Penstemon plant named ‘Novapenros’

Abstract

The new Penstemon plant was created by a controlled plant breeding program followed by selection, open pollination, and further selection. The growth habit is upright with strong basal branching and excellent vigor. Attractive large bright pink flowers with a white throat on sturdy stems are formed. There is no vernalization requirement for flowering. An upright mounding growth habit is displayed. The plant readily roots from stem cuttings and is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Penstemon plant having the following combination of characteristics: (a) displays an upright growth habit with strong basal branching and excellent vigor, (b) is lacking a vernalization requirement for flowering, (c) abundantly forms attractive large bright pink flowers with a white throat on sturdy stems, and (d) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation; substantially as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographs illustrate typical flowering plants of the new cultivar in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible make the same in color illustrations of this nature. The plants were approximately one year of age and were being grown outdoors on their own roots in containers during July 2014 at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The plants had been asexually reproduced by the rooting of vegetative cuttings.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates the attractive upright growth habit of a flowering plant of the new cultivar.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a closer view of the blossoms in various stages of development and the foliage of the new cultivar.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The following is a detailed description while observing one-year-old plants of the new cultivar that were produced by the rooting of vegetative cuttings. Such plants were being grown in containers on their own roots at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The chart used in the identification of color is The R.H.S. Colour Chart (1995 Edition) of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. Common color terms are to be accorded their customary dictionary significance. Botanical classification: Penstemon, cv. Novapenros. Parents.Cross of Sunburst RubyGiganteus, followed by selection, open pollination, and further selection. Plant type.Herbaceous perennial. Plant: Growth habit.Upright with considerable branching. Height.Approximately 58 cm on average when mature. Spread.Approximately 50 cm on average when mature. Vigor.Excellent. Branching.Commonly approximately 12 stems on average arise at the base. Stem length.Approximately 30 cm on average. Stem diameter.Approximately 1.2 cm at the base on average. Stem strength.Relatively strong. Stem color.Near Green Group 143C. Stem texture.Glabrous. Internode length.Commonly approximately 2 cm on average. Roots.Fibrous network. Foliage: Arrangement.Opposite, simple, sessile. Shape.Lanceolate. Apex.Acuminate. Base.Truncate. Length.Commonly approximately 7 cm on average. Width.Commonly approximately 1 cm on average. Texture.Glabrous on the upper and under surfaces. Color.On the upper surface near Green Group 137A, and on the lower surface near Green Group 137C. Margins.Denticulate. Venation.Pinnate. Inflorescence: Season.The natural flowering season when grown outside is primarily mid-June to frost in October. Type.Zygomorphic, perfect tubular, bi-labiate, terminal, many flowered, and dense thyrse. Buds.Closed tubular, bulging, flattened ventrically, approximately 2.5 cm in length on average just before opening, approximately 1 cm in width on average, near Red-Purple Group 58B on the upper surface and near Red-Purple Group 62D on the lower surface. Quantity.Free-flowering, commonly with approximately 25 flowers on average developing per inflorescence. Inflorescence length.Approximately 20 cm on average. Inflorescence width.Approximately 7 cm on average. Fragrance.None detectable. Lastingness.Commonly 5 to 7 days on the plant depending on environmental conditions. Flower length.Approximately 4 cm on average. Flower diameter.Approximately 3 cm on average. Corolla tube.Approximately 4 cm in length and approximately 3 cm in width, funnel form in calyx approximately 1 cm in length on average and approximately 3 mm in width on average, inflating for approximately 2 cm to a width of approximately 1.5 cm, and then flaring into 5 lobes, with two smaller upper lobes flaring back measuring approximately 7 mm1 cm, the two larger lateral lobes flaring out measuring approximately 8 mm1 cm, and the lower lobe flaring down measuring approximately 7 mm7 mm. Corolla margins.Entire lobes with obtuse tips. Corolla texture.Pubescent on the outside and glabrous on the inside. Corolla color.On the outside near Red-Purple Group 74B at the bottom of the funnel, to near Red-Purple Group 63B to 63C on the lobe backs, and on the inside of the outer lobes are near Red-Purple Group 63B with the 3 bottom lobes having a ring of Red-Purple Group 64A which extends up the main veins in lines that tracks down the funnel, and the tube being near Red-Purple Group 69A. Calyx.Five overlapping lobes extend from the base. Calyx lobe.Broadly ovate. Calyx size.Approximately 8 mm in length on average, and approximately 5 mm in width on average, with the lobes being approximately 6 mm in length on average and approximately 3 mm in width on average. Calyx apex.Acute. Calyx base.Cuneate. Calyx margin.Entire. Calyx texture.Glabrous on the inside and pubescent on the outside. Calyx color.Near Green Group 143A. Calyx shape.With five over-lapping lobes. Stamen number.Five. Anther opening.Tend to dehisce the full length across the connective and usually spread widely apart. Anther size.Approximately 1 mm2 mm on average. Anther color.Near Purple Group 77D. Filaments.Commonly approximately 2.6 cm in length on average, and near White Group 155B in coloration. Pollen.Near White Group 155B in coloration. Pistil number.One. Pistil length.Approximately 2.8 cm on average. Style length.Approximately 2 cm on average. Style diameter.Commonly approximately 0.2 mm on average. Style color.Commonly near White Group 155B. Stigma color.Near White Group 155B. Ovary length.Commonly approximately 6 mm on average. Ovary width.Commonly approximately 2 mm on average. Ovary color.Near White Group 155B. Fruit type.Capsule. Fertility.Good. Fruit size.Commonly approximately 1 cm4 mm on average. Fruit color.Near Brown Group 200A to 200B. Seed shape.Somewhat irregular. Seed size.Commonly approximately 1 mm in length and less than 1 mm in width. Seed color.Near Brown Group 200A. Peduncle length.Approximately 3 cm on average. Peduncle diameter.Approximately 3 mm on average. Peduncle texture.Pubescent. Peduncle color.Near Green Group 137C. Pedicel length.Approximately 1 cm on average. Pedicel diameter.Approximately 1 mm on average. Pedicel texture.Pubescent. Pedicel strength.Relatively strong. Pedicel color.Near Green Group 138B. Disease resistance: The tolerance/susceptibility to diseases and pests common to Penstemon plants appears to be typical during observations to date.

(5) Plants of the Novapenros cultivar have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.