<i>Rhododendron </i>plant named ‘AZAARE03’

Abstract

A new cultivar of hybrid Rhododendron plant named AZAARE03 that is characterized by its uniform and compact plant habit, its floriferous blooming habit, its dense branching habit, its inflorescences with petals that are non-overlapping resulting in a star-shaped appearance, its clearly visible stamens and pollen, its flowers that are white in color, and its leaves that are narrow and long in size.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plant named AZAARE03 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 Rhododendron. The plant in the photograph is 20-months in age as grown outdoors with 3 plugs in a 19-cm container in Moerbeke, Belgium.

(2) The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of AZAARE03 in bloom.

(3) The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of AZAARE03.

(4) The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of AZAARE03.

(5) The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Rhododendron.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(6) The following is a detailed description of 20-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors with 3 plugs in a 19-cm container in Moerbeke, Belgium. 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 characteristics: Blooming period.April to May in The Netherlands. Plant type.Evergreen shrub. Plant habit.Dense, uniform growth, and compact plant habit. Height and spread.26.4 cm in height, 35.5 cm in diameter as grown with 3 plugs in a 19-cm container, reaches 50 cm in height and spread in the landscape. Hardiness.At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 8 to 12. Diseases and pests.No susceptibility or resistance to pests or diseases has been observed. Root description.Fibrous. Propagation.Stem cuttings. Growth rate.Moderate to high. Root development.4 weeks for root initiation and 1.5 years to produce a marketable plant from a rooted cutting. Stem description: Shape.Round. Stem color.Young; 151A, mature; 165A, older stems and bark; 165A, N199B and N199C. Stem size.Lateral; an average of 7.6 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter. Stem surface.Very slightly glossy. Stem aspect.Average of 45? (varying between 40? and 50?). Stem strength.Strong. Branching.Densely branched, 7 main branches, 30 lateral branches. Internode length.5 mm. Foliage description: Leaf shape.Narrow oblong to narrow oblanceolate. Leaf division.Simple. Leaf base.Attenuate. Leaf apex.Acute. Leaf venation.Anastomosing, upper surface; 146A in color, lower surface; N148C to N148D in color. Leaf margins.Finely repand, moderately revolute and finely undulate. Leaf attachment.Petiolate. Leaf arrangement.Alternate, leaf clusters whorled at terminal shoot apex. Leaf orientation.Horizontal, sometimes curved slightly upward or downward. Leaf aspect.Flat to very slightly wavy (lamina). Leaf surface.Upper surface moderately glossy, lower surface very slightly glossy, upper surface and margins of leaves moderately covered with short hairs, average of 1 mm in length, too small to measure color, lower surface sparsely to moderately covered with very short hairs; average of 0.5 mm in length, too small to measure color. Leaf color.Young leaves upper surface; a blend of 143A and 146A, young leaves lower surface; N144D, mature and fall leaves upper surface; a blend of 147A and N189A, tip 145B, mature and fall leaves lower surface; 139C, tipped 145B. Leaf size.Average of 4.7 cm in length, 6 mm in width. Petioles.Average of 7 mm in length and 1.5 mm in diameter, strong, upper surface color 145A, lower surface color N144B, both surfaces slightly glossy and moderately covered with short hairs; 2 mm in length and N170B in color. Flower description: Inflorescence type.Axillary and terminal clusters. Lastingness of flowers.Average of 10 days. Inflorescence size.Average of 3.6 cm in height and 5.8 cm in diameter. Flower quantity.Average of 3 per inflorescence, 80 per plant. Flower size.An average of 5.4 cm in in diameter and 2.4 cm in height. Flower fragrance.None. Flower type.Rotate, single, star-shaped. Flower aspect.Upright to outward. Flower bud.Obovate in shape, 1.2 cm in length, 1 cm in diameter, surface is smooth slightly glossy, and glabrous, 145D in color. Tepals.5, whorled in 1 row, un-fused, 3.3 cm in length, 4 mm in width, narrow elliptic to narrow oblanceolate in shape, moderately curled backwards, apex narrow acute, base narrow attenuate, margins entire, both surfaces smooth, glabrous, non- rugose, both surfaces slightly glossy, when opening upper surface; 157C to 157D, when opening lower surface; 157B, fully open upper surface; NN155D and fully open lower surface; NN155C with venation NN155B. Calyx.Rotate, 6.0 mm in length, 1.2 cm in diameter. Pedicels.5 mm in length, 1.75 mm in diameter, average of 25? angle to lateral branch (varying between vertical and)50? , moderately strong, 145C in color, surface is very slightly glossy and moderately covered with soft hairs; an average of 1 mm in length, 155C in color. Reproductive organs: Gynoecium.Pistil; 1, stigmas; club-shaped, 144B in color, 1.5 mm in length, 2 mm in diameter, style; average 2.45 cm in length, color; 150D, distal end 154D, ovary; 143A in color, densely covered with soft hairs, 1.5 mm in length, NN155D in color. Androecium.Stamens; 10, filaments; 2.3 cm in length, NN155B in color, anthers; dorsifixed, obovate in shape, 2 mm in length, 1 mm in width, 164C to 164D in color; pollen; 156D in color, low in quantity. Fruit/seeds.No fruit or seed observed.