Lobelia plant named ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named Sunlobe Toresubu, characterized by its outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; relatively large lavender to pale blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Claims

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

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) 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.

(2) The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of Sunlobe Toresubu grown in a container.

(3) The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of Sunlobe Toresubu.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23 C. and night temperatures averaged 13 C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus Sunlobe Toresubu. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.Proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 06Lob-3A-1, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.Proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 06Lob-3A-2, not patented. Propagation: Type cutting.Vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.About one week at temperatures about 15 C. to 20 C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and winter.About three weeks at temperatures about 15 C. to 20 C. Root description.Fibrous. Rooting habit.Freely branching; relatively dense. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.Outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit with lateral branches developing at potentially every node; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth habit. Plant height.About 17 cm. Plant width.About 53 cm. Lateral branch description.Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 138A. Leaf description: Arrangement.Alternate, simple; sessile. Length.About 4.8 cm. Width.About 1.2 cm. Shape.Broadly lanceolate. Apex.Obtuse. Base.Cuneate. Margin.Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces.Pubescent. Venation pattern.Pinnate. Color.Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 137D. Flower description: Flower arrangement, habit and shape.Flowers typically arranged in terminal and lateral racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly to slanting downward; freely flowering habit with about five flowers per inflorescence and about 320 flowers developing per plant; flowers bilabiate with two upper petals and three larger lower petals. Fragrance.None detected. Natural flowering season.In Japan, plants of the new Lobelia flower continuously from May until October; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three to four weeks after planting. Flower longevity on the plant.Longevity of individual flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers typically last about 10 to 14 days on the plant; flowers persistent. Inflorescence length.About 8 cm. Inflorescence diameter.About 6.4 cm. Flower length.About 1.9 cm. Flower diameter.About 2.2 cm. Flower tube length.About 9.5 mm. Flower tube diameter.About 3.6 mm. Flower buds.Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 3.7 mm. Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Close to 85A. Petals.Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused towards the base; two upper petals and three larger lower petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond throat: About 8.3 mm. Width: About 3.4 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Lower petals: Length, beyond throat: About 1 cm. Width: About 7.1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Mucronate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to 94B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 94D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 94D and 97B; color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 94D; color does not change with development. Color, lower petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to 94B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 94D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 94D and 97B; color does not change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 94D; color does not change with development. Color, throat, upper and lower petals: Close to 92D and NN155C; spots, close to N88A; nectar guides, close to N154B. Color, tube, upper petals: Close to 92A; towards the base, close to 90C. Color, tube, lower petals: Close to 92B with spots, close to 90D; towards the base, close to NN155C. Sepals.Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 6.2 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 138B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138A. Pedicels.Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A. Reproductive organs.Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Stamen length: About 7.5 mm. Anther size: About 1.1 mm by 2.7 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 79A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 7.2 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobate. Stigma color: Close to 86B. Style color: Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Fruits and seeds.Fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants of the new Lobelia. Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia plants. Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5 C. to about 28 C.