Botanical designation: Phlox subulata.
Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOLAPIN’.
CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS
A European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Jun. 17, 2024, application number 2024/1413. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox subulata, commonly called Creeping or Moss Phlox and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophlolapin’.
The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Creeping Phlox plants with attractive flowers.
The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB09-000010-009, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB09-000004-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April, 2014.
Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since June, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlolapin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophlolapin’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:
- 1. Outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit.
- 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
- 3. Medium green-colored leaves.
- 4. Freely flowering habit.
- 5. Relatively late flowering.
- 6. Red purple-colored flowers with darker red purple-colored centers.
- 7. Good garden performance.
Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have red purple-colored flowers with darker red purple-colored centers whereas plants of the female parent selection have purple-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flowering time as plants of the new Phlox flower later in the spring than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Phlox flower later than plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’.
- 2. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have red purple-colored flowers with darker red purple-colored centers whereas plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ have lavender blue-colored flowers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH
The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox 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 colors of the new Phlox plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophlolapin’ grown in a container.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring in containers in an outdoor nursery in Puerto Lumbreras, Spain under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting rooted young plants and plants were 46 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
- Botanical classification: Phlox subulata ‘Dophlolapin’.
- Parentage:
- Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB09-000010-009, not patented.
- Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB09-000004-002, not patented.
- Propagation:
- Type.—By vegetative cuttings.
- Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at temperatures about 26° C.
- Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 23° C.
- Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days at temperatures about 23° C.
- Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 18° C.
- Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically white to light yellow 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; outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and slow growth rate.
- Plant height.—About 21 cm.
- Plant width (spread).—About 20 cm.
- Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit with about eight primary lateral branches each with about six secondary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances branching potential. Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 90° from vertical. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color, developing: Close to 181C. Color, developed: Close to 144D.
- Leaf description:
- Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.
- Length.—About 2.2 cm.
- Width.—About 3 mm.
- Shape.—Lanceolate, subulate.
- Apex.—Acuminate.
- Base.—Cuneate.
- Margin.—Entire.
- Texture and luster, upper and lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.
- Venation pattern.—Hyphodromous, only midvein discernible.
- Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137C.
- Flower description:
- Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers arranged in terminal and lateral panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with about three open flowers per inflorescence and about 135 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.
- Fragrance.—Fragrant, sweet and pleasant.
- Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 46 weeks after planting; plants flower for about three to four weeks during the late spring in the garden in Spain; flowers not persistent.
- Flower buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to N74A.
- Inflorescence height.—About 6 cm.
- Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.5 cm.
- Flower diameter.—About 2.3 cm by 2.3 cm.
- Flower depth.—About 2.3 cm.
- Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.
- Flower tube length.—About 1.3 cm.
- Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.
- Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe length: About 1 cm. Lobe width: About 1 cm. Lobe shape: Obcordate. Lobe apex: Emarginate. Lobe margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74B; towards the throat, close to 60A; venation, close to N74B; color does not change with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N74B; venation, close to N74B; color does not change with subsequent development. Throat: Close to 60A; venation, close to 60A. Tube: Close to N74C; venation, close to N74C.
- Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular in shape. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid, subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Pubescent; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 143A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 143A.
- Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 30° from lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 144B.
- Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Low. Aspect: About 20° from peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 186A.
- Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 23A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 12A. Style length: About 9 mm. Style color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 143A.
- Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Phlox.
- Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, temperatures ranging from about −35° C. to about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9.
- Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox plants.
Patent Grant
PP36464
