.0 mm long, average about 40.0 mm long. Petal color.Young abaxial claw nearest RHS 145D, young abaxial limb center between RHS 55B and RHS 55C with limb perimeter between RHS 55B and RHS 54B; young adaxial claw nearest RHS 145D, young adaxial limb between RHS 55A and RHS 54A; mature abaxial claw nearest RHS 145D, between base of limb and distal claw lighter than RHS 55D, limb between RHS 55C and RHS 55D; mature adaxial claw nearest RHS 145D, between base of limb and distal claw lighter than RHS 55D, limb distally between RHS 55B and RHS 55C with faint bar near base of limb nearest RHS 55B. Calyx.Glabrous; glaucous abaxial; margins entire to micro-ciliolate; consisting of five sepals with acute apex and fused base forming five-toothed corolla tube fused in about proximal 17.0 mm; campanulate to about 20.0 mm long and about 19.0 mm in diameter at apex. Sepals.Individually about 23.0 mm long and about 6.0 mm across at distal fusion. Sepal color.Abaxial margin between RHS 160D and RHS 158D, mid-portion between RHS 146A and RHS 146B, base nearest RHS 146D; adaxial margin between RHS 160D and RHS 158D, mid-portion between RHS 147B and RHS 147C, base between RHS 147C and RHS 147D. Peduncle.Glabrous, glaucous, terete, stiff; about 10.0 cm long and about 3.0 mm diameter at base; attitude mostly upright. Peduncle color.Blend between RHS 122A and RHS 189B. Epicalyx.Two pairs subtending each flower; opposite, glaucous, glabrous; sessile, margin entire, broadly lanceolate with broadly acute apex and cuneate base; outer pair about 7.0 mm long and about 5.0 mm wide, inner pair about 10.0 mm long and about 7.5 mm across. Epicalyx color.Both pairs abaxial base nearest RHS 146D, mid-portion between RHS 136A and RHS 137A, margin translucent to nearest RHS 158D; adaxial base nearest RHS 146D, mid-portion nearest RHS 137B, margin translucent to nearest RHS 158D. Androecium.Not observed. Gynoecium.Single. Pistil: to about 13.0 mm long. Style: bifurcate just above ovary; to 5.0 mm long; color nearest RHS 155D with tint of nearest RHS 145D toward base. Stigma: slightly flattened abaxial to adaxial; puberulent; about 2.5 mm long and 1.0 mm wide; color nearest RHS N155D. Ovary: superior; ellipsoid-shaped with broadly acute apex and truncate base; about 7.0 mm long and 5.5 mm wide; color nearest RHS 145B. Fruit: Not observed; Disease resistance: The new plant is resistance to center die out from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate some drought once established. Hardiness at least from USDA zone 4 through zone 9.