Patent Grant
PP33157
Latin name: Ericameria laricifolia.
Varietal denomination: ‘Butterbloom’.
Turpentine bush, Ericameria laricifolia is an evergreen, much branched, bright green shrub with soft, needle like resinous leaves native to much of southwestern North America between the elevations of about 2500-6000 feet. Ericameria laricifolia is a member of the Ericameria section of the genus Ericameria which is a member of the Astereae tribe of the sunflower family, Asteraceae. Ericameria laricifolia can be found in the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the U.S. and in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico.
Turpentine bush illuminates the hillsides and mountains of the Southwest with its bright yellow flowers from August-November, although some flowers can be produced nearly year round under favorable conditions. Plants in the wild vary in size from as small as 1×1 foot (height×width) to as large as 4×6 feet depending upon site growth conditions and population variation.
Turpentine bush is a popular landscape plant in the southwestern U.S. finding uses as a foundation plant, low informal or clipped hedge, seasonal color plant as well as a specimen shrub. In cultivation most cultivars will reach the larger maximum size listed above without pruning. Ericameria laricifolia generally tolerates pruning well and is long lived in the landscape.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ericameria laricifolia. The new cultivar originated as a single plant grown from seeds collected from a nursery population of unnamed open pollinated Ericameria plants in 2008 near Tucson, Ariz. and is the object of this application. The new plant is notable by its unique dense and even growth form, distinguishable from its possible female parent. The male parent is unknown. The nursery population which contained both parents is highly variable in growth form but generally more open and less dense than ‘Butterbloom’. Most available turpentine bushes are seed grown from open pollinated source plants and are generally relatively open in growth form.
Among the features that distinguish the new turpentine bush cultivar from all other available and commercial varieties of turpentine bush known to the inventor are the following combination of characteristics: plants of even and compact growth form, as if hedged as well as very tolerant of pruning. Irrigated plants at 4 years of age are about 3 feet tall by 5 feet wide.
The propagation procedure is as follows: Cuttings are taken from long sprouts with growth less than one year old. These sprouts are cut into 3 inch long cuttings, then placed in DIP'N GRO™ solution (20 parts water to 1 part DIP'N GRO™) for 15 seconds, then planted into a tray filled with a 50% peat/50% perlite mix. Trays are placed into a rooting greenhouse maintained between 70-85° F. and relative humidity between 85-93% under mist watering. Bottom heat is applied as needed during the cool season only. Rooting is generally completed within 3½ weeks.
The foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions, such that the phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.
The accompanying photographs illustrate Ericameria laricifolia ‘Butterbloom’ growing near Tucson, Ariz., depicted in color as nearly correct as it is possible to make in a color illustration of the character.
The following is a detailed description of the new turpentine bush plant based upon potted plants at about age 1 year and a more mature specimen growing near Tucson, Ariz. aged 4 years.
The color descriptions are based upon the 5th edition R.H.S. Colour Chart. Color names other than common usage are as listed in COLOR Universal Language and Dictionary of Names, by Kenneth L. Kelly and Deane B. Judd; National Bureau of Standards special publication 440. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, December 1976.
Plant a much branched evergreen shrub, reaching 3 feet tall×5 feet tall by age 4 years.
The inventor knows no other patented Ericameria laricifolia cultivars. Two existing unpatented cultivars have been available in the nursery trade. ‘Desert Mountain’ is a seed based cultivar from a wild population in North Scottsdale. The plants are quite variable as this is an open pollinated population of plants. ‘Desert Mountain’ has been widely used for revegetation in the Phoenix area. In general, these plants have a feathery form growing to 2-3 feet tall×2-3 feet wide. This cultivar seems to have gone out of production, as the original grower no longer lists it either on its availability or grow lists. Cultivar ‘Aguirre’ is a clonal selection from New Mexico selected for showy flowers and rich green foliage. This cultivar is listed as growing to 2-3 feet tall and wide. A third cultivar called ‘Texas Canyon’ can be found listed on internet information sites, but no nurseries can be found that produce or sell it.
Compared to ‘Desert Mountain’, Ericameria ‘Butterbloom’ is more uniform, dense and even in growth habit. Bushes of ‘Butterbloom’ are rounded, compared to the feathery form of ‘Desert Mountain’.
Compared to ‘Aguirre’, ‘Butterbloom’ is more uniform, dense and less open in growth form. Compared to the other cultivar descriptions, ‘Butterbloom’ is larger and less tall than wide at 3 feet tall×5 feet wide in the 4 year old individual examined. It should be noted that the phenotype of this species is quite plastic in response to both light and available water, such that the existing cultivars might reach sizes similar to ‘Butterbloom’ under favorable conditions.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200113097 P1 | Apr 2020 | US |
