Grass named ‘Good Vibrations’

Abstract

The new variety Schizachyrium scoparium Good Vibrations is tough, adaptable, and drought tolerant with foliage that is purple and green from May to September; and with an upright to softly arching growth habit. The asexually reproduced variety is reliably propagated vegetatively.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of the Schizachyrium plant named Good Vibrations as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a photograph of a Good Vibrations plant taken on May 26, 2015 in Griffin, Ga.

(2) FIGS. 2 and 3 are, respectively, photographs of a Carousel plant (FIG. 2) and of a MinnblueA plant (FIG. 3), taken on May 26, 2015 in Griffin, Ga.

(3) FIGS. 4 and 5 are photographs of a plant of a Good Vibrations plant taken on Jun. 8, 2012 in Griffin, Ga.; with FIG. 5 being an enlarged view.

(4) FIGS. 6 and 7 are, respectively, photographs of a Carousel plant (FIG. 6) and a MinnblueA plant (FIG. 7) taken on Jun. 8, 2012 in Griffin, Ga.

(5) FIGS. 8 and 9 are, respectively, photographs of a Good Vibrations plant taken on Jul. 1, 2015, in Griffin, Ga.; with FIG. 9 being an enlarged view.

(6) FIGS. 10 and 11 are, respectively, photographs of Carousel (FIG. 10) and MinnblueA (FIG. 11) plants taken on Jul. 1, 2015, in Griffin, Ga.

(7) FIGS. 12 and 13 are photographs of a Good Vibrations plant taken on Aug. 22, 2012 in Griffin, Ga.; with FIG. 13 being an enlarged view.

(8) FIGS. 14 and 15, respectively, are photographs of Carousel (FIG. 14) and MinnblueA (FIG. 15) plants, taken on Aug. 22, 2012, in Griffin, Ga.

(9) FIGS. 16 and 17 are photographs of a Good Vibrations plant taken on Sep. 10, 2014, in Griffin, Ga.; with FIG. 17 being an enlarged view.

(10) FIGS. 18 and 19 are, respectively, photographs of Carousel (FIG. 18) and MinnblueA (FIG. 19) plants taken on Sep. 10, 2014, in Griffin, Ga.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(11) The new variety Good Vibrations is a perennial at Griffin, Ga. (USDA Zone 8a). The new variety Good Vibrations blooms from mid-July to early August. Good Vibrations is drought tolerant and is expected to be able to be grown in USDA Zones 3-9. Good Vibrations grows well in full sun and in most soils. The foliage is fine-textured and long-lived. It appears to be genetically stable and has been asexually propagated by root division. The reproductive organs of the new variety Good Vibrations are very small, fleeting or scarce in presence and therefore difficult to describe.

(12) All data are from four-year-old field-grown plants established as single stem propagules in May 2011, in Griffin, Ga. Three replicated plants were grown in a randomized block design. Plant: Mature plant height.Approximately 82 to 98 cm. Diameter of plant canopy.Approximately 31 to 50 cm. Foliage height.Approximately 40 to 42 cm. Leaf: Leaf shape.Linear. Leaf division.Simple. Leaf margins.Entire. Leaf base.Sheathed to base of culm. Leaf venation.Parallel, color similar to foliage. Leaf apex.Acute. Leaf arrangement.Alternate, 2-ranked. Leaf collar type.Continuous. Leaf persistence.Dries but persistent through winter. Leaf attachment.Sheathed, 1 mm wide membranous ligule. Leaf width.Approximately 2.25 mm at base and 3 mm on blade. Leaf length.Approximately 30 cm. Leaf number.5 to 7 leaves per culm. Leaf surface.Strigillose, covered in very short hairs that lay nearly flat against the blade and point from to base to tip. Not waxy. Villous sheathes. Adaxial leaf surface trichomes.None. Abaxial leaf surface trichomes.None. Sheath trichomes.None. Adaxial leaf color.Early Summer: Green 137C or 138B or Purple N77A at the basal end changing to Violet-Blue N92D at the terminal end. Mid-Summer: Basal portion of the leaf is Green 138B, changing to Greyed-Purple N186A, N186B, or N186C on the distal portion; or basal portion is Green 138B changing to Greyed-Purple 187A at the distal portion; or basal portion is Green 138B changing to Purple N77C at the distal portion. Late Summer (displays a mix of color types): Yellow-Green 144A; or Greyed-Purple N186C; Greyed-Purple 183C. Early Fall: Green 138A or 138B; or Greyed-Purple 187A; or Purple N79B. Abaxial leaf color.Early Summer: Green 138B or 138C; or Purple N77C. Mid-Summer: Green 138B. Later Summer (displays a mix of color type): Greyed-Green 191B; or Greyed-Purple N187B; or Greyed-Purple 183D. Early Fall: Green 138B or Purple N77C. Flower: Blooming period.Mid July to early August in Griffin, Ga. with multiple racemes present. per flower culm. Inflorescence.Yes. Inflorescence type.Racemes at terminus and nodes. Inflorescence size.2 to 7 cm in length, 0.5 cm in diameter. Inflorescence color.Red-Purple 59B. Spikelet.Number 5 to 10 per raceme. Spikelet size.2 to 7 cm long and with an internode distance of 2 cm. Spikelet arrangement.Alternately on the rachis. Spikelet hairs.Approximately 1 to 2 mm long, White N155D with a fluffy texture. Glumes.Average of 6 mm long by 1 mm wide. Palea.1 mm long and less than 1 mm wide. Peduncle.1 to 7 cm long and 1 mm diameter. Peduncle color.Greyed-Orange 174A. Culm: General.Flat, solid. Stem surface.Strigillose, less toward the base, becoming more numerous on the blade. Pith.1 mm wide, Yellow-Green 153C. Culm color.Red-Purple 70C toward the base, changing to Green 138B at the terminal portion. Culm size.5 mm diameter and 5 to 11 cm in length before the blade emerges; at blooming, up to 98 cm from the base to the tip of the flower panicle. Internode length.7 cm. Style.1 mm long, plumose, Red-Purple 61A.