<i>Callistemon </i>plant named ‘CNU06’

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of Callistemon plant named ‘CNU06’ which is characterized by the combination of a compact growth habit, cylindrical inflorescences comprised of an abundance of dark pink flowers, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Callistemon plant named ‘CNU06’, 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 plant of ‘CNU06’. This plant is approximately 36 months old.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical inflorescence of ‘CNU06’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

(3) The following observations and measurements were made in May of 2022 and describe a 6-year-old ‘CNU06’ plant grown in the ground in Clarendon, New South Wales, Australia. The plant was allowed to grow with full sun exposure and maintained with sporadic overhead irrigation during prolonged drought conditions and slow-release granular fertilizer applications. The plant received a light prune, biannually. No pest or disease control measures were utilized in production.

(4) Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘CNU06’ 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, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 1986 (third edition).

(5) A botanical description of ‘CNU06’, comparisons with the parents, comparisons with sibling cultivars, and a comparison with the most similar variety of common knowledge are provided below. General plant description: Growth habit.—Evergreen shrub with a compact, globular growth habit. Plant profile.—Rotund. Height.—150 cm from the soil level to the top of the foliar plane. Plant spread.—130 cm. Growth rate.—Moderately fast. Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous. Propagation type.—Stem cuttings. Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 120 days to produce a rooted cutting at approximately 25 degrees Celsius. Time to produce a finished plant.—32 weeks to produce a fully rooted 15 cm container. Disease and pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to typical Callistemon pests and diseases has been observed. Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 9 through 11; moderate tolerance to rain; moderate to high tolerance to wind; drought tolerant once established. Root system: General.—Moderately dense and freely branched rooting; roots are moderately fibrous. Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately deep. Stem: General branching habit.—A single main stem, freely branching from the base, with an abundance of lateral branches. Quantity of main stems per plant.—1. Diameter of the main stem.—10.0 cm at soil level. Abundance of lateral branches.—Abundant. Length of lateral branches.—Approximately 86 cm. Diameter of lateral branches.—Approximately 1.0 cm. Internode length.—Approximately 0.4 cm. Attitude of lateral branches.—Outward to upright. Aspect.—Rounded. Texture, juvenile.—Tomentose. Texture, mature and oldest wood.—Glabrous and becoming progressively fissured and furrowed with age, followed by exfoliation of the outer bark in small segments, revealing yet more fissured and furrowed bark beneath. Luster.—Slightly glossy to matte. Strength.—Strong. Color, juvenile lateral branches.—Greyed-red, nearest to in between RHS 181A and 181B, and becoming progressively suffused with greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 172A, with age. Color, mature lateral branches.—Greyed-orange; nearest to in between 166B and 166C. Color, main stem.—Exfoliating bark is brown, nearest to a combination of RHS 200A, 200B, and 200D; exposed wood below the exfoliating bark is greyed-orange, nearest to a combination of RHS 164A, 164B, and 164C. Foliage: Arrangement.—Whorled. Division.—Simple. Attachment.—Petiolate. Attitude.—Upward and outward. Lamina.—Shape — Nearest to in between lanceolate and oblanceolate. Aspect — Flat to slightly carinate; margins occasionally revolute. Dimensions — 6.7 cm long and 0.9 cm wide. Apex — Narrowly acute. Base — Cuneate. Margin — Entire, ciliate; not undulated. Texture of the juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Tomentose. Texture of the juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Tomentose. Texture of the mature foliage, adaxial surface — Coriaceous; glabrous. Texture of the mature foliage, abaxial surface — Coriaceous; glabrous. Luster of the juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Matte. Luster of the juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Matte. Texture of the mature foliage, adaxial surface — Moderately glossy. Texture of the mature foliage, abaxial surface — Matte to slightly glossy. Color — Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 152D and 153D, and very heavily suffused with a mixture of greyed-orange and greyed-red, RHS 168C and 179B. In some instances, the greyed-orange coloration is more prevalent and in other instances the greyed-red coloration is most prevalent. Suffusion diminishes with age. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 151B, and heavily suffused with a mixture of greyed-orange and greyed-red, RHS 168C and 179B. In some instances, the greyed-orange coloration is more prevalent and in other instances the greyed-red coloration is most prevalent. Suffusion diminishes with age. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS 139B. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS 139C. Venation — Pattern — Pinnate. Color, adaxial surface — Same as the surrounding foliage; green, nearest to RHS 139B. Color, abaxial surface — Same as the surrounding foliage; yellow-green, nearest to RHS 139C. Petiole.—Length — 0.425 cm. Diameter— 0.22 cm at the base. Strength — Strong. Texture, juvenile — Tomentose. Texture, mature — Smooth; glabrous. Luster— Slightly glossy. Color, adaxial and abaxial surfaces — Juvenile petioles are colored greyed-red, nearest to RHS 181A. Mature petioles are yellow-green, nearest to RHS 152D, and lightly suffused with greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 175B. Stipules.—None observed. Inflorescence: Habit.—Terminal leafy spikes, borne directly on the lateral branches. Natural flowering season.—Heaviest bloom period is spring, with sporadic flowering through summer and a second larger flush of blooms in autumn, in Zone 9 of the United States. Time to flower or response time.—Approximately 6 months. Dimensions.—Largest inflorescence observed is 9.8 cm long and 6.6 cm in diameter. Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.—27, on the largest observed inflorescence. Peduncles.—None. Flower buds: Shape.—Broad oblong to obovoid. Length.—8.9 mm. Diameter.—4.0 mm. Texture.—Coriaceous; proximal end at the calyx tube is tomentose and distal end at the flower petals is glabrous. Luster.—Slightly glossy. Color.—Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 144A and 144B; immature sepal lobes are suffused with greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 185B. Flower: Shape, type.—Rotate, with a single whorl of petals. Attachment.—Sessile. Flowering habit.—Freely flowering. Attitude.—Upright to outward. Flower longevity on plant.—Approximately 7 to 10 days. Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-cleaning. Fragrance.—Non-fragrant. Diameter.—Diameter of the corolla is 9.1 mm; the width across the exserted stamens at their distal end is 29.8 mm. Depth.—Depth of the corolla is 10 mm, excluding the exserted stamens; the depth including the stamens is 32.7 mm. Pedicels.—None; flowers are sessile. Calyx.—Shape — Campanulate with sepal lobes adpressed to the corolla at anthesis. Length — 6.2 mm, including the sepal lobes. Diameter— 5.0 mm, distally, at the sepal lobes. Color of the calyx tube — Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 144C and 145A. Sepal lobes — Quantity — 5. Shape — Deltoid. Dimensions — 1.2 mm long and 2.4 mm wide at the base. Apex — Obtuse. Base — Fused to the calyx tube. Margin — Entire. Texture — Tomentose. Luster — Matte. Color — Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 144C and 145A, and heavily suffused with greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 185B. Petals.—Quantity — 5. Arrangement — Rotate. Length — 4.0 mm. Width — 3.0 mm. Shape — Near orbicular. Apex — Obtuse. Base — Truncate. Margin — Entire; light undulation. Texture, inner surface — Glabrous; coriaceous. Texture, outer surface — Glabrous; coriaceous. Petal color — When opening, inner surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 150D. When opening, outer surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 151D. Fully opened, inner surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 150D. Fully opened, lower surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 151D. Petal venation color— No venation is visible. Reproductive organs: Androecium.—Stamens — Quantity — As many as 48 observed. Anthers — Attachment — Dorsifixed. Shape — Oblong. Dimensions — 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm wide. Color— Greyed-yellow, nearest to a combination of RHS 160B and 161B, with pollen removed. Filaments — Length — 23.5 mm, on average. Diameter— 0.5 mm. Color — Red-purple, RHS 61B, proximally, and fading slightly lighter towards the distal portion of the filament, nearest to RHS 61C. Amount of Pollen.—Moderately abundant. Pollen color.—Yellow, nearest to RHS 11B. Gynoecium.—Pistil — Quantity — One. Length — 19.5 mm. Style — Length — 18.25 mm, on average. Diameter — 2.0 mm at the ovary. Color — Red-purple, RHS 61B, proximally, and fading slightly lighter towards the distal portion of the filament, nearest to RHS 61C. Stigma — Shape — Near globular. Length — 1.25 mm. Diameter— 1.0 cm. Color— Greyed-orange, RHS 163D. Ovary position — Inferior. Seed and fruit: Seeds not observed. Comparisons with the parent plants: Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ differ from its seed parent, Callistemon ‘Hot Pink’ (South African Plant Breeder's Rights grant number ZA 20043189), by the characteristics described in Table 1.

(6) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘Hot Pink’ Plant size. Smaller than ‘Hot Pink’. Larger than ‘CNU06’. General coloration Dark pink. Red-purple. of the stamens.
Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent, Callistemon ‘Mauve Mist’ (not patented), by the characteristics described in Table 2.

(7) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘Mauve Mist’ Plant size. Smaller than ‘Mauve Mist’. Larger than ‘CNU06’. General coloration Dark Pink. Purple. of the stamens. Comparison with the most similar varieties of common knowledge: Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ may be distinguished from the most similar known commercial comparator, Callistemon ‘All Aglow’ (unpatented), by the characteristics described in Table 3.

(8) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘All Aglow’ Plant height. Shorter than ‘All Aglow’. Taller than ‘CNU06’
Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ may be distinguished from its sibling, Callistemon citrinus ‘CNU01’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/803,225), by the characteristics described in Table 4.

(9) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘CNU01’ Growth habit. Compact; globular. Compact; globular to near columnar. Plant height. Shorter than ‘CNU01’. Taller than ‘CNU06’ General coloration of Dark Pink. White. the stamens.
Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ may be distinguished from its sibling, Callistemon citrinus ‘CNU07’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/803,227), by the characteristics described in Table 5.

(10) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘CNU07’ Growth habit. Compact; globular. Upright; narrowly columnar. Plant height. Shorter than ‘CNU07’. Taller than ‘CNU06’ General coloration of Dark Pink. White. the stamens.
Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ may be distinguished from its sibling, Callistemon citrinus ‘CNU15’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/803,224), by the characteristics described in Table 6.

(11) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘CNU15’ Plant size. Larger than ‘CNU15’. Smaller than ‘CNU06’ Foliage size. Larger than ‘CNU15’. Smaller than ‘CNU06’ Inflorescence size. Larger than ‘CNU15’. Smaller than ‘CNU06’ General coloration of Dark Pink. Light Pink. the stamens.
Plants of the new cultivar ‘CNU06’ may be distinguished from its sibling, Callistemon citrinus ‘CNU19’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/803,223), by the characteristics described in Table 7.

(12) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Characteristic ‘CNU06’ ‘CNU19’ Plant size. Larger than ‘CNU19’. Smaller than ‘CNU06’ Foliage size. Larger than ‘CNU19’. Smaller than ‘CNU06’ General coloration of Slightly darker Slightly lighter the stamens. shade of pink. shade of pink.