Sedum plant named 'Spellbound'

Abstract

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial Sedum plant named ‘Spellbound’ is characterized by tight-forming compact clumps with greyed-green to greyed-purple glaucous foliage on vertical to slightly highly branching flower stems that resist falling over and opening up in the center of the plant throughout the growing season. Numerous stems produce a multitude of flowers beginning as soft-pink buds and opening to creamy-colored flowers that completely cover the top and sides of the domed plant. The new plant is useful for the landscape in containers, as specimen or en masse.

Claims

1. The new and distinct perennial Sedum plant named ‘Spellbound’ as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0018] The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the unique traits and the overall appearance of Sedum ‘Spellbound’. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions of this type. Variations in ambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color. The plants used in the photograph were one and three-year-old plants grown in an open, full-sun trial garden at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer when needed. No plant growth regulators or pinching have been used.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows the plant in early stages of flowering with foliage showing.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows the plant in full flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following is a detailed description of three-year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a full sun trial plot at a wholesale nursery in Zeeland, Mich. No plant growth regulators or pinching have been used. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under all possible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in environment, climate, and cultural conditions without change however in the genotype. The color reference is in accordance with the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color dictionary terms are used. [0022] Botanical designation: Sedum hybrid; [0023] Cultivar denomination: ‘Spellbound’; [0024] Parentage: Self-pollination of the proprietary hybrid 12-50-16; [0025] Asexual propagation: Stem tip cuttings and division; [0026] Time to initiate roots: About two weeks; [0027] Time to finish a 3.8 liter flowering container: About two months in the summer from a rooted 2.5 cm plug; [0028] Root description: Thick, fleshy; freely branching; creamy white to light tan in color. [0029] Plant habit: Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial; clumping mound; stems stiff and upright to arching arising from a dense crown; dense and full, not opening in center later in the season; [0030] Growth rate: Moderately vigorous; [0031] Plant size: About 40.0 cm tall and 66.0 cm wide in full flower; [0032] Stems: Terete, glaucous, glabrous; about 25.0 cm long from base to initial branches and diameter at base average about 8.0 mm; internodes average about 8.0 mm; about 28 stems per plant; [0033] Stem color: Young nearest a blend between RHS N138D and RHS 191B, mature between RHS 146D and RHS 145A with strong blushing to solid nearest RHS 59A; [0034] Lateral branches: Glaucous; branches about 24.0 cm long and 5.0 mm diameter; [0035] Lateral branch color: Between RHS 146D and RHS 145A with strong blushing to solid nearest RHS 59A; [0036] Foliage: Obovate to orbicular; opposite to sub-opposite; simple; smooth, glabrous, glaucous on both surfaces; sessile; thick, fleshy and succulent; apex rounded; base cuneate to rounded; margin irregularly and shallowly dentate, about 3.0 mm to 9.0 mm apart; decreasing in size distally; attitude outward; fragrancy not observed; [0037] Foliage size: To about 4.5 cm long, 3.5 cm across and 3.0 mm thick; average about 3.3 cm long, 2.2 cm across and 2.5 mm thick; [0038] Foliage color: Young adaxial nearest RHS N138B, young abaxial nearest RHS 148B lightly speculate with nearest RHS N186C; mature adaxial nearest RHS 191A with light blush of nearest RHS N187A, mature abaxial nearest RHS 191B with faint blush of nearest RHS N187B; [0039] Petiole: Sessile; [0040] Venation: Palmate, barely distinguishable; slightly raised abaxial; [0041] Vein color: Adaxial midrib nearest RHS 139D; abaxial midrib nearest RHS 138b; adaxial and abaxial veins same as surrounding leaf tissue; [0042] Flower: Stellate, actinomophic; pentamerous; persistent; attitude upright to outwardly in terminal compound cymes; about 7.0 mm across and 6.0 mm deep; [0043] Flower number: About 3,000 to 5,000 flowers per plant; [0044] Fragrance: None detected; [0045] Flowering season: Beginning late summer to early fall in Zeeland, Mich.; [0046] Longevity: Flower cymes remain effective for about three weeks on the plant and one week as cut flowers; individual flowers persistent and effective for about one week; [0047] Flower buds about one day prior to opening: Broadly ellipsoidal with five angular sides, semi-carinate; apex acute; base acute; about 3.0 mm diameter and about 4.0 mm long; [0048] Flower bud color about one day prior to opening: Blend between RHS 31D and RHS N170D; color of buds about ten days prior to opening blend between RHS 186C and RES 186D; [0049] Inflorescence: Flowering in the upper 6.5 cm and about 10.0 cm across; up to about 150 flowers per inflorescence; [0050] Petals: Typically five, broadly-lanceolate; acute apex, base fused, margin entire; glabrous and lustrous abaxial and adaxial; average about 5.5 mm long and about 2.5 mm across at fusion; [0051] Petal color: Adaxial nearest RHS 11D at anthesis lightening to nearest RHS NN155B in maturity; abaxial nearest RHS NN155B; [0052] Calyx: With five sepals, fused at base; adpressed to petals, about 3.0 mm long and about 5.0 mm diameter; [0053] Sepals: Campanulate; lanceolate; acute apex; fused base; margin entire; glabrous and glaucous both abaxial and adaxial; about 2.5 mm long and about 2.5 mm wide at fused base; [0054] Sepal color: Abaxial and adaxial nearest a blend between RHS N187C and RHS N170D; [0055] Peduncles: Terete; slightly glaucous, glabrous; stiff and flexible; freely branching; upright to slightly outwardly; with branches to about 40 degrees from perpendicular; to about 24.0 cm long and 7.0 mm diameter; [0056] Peduncle color: Between RHS 146D and RHS 145A with strong blushing to solid nearest RHS 59A; [0057] Pedicels: Terete; glabrous, slightly glaucous; strong and stiff, yet flexible; about 4.5 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter; [0058] Pedicel color: Blend between RHS N187B and RHS N186C; [0059] Androecium: Typically ten stamens; [0060] Filaments.—Outwardly; about 6.0 mm long and about 0.2 mm diameter; color between RHS 1D and RHS NN155B; [0061] Anthers.—Basifixed, longitudinal; globose to ellipsoid; about 1.0 mm long and 0.6 mm diameter; color nearest RHS N77D; [0062] Pollen.—Moderate in quantity; color nearest RHS 18C; [0063] Gynoecium: Typically five; ellipsoidal proximally and conic in distal one third; about 4.5 mm long and 1.5 mm diameter; [0064] Style.—Terete; about 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter at point of attachment to ovary; glabrous; color at anthesis nearest RHS 3C, becoming nearest RHS NN155B on old flowers; [0065] Stigma.—Minute, globose; about 0.2 mm diameter and 0.2 mm long; color nearest RHS NN155B; [0066] Ovary.—Ellipsoidal, nearly terete, acutely tapering at apex to style; base truncate; lustrous; about 4.0 mm long and 1.5 mm diameter; color at anthesis between RHS 3C, and nearest RHS 24D after pollen dehisced; [0067] Fruit: Ventrally dehiscent follicle; about 3.5 mm long and 3.2 mm across; color at maturity nearest RHS 177A; [0068] Seed: Sparse; fine; lanceolate; about 1.0 mm long and less than 0.2 mm across; color between RHS 165A and RHS 165B; [0069] Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum ‘Spellbound’ is xeromorphic and grow best with good drainage, full sun and moderate to low fertility. ‘Spellbound’ is cold hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9 and has tolerated temperatures of at least 35 degrees C. ‘Spellbound’ tolerates heavy rains and wind and is not prone to develop an open center later in the season as many other Sedum cultivars do. The new plant is resistant to powdery mildew. Other pest and disease resistance and tolerance outside that normal for Sedum is not known.