Patent Grant
PP21549
Latin name of the genus and species of the claimed plant: Dracaena deremensis.
Variety denomination: ‘LAUREN’.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dracaena plant, botanically known as Dracaena deremensis, of the family Agavaceae, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘LAUREN’.
Dracaena is a monocotyledonous tropical foliage plant which can be produced as a single or multi-stemmed plant for interior use or outdoors in shade in zones 9 or 10 only.
The new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ originated from a naturally occurring branch mutation of Dracaena deremensis ‘DR9901ART’ (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,814). The new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ was discovered and selected by the inventor, William Vasquez Ulate, in June of 2006 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated mutation in a controlled environment in Palmares, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Asexual reproduction of the new Dracaena by vegetative, air layer, or rooted cuttings was first performed in June of 2006 in Palmares, Alajuela, Costa Rica, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘LAUREN’, which in combination distinguish this Dracaena as a new and distinct cultivar:
Plants of the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ differ from plants of the parental cultivar, Dracaena deremensis ‘DR9901ART’ (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,814) in the characteristics described in Table 1.
Dracaena
deremensis
Dracaena
deremensis
Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ is the parental cultivar, Dracaena deremensis ‘DR9901ART’ (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,814) as described in the foregoing Table 1.
The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describes the color of ‘LAUREN’. The accompanying photographs show the distinctive green-white variegated foliage streaks of a mature, typical plant of ‘LAUREN’, following growth under appropriate growing conditions with colors being as true as possible with illustrations of this type.
The new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.
The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ as grown in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Apopka, Fla., under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Plants of the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ are grown with an average day temperature of 90° F. and an average night temperature of 75° F. Plants of the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ are grown under light conditions of about 80% shade from natural sunlight and about 80% relative humidity. Plants of the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’ are applied 1) a liquid 24-8-16 fertilizer weekly, and 2) a granular Nutricote 18-6-12 fertilizer every 100 days. No growth retardants are used when growing plants of the new Dracaena ‘LAUREN’.
Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2001 edition except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. The photographs and descriptions were taken during the summer season of 2009 in Apopka, Fla., when outdoor day temperatures averaged 90° F. and outdoor night temperatures averaged 75° F. The age of the plants described is 3 months, after planted from rooted cuttings.
