<i>Fragaria </i>plant named ‘Malling Ace’

Abstract

A new cultivar of Fragaria plant named ‘Malling Ace’ that is characterized by its semi-upright growth habit, its large leaf size, its attitude of petiole hairs that are slightly outwards, its large sized flowers, its calyx and corolla that are the same size, its flower petals that are white in color, its berries that are slightly longer in relation to width, large in size, conical in shape and medium red in color, flesh that is red in color with a white core and achenes that are positioned below the surface, its sepals that are held outward, its calyx diameter that is slightly larger in relation to the fruit size, its medium to late flowering time and fruit ripening time, and its fully remontant fruit bearing habit.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Fragaria plant named ‘Malling Ace’ as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of one-year-old plants of new cultivar as grown on table-tops in coir bags under tunnels with polyethylene covers in Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom. The photographs were taken of plants that were fruiting in early July and planted in early March from a tip taken in early July the summer before and grown as a potted plant prior to planting and overwintered above 5° C.

(2) The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the fruit of ‘Malling Ace’.

(3) The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of cut fruit of ‘Malling Ace’.

(4) The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a view of a leaf of ‘Malling Ace’.

(5) The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Malling Ace’.

(6) The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with digital photography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the Fragaria.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(7) The following is a detailed description of one-year-old plants (Tip struck in August 2020 and fruited June 2021) of the new cultivar as grown outdoors on a protected table top culture in East Malling, Kent United Kingdom. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2001 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. General description: Blooming period.—Starting in April and produced throughout summer in Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom. Plant type.—Herbaceous fruit producing perennial. Plant habit.—Semi-upright, stoloniferous. Height and spread.—Reaches about 31.5 cm in width and 24.7 cm in height as a one-year-old plant. Cold hardiness.—Not tested in areas where temperatures of less than 32° F. occur. Diseases and pests.—Tolerance has been observed to Phytophthora cactorum, no susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed. Root description.—Fibrous, 155B in color. Root development.—An average of 2 weeks to initiate roots and 5 weeks to produce a young rooted plant. Propagation.—Rooting of stolons and tissue culture. Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous. Stem description.—Acaulescent. Stolon description.—Average of 1 or less, An average of 28.3 cm in length and 2.79 mm in diameter, 144C, medium density of hairs with slightly outward attitude; 1.4 mm in length, N155B in color. Foliage description: Leaf division.—Compound with three leaflets. Leaf arrangement.—Basal rosettes. Leaf shape.—Reniform. Leaf color.—Upper surface 147A, lower surface 147B. Leaf attachment.—Petiolate. Leaf size.—An average of 13.2 cm in length and 14.5 cm in width. Terminal leaflet.—Length in relation to width is moderately longer. Terminal leaflet shape.—Slightly cupped downwards at apex, convex. Leaflet size.—Average of 8.2 cm in length and 7.3 cm in width. Terminal leaflet margins.—Serrate to crenate. Terminal leaflet shape in cross section.—Concave. Angle of terminal leaflet to petiole.—34°. Terminal leaflet shape of base.—Cuneate to slightly oblique. Terminal leaflet shape of apex.—Subacute. Leaflet interveinal blistering.—Medium. Leaflet venation.—Pinnate, upper surface; 145A, lower surface; 145C. Leaflet surface.—Upper surface; satiny and sparsely pubescent with soft thin hairs; 1 mm in length, matching surface color, lower surface matte with main veins and secondary veins moderately to densely covered with very thin soft adpressed hairs 1 mm in length, that match surface color. Leaflet color.—Upper surface; 47A, lower surface; 147B. Number of leaflets.—3. Number of teeth on terminal leaflet.—Average of 19. Petiole.—144C in color, average of 5 cm in length and 1.7 mm in diameter, slightly outward angle, covered with pubescent hairs 0.04 mm in length, and 144D in color. Petiolules.—144D in color, oval in shape, average of 1.16 cm in length and 0.08 mm in width, covered with pubescent hairs 0.03 mm in length and N155D in color. Stipules anthocyanin coloration.—Medium. Flower description: Inflorescence.—Truss. Inflorescence size.—Average of 24.9 cm in length and 7.89 cm in diameter. Flower initiation and expression conditions.—Temperature dependent. Flower longevity.—3 to 5 days. Flower aspect.—Outward to upright. Flower position relative to foliage.—Upright in position relative to foliage an average of 40° to 60°. Flower size.—Average 1 cm in height, 3.4 cm in diameter. Flower buds.—7 mm in length to the top of the petal, 10 mm to the top of sepal, 6 mm in width, 137A in color. Flower number.—4 per inflorescence. Flower fragrance.—None. Calyx.—Average of 2.73 cm in diameter and 3.4 mm in depth. Sepals.—Lanceolate in shape, an average of 10 in number per flower with an average of 9.5 mm in length and 5.7 mm in width; sepal margin is entire, 137A in color with anthocyanin absent. Petals.—Average of 5, arrangement of petals is overlapping, average of 1.25 cm in length and 1.39 cm in width, petal apex obtuse, and petal base attenuate to obtuse, margin entire, color N155D on upper surface and 155D on lower surface. Peduncle.—144B in color, an average of 16.02 cm in length and 4.5 mm in diameter, held in a 75° angle facing up towards receptacle, pubescence is medium in density and 1.6 mm in length and NN155D in color. Pedicel.—144C in color, an average of 5.44 cm in length and 1.8 mm in diameter, held in an upwards angle, surface is densely covered with thin soft hairs 0.9 mm in length and NN155D in color. Bracts.—Average of 7, ovate in shape, 1.5 mm in length, 6.4 mm in width, color 146C, surface is moderately covered with thin soft hairs 0.9 mm in length and NN155D in color. Reproductive organs: Gynoecium.—Average of 1.5 mm in length, 0.1 mm in diameter, numerous simple, club-shaped pistils present, average of 233, color; pistils 12B, stigmas 12A, receptacle 144C. Androecium.—Stamens; average of 22 per flower, anther; average of 1.5 mm in length, 0.9 mm in width, 17A in color, pollen; 17A in color and moderate in quantity. Fruit description: Shape.—Conical with some wedge shapes on primaries. Surface.—Smooth with small hairs, 45A in color. Length in relation width is moderately longer. Calyx position.—Variable. Diameter of calyx relative to fruit diameter.—Slightly smaller. Adherence of calyx.—Strong. Glossiness.—Strong. External color (skin).—45A. Internal color.—N34B. Evenness of color of skin.—Slightly uneven. Core of color.—N155B. Fruit sweetness/taste.—Subjective, described as subtle sweetness with moderate acidity, average Brix° 2021=8.31. Fruit firmness of flesh.—Firm. Fruit firmness of skin.—Medium to strong. Fruit weigh (secondary fruit).—Average of 21.75 grams. Fruit quantity.—Average of 36. Fruit size.—3.93 cm in length and 3.52 cm in width. Fruit cavity.—Absent or small/slight. Season of harvest.—Everbearer, May through October with protected table-top culture, South East United Kingdom 2021 records from a March planting and de-blossoming mid-May: 1st fruit: Jun. 24, 2021, 50% pick date: Aug. 16, 2021; last pick date Sep. 23, 2021. Achenes.—2A in color when mature, 0.97 mm in length and 0.78 mm in diameter, smooth and glabrous surface, average of 233 total number of seeds, position below surface. Longevity of fruit.—3 to 5 days from fully ripe and held at 4° C. Shipping quality.—Good, has been observed to exceed 5 days when subjected to typical supply chain conditions.