<i>Coreopsis </i>plant named ‘Iron Lady’

Abstract

A new cultivar of hybrid Coreopsis plant named ‘Iron Lady’ that is characterized by its compact, densely bushy plant habit reaching an average of 35 cm in height and 50 cm in width, its a floriferous and long blooming season of its nearly sterile inflorescences that do not require deadheading; bloom commences in late-June and lasts until frost in Kensington, Conn., its medium sized inflorescences with ray florets that are light yellow in color and flushed with red at the base, its flower intitiation without the need for vernalization, its resistance to powdery mildew and leafspot, and its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 5.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Iron Lady’ as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs were taken of a 3-month-old plant of ‘Iron Lady’ as grown outdoors in a one-gallon container in Encinitas, Calif.

(2) The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Iron Lady’ and shows the plant habit in bloom.

(3) The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Iron Lady’.

(4) The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(5) The following is a detailed description of 3-month-old plants of ‘Iron Lady’ as grown outdoors in one-gallon containers in Belchertown, Mass. 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 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. General description: Blooming period.—Blooms from late-June until frost in Kensington, Conn. Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial. Plant habit.—Clump-forming, bushy and compact, upright leafy flowering stems with inflorescences held above the foliage. Height and spread.—Reaches an average of 35 cm in height and 50 cm in width as grown in a one-gallon container. Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 5. Diseases and pests.—Resistance to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii). Root description.—Fibrous and fine, NN155A in color. Propagation.—Stem cuttings. Time required for root initiation.—An average of 10 days for root initiation. Growth rate.—Vigorous, but stays densely compact. Stem description: Shape.—Flattened, solid. Stem color.—139A and 139B. Stem strength.—Strong. Stem size.—Main stems; an average of 25 cm in length and 5 mm in width, lateral stems; an average of 6 cm in length (excluding peduncles) and 3 mm in width. Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, vertically ridged surface, moderately covered with villous hairs up to 2 mm in length, NN155C in color, slightly transluscent. Branching habit.—Freely branched, an average of 30 basal main stems, lateral stems typically branched as oppositely arranged pairs at each node. Internode length.—An average of 3 cm. Foliage description: Leaf division.—Simple. Leaf margins.—Entire, bi-fid and trifid. Leaf size.—Entire leaves; an average of 9.5 cm in length and 7 cm in width, trifid leaves; center lobe an average of 7 cm in length and 1 cm in width, lateral lobes an average of 4 cm in length and in 5 mm width. Leaf shape.—Linear. Leaf base.—Cuneate. Leaf apex.—Acute. Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, same color as leaf. Leaf attachment.—Sessile. Leaf arrangement.—Opposite. Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces; dull Upper and lower surfaces; dull and very sparsely to moderately covered with villous hairs at the base, up to 2 mm in length, NN155A in color. Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface; between 139A and 139B, lower surface; 139A. Flower description: Inflorescence type.—Composite with a single row of ray florets surrounding disc florets in the center, forming a radiant head, inflorescences are borne on branch terminals in loose corymbs. Lastingness of inflorescence.—8 to 10 days until senescence of ray flowers, phyllarys and disc flowers are persistent. Fragrance.—Mild citrus scent. Quantity of inflorescences.—Free flowering, an average of 8 corymbs per main branch, an average of 4 composites per corymb. Inflorescence size.—Corymbs; up to 20 cm in length and 14 cm in width, composite; an average of 2.5 cm in depth and 5 cm in diameter. Inflorescence buds.—Globose and flattened in shape, an average of 4 mm in depth and 5 mm in diameter, dull surface; color; a blend of 137A and 138A. Peduncle.—Rounded in shape, strong, an average of 10 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter, 139A in color, smooth and glabrous surface. Phyllaries (involucral bracts): Phyllary number.—2 rows; outer (lower) row 8, inner (upper) row 8. Phyllary arrangement.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; 1% fused, pointing upward, inner (upper) phyllaries; surround receptacle with 30% of apical portion free, curved downward. Phyllary size.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; an average of 8 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width, inner (upper) phyllaries; an average of 6 mm in length and 3 mm in width. Phyllary color.—Upper and lower surfaces, outer (lower) phyllaries; 139A, base 139C, inner (upper) phyllaries; transluscent, 11A, base and center 139B. Phyllary texture.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; glabrous and smooth on both surfaces, inner (upper) phyllaries; glabrous, slightly transluscent and slightly waxy on both surfaces. Phyllary apex.—Acute. Phyllary base.—Truncate. Phyllary shape.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; elliptic, very slightly lanceolate, inner (upper) phyllaries; broadly lanceolate. Ray florets (sterile): Number.—8. Shape.—Oblanceolate, with the appearance of 3 longitudinal sections. Size.—An average of 2 cm in length and 1.3 cm in width. Apex.—Rounded with notched and undulate lobes. Base.—Cuneate. Margins.—Entire and very slightly undulate. Aspect.—Held mainly horizontal and slightly upwards, perpendicular to peduncle. Texture.—Upper surface; satiny, velvety, glabrous and dull, lower surface; glabrous and dull. Color.—Upper surface when opening and fully open; base 187A, center a blend of 59A and 187C, outer portion and margins 2A, lower surface when opening and fully open; 7A. Disc florets (male and female): Number.—An average of 120. Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared and slightly curled at apex. Size.—About 6 mm in length and 2 mm in width. Color.—En masse; 22A, individual; corolla (tube) base and mid-section transluscent, 162D in color. Receptacle.—An average of 8 mm in diameter and 5 mm in depth, 144A in color. Reproductive organs: Presence.—Disc flowers only. Gynoecium.—1 Pistil; an average of 5 mm in length, style; very fine and 19B in color, bifid pillose, stigma; 22A in color with recurved branches about 0.4 mm in length, ovary is inferior, oblong in shape, an average of 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width, and 145C in color. Androecium.—4 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style, an average of 3 mm in length and less than 0.5 mm in width, 200A in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and 22A in color. Seed.—Seed development has not been observed, observed to be nearly sterile.