Salvia plant named ‘JEREMY’

Abstract

JEREMY is a new and distinctive variety of Salvia which is characterized by a broad, spreading growth habit, an obovate plant form, dark green foliage with greyed-purple venation and petioles, an abundance of pink and white bicolored labiate flowers borne on terminal verticillaster inflorescences, and a floriferous flowering habit. The new variety propagates successfully by stem cuttings and has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Salvia microphylla plant named JEREMY, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, an exemplary JEREMY plant at approximately 10 week old, potted into an 18 cm nursery pot, grown in a greenhouse in Oudenaarde, Belgium.

(2) FIG. 2 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, the typical foliage of the plant in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 shows, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, the typical flowers of the plant in FIG. 1.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(4) The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinct variety of Salvia known as JEREMY, based upon observations of 3 month old plants in 20 cm nursery containers, grown outdoors in Oudenaarde, Belgium. Plants were grown using conventional field production protocols for Salvia plants which consisted of regular drip irrigation and fertilizer applications. No pest or disease control measures were utilized in production. Temperatures ranged between 18 to 30 degrees Celsius during the day and 8 to 15 degrees Celsius at night. Plants were produced with full sun exposure and no photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants. Observation data was recorded in May of 2017.

(5) Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. JEREMY has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such measurements are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 edition.

(6) A botanical description of JEREMY and comparisons with the parent and most similar variety of common knowledge are provided below. General plant description: Growth habit.A broad, spreading perennial subshrub. Plant form.Obovate. Height.53.5 cm to the top of the foliar plane; 58.3 cm to the top of the floral plane. Spread.40.8 cm. Plant vigor.Moderate. Growth rate.Moderate. Propagation.Softwood stem cuttings; rooting is initiated in approximately 10 days when grown in a greenhouse with an ambient average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. Time to produce a finished plant.Approximately 12 weeks are required to produce a marketable finished plant in a 13 cm pot. Pest resistance and susceptibility.Not any more or less tolerant or susceptible to pests or diseases known to effect Salvia. Environmental tolerances.Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 8 to 13 and temperatures ranging from 5 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius; moderate tolerance to rain; moderate tolerance to wind. Root system: Thin, fibrous, and freely branched. Stem: Branching habit.Basally branching main stems growing from a caudex; freely branching with lateral branches. Stems and branches emit a pleasant fragrance when touched. Pinching isn't required but will improve branching. Number of primary (main) stems per plant.2. Number of secondary (lateral) branches per plant.31. Appearance and shape.Quandrangulate. Lateral branch length.34.1 cm. Lateral branch diameter.0.25 cm. Internode length.6.0 cm. Luster.Very slightly glossy. Aspect.Main stems are upright; lateral branches are at an average angle of 30 degrees to the main stems (varying between 20 and 40 degrees). Strength.Moderately strong. Color, juvenile.Yellow-green, nearest RHS 144C. Color, mature.Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 146B and 146C; upper surfaces where exposed to sunlight are suffused with a mixture of greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 183A, and brown, in between RHS 200C and 200D. Color of oldest stems.A mixture of greyed-green, nearest to RHS 197A, and grey-brown, nearest to RHS N199A. Color at internodes.Yellow-green, nearest RHS 146C. Pubescence.Moderately pubescent; very short, soft hairs with an average length of 0.05 cm and colored white, RHS NN155D. Stem luster.Moderately glossy. Foliage: Arrangement.Opposite. Attachment.Petiolate. Division.Simple. Quantity.Average of 12 leaves per lateral branch. Lamina.Dimensions 3.7 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, on average. Shape Ovate. Aspect Flat to involute and slightly reflexed. Apex Obtuse to bluntly acute. Base Short acute. Margin Crenate; not undulated. Pubescence and luster of adaxial surface Moderately pubescent, with soft hairs of average length of 0.03 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D; very slightly glossy. Pubescence and luster of abaxial surface Sparsely pubescent, with soft hairs of an average length of 0.02 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D; matte. Color Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS 143A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS 138B. Mature foliage, adaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS 137A. Mature foliage, abaxial surface In between green, RHS 138A, and yellow-green, RHS 147B. Venation Pattern Pinnate. Venation color, adaxial surface Green, nearest to RHS 137A, becoming greyed-purple as leaves age, RHS N186C. Venation color, abaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147D, becoming greyed-purple as leaves age, in between RHS 186A and 186B. Petiole.Length 1.6 cm. Width 0.15 cm. Texture Both the upper and lower surfaces are sparsely pubescent with soft hairs of an average length of 0.02 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster The upper surface is moderately glossy; lower surface is slightly glossy. Strength Moderately strong. Color, adaxial surface Brown, in between RHS 200B and 200C, with a greyed-purple main vein, nearest to RHS 186C. Color, abaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146D. Inflorescence: Type.Terminal verticillaster with individual flowers in whorls. Natural flowering season.Late spring into summer in Oudenaarde, Belgium. Time to flower.Approximately 10 weeks after flowering. Flowering habit.Freely flowering. Dimensions.11.8 cm high, not including peduncle, and 4.2 cm in diameter. Quantity of inflorescence per plant.15, on average. Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.30 flowers and buds, on average. Attitude.Upright; near 0 degrees from vertical. Peduncles.Length Average of 11.0 cm. Diameter Average of 0.175 cm. Attitude Upright. Strength Moderately strong. Texture Moderately pubescent; short, soft hairs with an average length of 0.03 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster Matte. Color Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 146A and 146B. Flower buds: Shape.Oblanceolate. Length.Average of 1.1 cm. Diameter.Average of 0.35 cm. Texture.Densely pubescent; very short hairs with an average length of 0.02 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster.Matte. Color.Upper side is brown, slightly darker than RHS 200A; under side is yellow-green, nearest to RHS 145A; emerging petals at the apex are red-purple, in between RHS 59A and 59B. Flower: Flowering habit.Freely flowering. Shape.Labiate. Flower vertical height.2.1 cm. Flower diameter.1.6 cm. Flower length.3.2 cm. Floral throat diameter.0.3 cm. Floral throat texture.Glabrous; smooth. Diameter of floral tube.Tube flattened; vertical height is 0.7 cm and the horizontal width is 0.3 cm. Length of floral tube.1.9 cm. Floral tube texture.Glabrous; smooth. Aspect.Flowers are outward facing. Fragrance.Non-fragrant. Lastingness.Approximately 7 days. Persistent.Self-cleaning. Pedicels.Dimensions 0.45 cm long and 0.1 cm in diameter. Aspect Upward; approximately 10 degrees to the peduncle axis. Strength Moderately strong. Texture Moderately pubescent; short, soft hairs with an average length of 0.3 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Luster Matte. Color Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 146A and 146B. Petals.Quantity of petals 2. Arrangement Labiate; one upper lip and one lower lip which are fused at the proximal half of the petals. Shape of petal lobes Upper lip is elliptic; lower lip is spatulate. Dimensions, free portion of the upper petal 1.1 cm long and 0.3 cm wide. Dimensions, free portion of the lower petal 1.7 cm long and 1.6 cm wide. Apex Upper lip is acute; lower lip is cleft into two lobes. Base Truncate; fused at the base. Margin Both petal lobs with entire margins; upper petal not undulated and lower petal slightly undulated. Aspect Moderately reflexed. Pubescence, texture and luster of upper surface Both petals are moderately pubescent with short hairs with an average length of 0.075 cm and colored red-purple, nearest to RHS 61A, velvety and matte. Pubescence, texture and luster of lower surface Both petals are glabrous, smooth and matte. Petal lobe color when opening, upper surface Upper petal Red-purple, nearest to RHS 62A. Lower petal Red-purple, in between RHS N57C and 58B. Petal lobe color when opening, lower surface Upper petal Red-purple, nearest to RHS 61C. Lower petal Red-purple, nearest to RHS 63B, and fading lighter towards the floral tube, RHS 63C. Petal lobe color when fully opened, upper surface Upper petal Red-purple, nearest to RHS 62C. Lower petal Red-purple, in between RHS N57C and 58B. Petal lobe color when fully opened, lower surface Upper petal Red-purple, nearest to RHS 61C. Lower petal Red-purple, nearest to RHS 63B, and fading lighter towards the floral tube, RHS 63C. Petal venation No venation is visible. Floral throat color White, nearest to RHS NN155D. Floral throat venation color White, nearest to RHS NN155D. Inner corolla tube color, when fully opened Upper and lower portions of the tube are red-purple, nearest to RHS 63B; the left and right sides of the tube is white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Outer corolla tube color, when fully opened Upper and lower portions of the tube are red-purple, nearest to RHS N57C; the left and right sides of the tube is white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Floral tube venation color No veins are visible. Calyx.Shape Campanulate. Length 1.1 cm. Diameter Flattened; average horizontal width is 0.3 cm and the height is 0.7 cm. Sepals Length 1.1 cm. Width 0.6 cm, but folded so appears narrower. Arrangement Campanulate; the flower 72.5 percent of the sepals are fused. Quantity 2. Shape Both sepals are narrow oblanceolate. Apex Upper sepal is acute; lower sepal is cleft. Base Fused. Sepal lobe margin Both sepals are entire; not undulated. Pubescence, texture and luster, upper surface Both sepals are smooth, glabrous, and matte. Pubescence, texture and luster, lower surface Both sepals are densely pubescent with very short hairs with an average length of 0.2 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D; slightly glossy. Color when opening, upper surface Both sepals are yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B; apex is yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147A. Color when opening, lower surface Upper sepal Brown, slightly darker than RHS 200A. Lower sepal Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 145A. Color when fully opened, upper surface Both sepals are yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A; apex is yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147A. Color when fully opened, lower surface Upper sepal Nearest to a mixture of brown, RHS 200A, and black, RHS 203A. Lower sepal Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 145A. Reproductive organs: Stamens.Quantity 2. Anthers Attachment Basifixed. Shape Elliptic. Dimensions Approximately 0.5 cm long and 0.05 cm wide. Color Yellow-orange, nearest to RHS 22A. Filaments Length 0.5 cm, on average. Color White, nearest to RHS NN155D. Pollen, amount Moderately abundant. Pollen color Yellow-orange, nearest to RHS 14A. Pistil.Quantity 1. Length 2.9 cm. Style Length 2.6 cm. Color White, nearest to RHS NN155D, and fading to red-purple towards the distal end, nearest to in between RHS 72B and 72C. Stigma Shape Cleft; decurrent. Length 0.3 cm. Diameter 0.4 cm. Color Red-purple, nearest to RHS 72B. Ovary color Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 150C and 150D. Seed and fruit: No fruit or seeds have been detected to date. Comparisons with the parent plants and most similar variety of common knowledge: Plants of the new cultivar JEREMY differ from its parent, Salvia microphylla Hot Lips (not patented), by the characteristics described in Chart 1.

(7) TABLE-US-00001 CHART 1 Characteristic JEREMY Hot Lips General coloration of the Yellow-green and suffused Yellow-green. flower buds prior to with brown. opening. General coloration of the Pink and white. Red and white. flower at anthesis. General coloration of the Dark yellow-green and Lighter yellow- calyx at anthesis. suffused with a mixture of green. brown to black.

(8) Plants of the new cultivar JEREMY may be distinguished from its most similar known commercial comparator, Salvia microphylla Royal Bumble (not protected), by the characteristics described in Chart 2.

(9) TABLE-US-00002 CHART 2 Characteristic JEREMY Royal Bumble General coloration of the Pink and white. Red. flower at anthesis. General coloration of the Dark yellow-green. Yellow-green and heavily peduncle and pedicels. suffused with a mixture of purple and black.