<i>Salvia </i>plant named ‘TL966’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘TL966’, characterized by its upright to outward plant habit; strong and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong and healthy roots and leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; strong and upright inflorescences with numerous reddish purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘TL966’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

(1) The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Salvia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Salvia plant.

(2) The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘TL966’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(3) The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse and “finished” in an outdoor nursery in De Kwakel, The Netherlands under cultural practices typically used in commercial Salvia production. During the production of the plants, greenhouse day temperatures averaged 20° C., outdoor nursery day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° and greenhouse and outdoor nursery night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 15° C. Plants were 25 weeks from planting when the photograph was taken and 20 weeks from planting when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Salvia hybrida ‘TL966’. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia hybrida identified as code number 12,228, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia hybrida identified as code number 12,4157, not patented. Propagation: Type.—By terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at temperatures about 20° C. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at temperatures about 20° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 27 days at temperatures about 20° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 days at temperatures about 20° C. Root description.—Medium in thickness, somewhat fibrous; typically greyed white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown as a container and garden plant; upright to outward plant habit; vigorous growth habit and moderate to rapid growth rate. Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about six primary lateral branches each with about four secondary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching is not required, but will improve branching and flowering potential. Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 45.6 cm. Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 60.2 cm. Plant width.—About 45.5 cm. Primary branch description.—Length: About 32.8 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 6.9 cm. Shape: Quadrangular. Strength: Strong. Branch angle: Erect to about 60° from vertical. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, developing: Close to 143B and tinged with close to 176A to 177A. Color, developed: Close to 143A and 144A; at the internodes, close to 146A, 148A, 152A and 152B tinged with close to 176C and 176D. Leaf description: Arrangement.—Opposite; simple. Length.—About 8.2 cm. Width.—About 5.9 cm. Shape.—Deltoid. Apex.—Apiculate. Base.—Short attenuate. Margin.—Serrate. Texture and luster, upper surface.—Moderately pubescent; slightly rugose; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface.—Mostly glabrous except for venation which is moderately pubescent; slightly rugose; matte. Venation pattern.—Pinnate. Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to a blend of 138A and 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than a blend of close to 139A and 147A; venation, close to 152C to 152D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146B and proximally, close to 152A. Petioles.—Length: About 5.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper surface: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 148B; at the margins, close to a blend of between 152A and N199A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. Flower description: Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers arranged on long terminal verticillasters; flowers face mostly outwardly. Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit, about 80 flowers per inflorescence and about 800 flowers per plant develop during the flowering season. Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from the late spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering about 14 weeks from unrooted cuttings. Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not persistent. Fragrance.—None detected; stems and leaves, however, are aromatic. Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent; matte. Color: Sepals, close to 176A to 176B and proximally, close to 166B; petals, close to N79C. Inflorescence length.—About 28.4 cm. Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.5 cm. Flower diameter.—About 1.6 cm by 2.2 cm. Flower length (depth).—About 5.4 mm. Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm by 7 mm. Flower tube length.—About 3.2 cm. Flower tube diameter.—About 5 mm by 1 cm. Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals with two upper petals fused forming a galea and three lower petals fused forming a broader lower protruding lip. Galea length: About 1.5 cm. Galea width: About 4 mm. Lower lip length: About 1 cm. Lower lip width: About 1.6 cm. Galea shape: Oblanceolate, folded. Lower lip shape: Reniform. Galea apex: Emarginate. Lower lip apex: Tri-lobed, lobes obtuse. Galea and lower lip base: Fused. Margin: Entire; galea, not undulate and lower lip, slightly undulate with center lobe, reflexed. Galea and lower lip, texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety; matte. Galea and lower lip, texture and luster, lower surface: Galea, densely pubescent and lower lip, sparsely pubescent; matte. Throat, texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety; matte. Tube, texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color, galea: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN74B. When opening, lower surface: Close to NN78A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to a blend of N78B and NN78B; venation, similar to lamina color; color does not change with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: Slightly lighter than N79C; venation, similar to lamina color; color does not change with subsequent development. Color, lower lip: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN78C. When opening, lower surface: Close to NN74C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN78B to NN78C; venation, similar to lamina color; color does not change with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN78B to NN78C; venation, similar to lamina color; color does not change with subsequent development. Color, throat: Close to N80D; venation, close to N80D. Color, tube: Close to a blend of N78A and N79C and towards the base, close to N78B; venation, similar to lamina color. Calyx.—Arrangement: Two fused sepals to form a campanulate calyx; lower 60% of calyx is fused. Calyx length: About 2 cm. Calyx diameter: About 9 mm. Sepal length: About 2 cm. Sepal width: About 1 cm. Sepal shape: Obovate. Sepal apex: Upper sepal, apiculate and lower sepal, emarginate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, outer surface: Mostly glabrous except for venation which is moderately pubescent; matte. Color: When developing, inner surface: Close to 176A and towards the base, close to 147C. When developing, outer surface: Close to 176A to 176B and towards the base, close to 166B. Fully developed, inner surface: Close to 176A and towards the base, close to 147C. Fully developed, outer surface: Slightly darker than close to a blend of 177A and 178A. Peduncles.—Length: About 27.5 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect to arching slightly outwardly. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 172B; axillary peduncles with stripes, close to 146A. Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 70° from peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 166A. Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two. Filament length: About 1.6 cm. Filament color: Close to 77D and proximally, close to 70B. Anther size: About 1 mm by 4 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther color: Close to 182D with margins, close to N186C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 5 cm. Stigma diameter: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft. Stigma color: Close to N79A. Style length: About 4.9 cm. Style color: Close to 77A and towards the base, close to N155B. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: One, at the base of the flower. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 178A and towards the base, close to 195B. Color, lower surface: Close to 166A. Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not been observed on plants of the new Salvia. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Salvia have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Salvia. Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited good tolerance to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from −5° C. to 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 12.