Gardenia plant named ‘Prince Charles’

Abstract

A new and distinct Gardenia cultivar named Prince Charles which is characterized by the combination of a compact and freely-branching growth habit, dense foliage, recurrent flowering from spring until dormancy, an abundance of white double flowers with a sweet fragrance, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gardenia plant named Prince Charles, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary Prince Charles plant at approximately 3 years old, grown outdoors in Siler City, N.C.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, a comparison between a population of Prince Charles plants at approximately 1.25 years old (center) and various other Gardenia varieties of like age surrounding said population (left, right, front and rear of photograph). The photograph was taken in late May and illustrates the early season blooming habit. Plants were grown outdoors in Siler City, N.C.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, a comparison between a population of Prince Charles plants at approximately 1.5 years old (center) and various other Gardenia varieties of like age surrounding said population (left, right, front and rear of photograph). The photograph was taken in late August and illustrates the summer blooming habit. Plants were grown outdoors in Siler City, N.C.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary flower of Prince Charles when opening (right) and when fully opened (left).

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(5) The following observations and measurements made in November of 2016 and, unless otherwise indicated, describe a one year old potted Prince Charles plant grown outdoors in Siler City, N.C. Plants were grown using best management practices for the production of Gardenia sp., which consisted of overhead irrigation, 3 times daily, and a fertilizer application of a 9 to 12 month slow release fertilizer. No chemical pest or disease measures were utilized in production. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. Prince Charles 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 characteristics 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, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 1986 edition.

(6) A botanical description of Prince Charles and comparisons with the parent plant and most similar commercial Gardenia cultivar known to the inventor are provided below. Plant description: Growth habit.Evergreen flowering shrub with a mounding growth habit. Plant shape.Globular. Average height.Approximately 35 cm as observed; 125 cm when fully matured. Average width.Approximately 35 cm as observed; 150 cm when fully matured. Plant vigor.Vigorous. Propagation details.Asexual propagation may be accomplished by softwood stem cuttings. Time to initiate roots.Approximately 30 to 45 days are required to initiate roots from a softwood cutting. Time to produce a marketable rooted cutting.Approximately 6 to 8 weeks when propagated in the spring. Time to produce a marketable finished plant.Approximately 5 months in a 1 gallon nursery container. Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.Prince Charles has been observed to exhibit moderate resistance to whitefly (Dialeurodes sp.). Otherwise, neither susceptibility nor resistance to normal diseases and pests of Gardenia has been observed. Environmental tolerances.Adapt to USDA Zones 7a to 10; drought resistant once established; heat tolerant; tolerant of full sun exposure. Root system: General.Fibrous; freely branched and moderately dense rooting. Distribution in the soil profile.Shallow to moderately deep. Texture.Juvenile roots are fleshy; older roots are woody. Color.Juvenile roots are nearest to orange-white, RHS 159D; maturing roots are nearest to greyed-orange, RHS 165B; oldest roots are nearest to greyed-orange, RHS 165A. Stems: Branching habit.One main stem, itself freely branching, and giving rise to numerous lateral branches. Lateral branches arising from as low as soil level which, as the plant reaches maturity, results in a multi-stemmed plant. Main stem.Attitude Erect. Diameter 10 mm. Color Grey-brown, RHS 199A. Texture Exfoliating in stripes; color is brown, nearest to RHS 200B. Lateral branches.Aspect Average angle is approximately 45 to 60 degrees from main stem. Cross section Rounded. Strength Strong. Length of lateral branches 22.5 cm. Diameter of lateral branches Averaging 0.25 cm at the base. Internode length on lateral branches Ranging from 1.25 to 2.5 cm. Texture, pubescence and luster of lateral branches Smooth, glabrous, and slightly glossy. Color, juvenile Yellow-green, RHS 144A, and becoming suffused with Greyed-Brown, RHS 199C. Color, mature Greyed-Brown, RHS 199C. Color at internodes Greyed-brown, RHS 199D. Foliage: Arrangement.Opposite. Attachment.Petiolate. Division.Simple. Density of foliage.Very dense. Lamina.Dimensions 75 mm long and 30 mm wide, on average. Shape Obovate. Aspect Upward. Apex Acuminate. Base Cuneate. Margin Entire; slightly to moderately undulated. Pubescence, adaxial surface Glabrous. Texture and luster of adaxial surface Smooth and glossy. Pubescence, abaxial surface Glabrous. Texture and luster of abaxial surface Smooth and matte to satiny. Color Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146A yet lighter. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface Yellow-green, RHS 146D. Mature foliage, adaxial surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147A yet darker. Mature foliage, abaxial surface Yellow-green, in between RHS 147B and 147C. Venation Pattern Pinnate. Color, adaxial surface Yellow-green, RHS 144B. Color, abaxial surface Yellow-green, RHS 144A. Petiole.Length 2.5 mm. Width 2.0 mm. Texture Glabrous; smooth. Luster Matte. Color, adaxial surface Yellow-green, RHS 144A. Color, abaxial surface Yellow-green, RHS 144A. Inflorescence: Type.Flowers are solitary; borne axially. Natural flowering season.Spring through fall in Siler City, N.C. Flowering habit.Recurrent. Peduncle.Attitude Upright. Cross section Ovoid; somewhat flattened. Dimensions 12 mm long and 2.5 mm wide. Color Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A, yet darker than the calyx. Texture Glabrous, smooth. Strength Strong. Flower buds: Bud shape.Oblong. Bud dimensions.35 to 40 mm long and 15 mm in diameter. Bud color.Yellow-green, RHS 154B, and fading to yellow-green, RHS 150C, towards the distal portion of the bud and heavily suffused with white, nearest to RHS 155D. Flower: Flower habit.Perfect; complete; double. Flower shape.Salverform flowers with an outer whorl of 6 true petals fused at the base and several inner whorls comprised of 10 to 12 petaloids. Lastingness.Flowers persist for approximately 4 to 7 days. Persistence.Persistent. Flower aspect.Upward. Fragrance.Sweet fragrance which intensifies as the flower ages. Calyx.Calyx shape Synsepalous, cupped at the base with 6 sepal lobes arranged in a star shape. Calyx dimensions 15 mm in diameter and 30 mm deep, including sepal lobes. Sepals Sepal arrangement Rotate; fused at the base with 6 linear sepal lobes. Number of sepal lobes 6. Sepal lobe dimensions 15 mm long and 3.0 mm wide. Sepal lobe margins Entire; not undulated. Sepal lobe shape Linear. Sepal lobe apex Acute. Sepal base Fused. Sepal texture Smooth; glabrous. Sepal color, inner surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A yet darker. Sepal color, outer surface Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A yet darker. Corolla.Petal and petaloid arrangement Rotate with petals arranged in a single outer whorl and petaloids in 2 or 3 inner whorls. Petals Quantity 6. Fused or unfused Fused. Dimensions Approximately 15 to 20 mm long and 15 mm wide. Shape Obovate. Apex Rounded. Base Attenuate and becoming fused. Aspect Involute and heavily reflexed. Margin Entire; highly undulated and involute. Texture Glabrous. Luster Matte. Color when opening (upper side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color when opening (under side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color when fully opened (upper side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color when fully opened (under side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color fading to Yellow, in between RHS 11C and 11D. Petaloids Quantity 10 to 12. Fused or unfused Free. Dimensions Highly variable; decreasing in size towards the center of the corolla; largest petaloids are 20 to 25 mm long and 15 to 20 mm wide and the smallest are approximately 18 to 20 mm long and 8 mm wide. Shape Highly variable; obovate to oblong to spatulate. Apex Generally rounded. Base Generally attenuate. Aspect Involute and moderately reflexed to upright near the center of the corolla. Margin Entire; highly undulated and involute. Texture Glabrous. Luster Matte. Color when opening (upper side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color when opening (under side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color when fully opened (upper side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color when fully opened (under side) White, nearest to RHS 155D. Color fading to Yellow, in between RHS 11C and 11D. Reproductive organs: Androecium.Stamen quantity 6. Anther Anther attachment Adnate. Anther shape Linear, flattened, with a longitudinal split. Anther size 15 mm long and 2.0 mm in diameter. Anther color A mixture of yellow, RHS 11D, and greyed-brown, RHS 199D. Pollen Amount of pollen Scarce. Pollen color Yellow, RHS 9B. Gynoecium.Pistil quantity One. Stigma Shape Divided into 2 to 4 irregularly sized segments; segments oblong. Dimensions Approximately 6.0 to 7.0 mm across and 15 mm tall. Color Yellow, RHS 10A. Style Dimensions 10 mm long and 1.75 mm in diameter. Color Greyed-brown, nearest to RHS 199D yet lighter. Ovary Position Inferior. Shape Elliptical. Dimensions 3.5 mm long and 4 mm wide. Color Yellow, RHS 7C. Seed and fruit: Not observed.

Comparison With the Parent Plant

(7) Plants of the new cultivar Prince Charles may be distinguished from its parent, Gardenia Chuck Hayes (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,755), by the characteristics described in Table 1.

(8) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Plant Characteristic Prince Charles Chuck Hayes Mature plant size. More compact and more Larger and more open densely foliaged than than Prince Charles. Chuck Hayes Internode length on Shorter than Chuck Longer than Prince lateral branches. Hayes. Charles. Flower habit. Double. Single. Bloom habit. Recurrent blooming from Spring flowering, with spring until dormancy. intermittent flowering through summer.

Comparison With the Closest Known Commercial Comparator

(9) Plants of the new cultivar Prince Charles can be distinguished from the commercial variety, Gardenia MADGA I (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,988), by the characteristics described in Table 2.

(10) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison with Closest Commercial Comparator Characteristic Prince Charles MADGA I Mature plant More compact and Larger and more open size. more densely foliaged than Prince Charles. than MADGA I. Internode length Shorter than MADGA I. Longer than Prince on lateral Charles. branches. Leaf size. Smaller than MADGA I. Larger than Prince Charles. Bloom habit. Recurrent blooming from Spring with intermittent spring until dormancy. flowering through summer.