LOBELIA PLANT NAMED 'WNLOBLCBE23'

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named WNLOBLCBE23, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; vigorous and sturdy growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large purplish blue-colored flowers with white-colored centers; long flowering period; relative high temperature tolerance; and good container and garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named WNLOBLCBE23 as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0033] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant.

[0034] The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of WNLOBLCBE23 grown in a container.

[0035] The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of WNLOBLCBE23.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0036] The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 740-ml containers in an acrylic-covered greenhouse in Carlton, Michigan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18C. to 32C. and night temperatures ranged from 18C. to 24C. Plants were ten weeks from planting rooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. [0037] Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus WNLOBLCBE23. [0038] Parentage: [0039] Female, or seed, parent.Lobelia erinus Wesloba, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,872. [0040] Male, or pollen, parent.Lobelia erinus Bella Mare, not patented. [0041] Propagation: [0042] Type cutting.Vegetative terminal cuttings. [0043] Time to initiate roots, summer.About seven to twelve days at ambient temperatures about 28C. [0044] Time to initiate roots, winter.About 10 to 14 days at ambient temperatures about 20C. [0045] Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.About three to four weeks at ambient temperatures about 28C. [0046] Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.About four to five weeks at ambient temperatures about 20C. [0047] Root description.Fine, fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. [0048] Rooting habit.Freely branching; medium density. [0049] Plant description: [0050] Plant and growth habit.Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit with lateral branches developing at potentially every node; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous and sturdy growth habit and rapid growth rate. [0051] Plant height.About 9 cm. [0052] Plant width.About 24 cm. [0053] Lateral branch description.Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly spreading to trailing. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy. Color: Close to 144A and 146A. [0054] Leaf description: [0055] Arrangement.Alternate, simple. [0056] Length.About 2.6 cm. [0057] Width.About 1.1 cm. [0058] Shape.Obovate; slightly recurved. [0059] Apex.Bluntly acute. [0060] Base.Cuneate. [0061] Margin.Crenate; not undulate. [0062] Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy. [0063] Venation pattern.Pinnate. [0064] Color.Developing leaves, upper surface: More green than 146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between 146A and 147A; venation, close to between 146A and 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B; venation, close to 146A to 146B. [0065] Petioles.Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to between 146A and 147A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B. [0066] Flower description: [0067] Flower arrangement, habit and shape.Single, flowers axillary or terminal; flowers face mostly outwardly; freely flowering habit with flowers potentially developing at every axil; flowers bilabiate with two upper petals and three larger fused lower petals. [0068] Fragrance.None detected. [0069] Natural flowering season.Long flowering period, in Michigan, plants of the new Lobelia flower continuously from planting in the spring until frost in the autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about seven weeks after planting. [0070] Flower longevity on the plant.Longevity of individual flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers typically last about one to two weeks on the plant; flowers persistent. [0071] Flower diameter.About 1.75 cm by 2.1 cm. [0072] Flower depth.About 1 cm. [0073] Flower throat diameter.About 4 mm. [0074] Flower tube length.About 9 mm to 10 mm. [0075] Flower tube diameter, distally.About 4 mm. [0076] Flower tube diameter, proximally.About 2 mm. [0077] Flower buds.Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color, developing sepals: Close to 144B. [0078] Petals.Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused towards the base; two upper petals and three larger fused lower petals. Upper petals: Lobe length, beyond throat: About 7 mm. Lobe width, beyond throat: About 2 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Cuspidate to mucronate. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 96B to 96C; towards the throat, close to NN155D; venation, close to 96B to 96C or NN155D; color becoming closer to 96C to 96D with subsequent development. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 97A; venation, close to 97A or NN155D; color becoming closer to 97B with subsequent development. Lower petals: Lobe length, beyond throat: About 1 cm. Lobe width, beyond throat: About 6 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Cuspidate to mucronate. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 96B to 96C; towards the throat, close to NN155D with nectar guides, close to 96A; venation, close to 96B to 96C or NN155D; color becoming closer to 96C to 96D with subsequent development. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 97A; towards the tube, close to NN155D, nectar guides are visible from upper surface; venation, close to 97A or NN155D; color becoming closer to 97B with subsequent development. Color, throat: Close to 97A; spots, close to 93A to 93B. Color, tube: Close to 97A to 97B. [0079] Sepals.Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. [0080] Peduncles.Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible; wiry. Aspect: About 45 to 90 degrees from lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 146A. [0081] Reproductive organs.Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 97A. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 187A. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to N187A. Style color: Close to 144A to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144A. [0082] Fruits and seeds.To date, fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants of the new Lobelia. [0083] Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lobelia have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia plants. [0084] Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be relatively tolerant to high temperature conditions.