Patent Grant
PP23648
Botanical classification: Sedum reflexum.
Variety denomination: ‘Nonen’.
This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applications that pertain to plants derived from the same parentage, the Applications are entitled Sedum Plant named ‘Nonah’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,393), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonal’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,412), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonar’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,392), Sedum Plant named ‘Noneb’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,413), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonic’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,394), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonist’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,411), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonot’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,312), Sedum Plant named ‘Noniw’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/200,692), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonow’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,323), and Sedum Plant named ‘Nonul’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,381).
During the last several decades, botanists and horticulturists have disagreed as to whether the species Sedum reflexum and Sedum rupestre are truly distinct. An examination of today's most useful literature (Handbook of Cultivated Sedums by Ronald L. Evans, and Sedum Cultivated Stonecrops by Ray Stephenson) are no different. Evans treats them as distinct species and Stephenson refers to them as synonymous and correctly identified as Sedum rupestre. The Applicant, a biologist, sides with Evans, and believes that there are sufficient morphological differences between the two plants as to be easily distinguished and to warrant recognition as two distinct species. Therefore, because the subject plant of this application is the result of cross breeding two cultivars, which conform to Evans description of Sedum reflexum (most notably foliage that covers the entire length of the stem, vs. just the distal end), the species, throughout this application, is referred to as Sedum reflexum.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant, botanically known as Sedum reflexum ‘Nonen’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Nonen’. The new cultivar of Sedum is a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape and container plant and is particularly suitable as a ground cover ‘Nonen’ was selected as a single unique plant in March of 2009 from amongst 10,000 seedlings that arose from a deliberate cross between Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ (not patented) as the female parent and an unnamed plant of Sedum reflexum as the male parent.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in August of 2009 in Nunica, Mich. Propagation by cuttings and crown division has determined the characteristics to be stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Nonen’ as a unique cultivar of sedum.
The male parent, an unnamed plant of Sedum reflexum, differs from ‘Nonen’ in having gray-blue foliage during spring, summer, fall and winter. The female parent, ‘Angelina’, differs in having chartreuse foliage that turns variably yellow, amber, or orange during the fall and winter. ‘Nonen’ can be compared to other cultivars of Sedum reflexum (all are un-patented), which differ from ‘Nonen’ in the following characteristics: ‘Green Spruce’; a weak grower that is colored dark green during spring summer and fall, and burgundy-green during winter, ‘Sea Gold’; a weak growing cream and gray-blue variegated cultivar, and ‘Sandy's Silver Crest’; a form that turns purple in strong sunlight and has new growth of contrasting yellow-white.
‘Nonen’ can be compared to other cultivars selected amongst seedlings from the same cross; ‘Nonist’, ‘Nonah’, ‘Nonal’, and ‘Nonar’, ‘Nonul’, ‘Nonot’, ‘Noneb’, ‘Nonic’, ‘Noniw’, and ‘Nonow’, ‘Nonist’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge blue-gray and change to blue-green in maturity before becoming suffused with red-purple during fall and winter. Its habit reaches 6 to 7 inches tall. ‘Nonah’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge yellow-green often variably suffused with purple-red and holds this color throughout summer. During fall and winter the purple red hues intensify. Its growth habit 6 inches tall. ‘Nonal’ differs from ‘Nonen’ in having leaves that emerge clear yellow and stay clear yellow throughout summer. During late fall and winter it becomes variably suffused with red-purple. Its growth habit reaches 5 inches tall. ‘Nonar’ differs from ‘Nonen’ in that it has leaves that emerge bright yellow and stay bright yellow color until fall and winter when they change to hues of burnt orange. The exception is the leaves on the lower ⅔ of the floral stem which are suffused with burnt orange during the summer. Its growth habit reaches 4 inches tall. ‘Nonul’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves emerge pale bluish-green and stay pale bluish-green throughout summer. During fall and winter the leaves become variably suffused with grayed-purple hues. Its growth habit reaches 5 inches tall. ‘Nonot’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge chartreuse-yellow and stay chartreuse-yellow throughout summer. During fall and winter the leaves become variably suffused with red-purple. Its growth habit reaches 7 inches tall. ‘Noneb’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge gray-green and mature to medium blue variably suffused with red-purple before changing predominantly to red-purple during late fall and winter. Its growth habit reaches 5 inches tall. ‘Nonic’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge sky blue and stay sky blue during summer until fall when they change to violet-blue. Its growth habit reaches 4 inches tall. ‘Noniw’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge bright yellow, mature to light green during summer, then become red-tipped during fall and winter. Its growth habit reaches 5 inches tall. ‘Nonow’ differs from ‘Nonen’ by having leaves that emerge chartreuse and mature to mid-green and stays mid-green throughout summer, fall and winter. Its growth habit reaches 7 inches in height. All eleven cultivars have flat-topped, somewhat dropping inflorescences, borne on leafy upright stems. All have flower buds that are bright yellow and flower petals that are bright lemon yellow.
The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Sedum.
The photograph was taken of a 2 year-old plant of ‘Nonen’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich.
The photograph in
The 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 Sedum using The R.H.S. Colour Chart.
The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observed on 2 year-old plants of ‘Nonen’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich. 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 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
