BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT
The present invention comprises a
new and distinct cultivar of Hosta, botanically known as Hosta sp. and
hereinafter referred to by the
cultivar name 'Regal Supreme'. The
new cultivar originated from a
naturally-occurring whole-plant
mutation in Barneveld, The
Netherlands, of the parent Hosta plant 'Krossa Regal' (unpatented).
The new cultivar was found and
selected in an outdoor controlled
environment in August 2003 from the
results of the naturally-occurring
whole-plant mutation in Barneveld,
The Netherlands. The present
invention has been found to retain
its distinctive characteristics
through successive asexual
propagations.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The following are the most
outstanding and distinguishing
characteristics of this new cultivar
when grown under normal
horticultural practices in
Barneveld, The Netherlands.
1. Green, ovate leaves
flushed with greyed-green and having
a wide, yellow leaf margin;
2. A broad inverted triangle
plant shape;
3. Moderate to high vigor;
and
4. Purple to violet flowers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
This new Hosta plant is illustrated
by the accompanying photographs
which show blooms and foliage of the
plant in full color, the colors
shown being as true as can be
reasonably obtained by conventional
photographic procedures. The
photographs are of a 1-year-old
plant grown outdoors in Bameveld,
The Netherlands.
FIG. 1 shows the overall plant
habit, including inflorescence and
foliage.
FIG. 2 shows the mature
inflorescence of the plant.
FIG. 3 shows a mature leaf of the
plant.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR
The following detailed description
sets forth the distinctive
characteristics of 'Regal Supreme'.
The data which define these
characteristics were collected from
asexual reproductions carried out in
Barneveld, The Netherlands. The
plant history was taken in July on
1-year-old plants grown in 15 liter
containers which were planted and
grown outdoors in daytime
temperatures between 12° C. and 30°
C. and nighttime temperatures
between 4° C. and 16° C. No
pinchings, growth retardants or
photoperiodic treatments were used.
Observations were made when the
plants were in natural outdoor
light. Color references are
primarily to the The
Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart of London (R.H.S.) (2001).
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
Classification:
- Family:
Funkiaceae.
- Botanical:
Hosta sp.
- Common name: Hosta.
+ Parentage: Naturally
occurring whole-plant mutation of '
Krossa Regal' (unpatented).
Plant:
- Form: Herbaceous perennial.
- Habit and vigor: Broad,
spreading-upright, inflorescences
grow from a basal rosette of leaves;
moderate to high vigor.
- Shape: Broad inverted
triangle with flowers on top.
- Height: 25.5 cm (2.1 in.) to the top
of the foliage; 79.4.0 cm (1.6 in.) to the top
of the inflorescence.
- Diameter: 54.6 cm 1.8 in.) .
- Growth rate: 20.0 cm (7.9 in.) per
month.
- Flowering response: 9
months.
- Flowering
habit: Continuously from July to
September.
- Time to produce a finished
flowering
Plant: 20 weeks.
- High temperature
tolerance: Tolerant to at least 95°
F.
- Lower temperature
tolerance: Tolerant to at least −22°
F.
- Roots: Crθme-white, sparse
to moderate, thick, fibrous.
Leaves:
- Arrangement: Singe, basal
rosette.
- Quantity of leaves (per
rosette): 7.
- Durability to
stress: Moderate to high.
- Shape: Ovate, moderately
carinate.
- Apex: Apiculate.
- Base: Attenuate.
- Margin: Entire.
- Color (mature leaves): Upper
surface: RHS 137B (Green), flushed
with RHS 189A (Greyed-green); margin
RHS 150D (Yellow) to RHS 4D
(Yellow-green) and RHS 8C near the
tip. Lower surface: RHS 137A
(Green), covered with a thin RHS
188A to RHS 188B (Greyed-green) waxy
layer; margin RHS 8D (Yellow).
- Color (immature
leaves): Upper surface: RHS 137B
(Green), flushed with RHS 189A
(Greyed-green); margin RHS 150D
(Yellow) to RHS 4D (Yellow-green).
Lower surface: RHS 137A (Green),
covered with a thin RHS 188A to RHS
188B (Greyed-green) waxy layer;
margin RHS 8D (Yellow).
- Size: Length: 19.0 cm (3.5 in.) .
Width: 10.6 cm (0.25 in.) .
- Texture: Dull, smooth,
furrowed on veins.
- Pubescence: Absent.
- Venation: Pattern:
Camptodrome. Color: Upper surface:
RHS 137B (Green), margins RHS 6D
(Yellow). Lower surface: Main vein
RHS 144A to RHS 144B, secondary
veins RHS 137A (Green), margins RHS
6D (Yellow).
- Petiole: Shape: V-shaped.
Length: 17.6 cm. Width: 1.2 cm (0.5 in.) .
Height: 0.9 cm (0.35 in.) . Color: Upper
surface: RHS 137B (Green) striped
and margin RHS 150D (Yellow) to RHS
4D (Yellow-green). Lower surface:
RHS 144A (Yellow-green) to RHS 144B
(Yellow-green) covered with a thin
waxy layer RHS 188A (Greyed-green)
to RHS 188B (Greyed-green), margin
RHS 150D (Yellow) to RHS 4D
(Yellow-green).
Flower Buds:
- Color: RHS 76A (Purple) to
RHS 85A (Violet), at the tip RHS
147B (Yellow-green).
- Shape: Oblanceolate
- Size: Length: 2.3 cm (1.2 in.) .
Diameter: 0.4.0 cm (1.6 in.) .
- Rate of opening: Per
flowering stem, approximately 5%
opens at once, all flowers per
inflorescence have opened within
approximately 4 weeks.
Inflorescence:
- Blooming habit: Continuous
from July to September.
- Inflorescence type and
arrangement: Self cleaning; terminal
raceme.
- Natural flowering
season: Summer to late summer.
- Habit: Basal rosette with
flowering stem developing from the
center.
- Number of stems: 2.
- Flowering stem: Length: 78.8 cm (3.1 in.) . Diameter: 0.70 cm.
- Height (from lowest flower
to top of inflorescence): 20.1 cm.
- Width: 9.4.0 cm (1.6 in.) .
- Fragrance: Absent.
- Flower number (per
inflorescence): 16.
- Quantity of flowers per
lateral stem: 13.
- Quantity of flower buds per
lateral stem: 13.
- Quantity of flower and buds
per
Plant: 32.
- Flower longevity on
Plant: 3
days.
Peduncle:
- Color: RHS 137C (Green),
covered with a thin waxy layer, RHS
188A (Greyed-green) to RHS 188B
(Greyed-green).
- Length: 59.3 cm (3.7 in.) .
- Diameter: 0.7 cm (0.28 in.) .
- Angle: 10° (0° is straight
upright).
- Strength: Strong.
Pedicel:
- Color: RHS N187B
(Greyed-purple).
- Length: 0.6 cm (0.25 in.) .
- Diameter: 0.2 cm (0.08 in.) .
- Angle: 110° (0° is straight
on top of the peduncle).
- Strength: Strong.
Floral bract:
- Location: At the base of
each pedicel.
- Number: One.
- Shape: Ovate, concave.
- Length: 2.4.0 cm (1.6 in.) . (0.9 in.)
- Width: 0.17 cm (6.7 in.) .
- Apex: Acute.
- Base: Cuneate.
- Color: Upper surface: RHS
147B (Yellow-green) to RHS 147C
(Yellow-green), margin RHS 159A
(Orange-white) to RHS 159B
(Orange-white). Lower surface: RHS
144A (Yellow-green), margin RHS 156D
(Yellow-green) to RHS 159A
(Orange-white) to RHS 159B
(Orange-white).
Flowers:
- Type: Campanulate.
- Shape: Campanulate.
- Aspect: Outward, slightly
drooping.
- Fragrance: Absent.
- Size: Height (flower depth):
5.0 cm (1.9 in.) . Diameter: 3.6 cm.
- Tepals: Arrangement: Rotate,
fused into campanulate shape, upper
⅓ of the tepals are free. Shape:
Oblanceolate. Appearance: Dull,
smooth. Number: 6, based fused with
the upper 37.5% of tepals free.
Size: Length: 4.8 cm (1.9 in.) . Width: 1.3 cm (1.2 in.) .
Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color
(when opening): Upper surface: RHS
76A (Purple). Lower surface: In
between RHS 76A (Purple) to RHS 76B.
(Purple) and RHS 85A (Violet). Color
(fully opened): Upper surface: RHS
76A (Purple). Lower surface: In
between RHS 76A (Purple) to RHS 76B.
(Purple) and RHS 85A (Violet). Color
fading to: RHS 85A (Violet). Texture
(both surfaces): Dull, smooth.
Reproductive organs:
- Stamens: Quantity: 6.
- Anther: Shape: Dorsifixed,
narrow oblong; filament curled.
Length: 0.4.0 cm (1.6 in.) . Length of filament: 4.6 cm (1.8 in.) . Color: RHS N187A (Greyed-purple);
filament colored RHS 155A (white),
flushed RHS 76C (purple); base RHS
145C (Yellow-green).
- Pollen: Amount: Moderate.
Color: RHS 12B (Yellow).
- Pistil: Quantity: 1. Length:
4.9 cm (3.5 in.) .
- Style: Length: 4.85 cm (33.5 in.) .
Color: RHS 76C (Violet), lighter
towards the base RHS 85B to RHS 85D.
- Stigma: Shape: Crested.
Color: RHS 155C (White).
- Ovary color: RHS 144A
(Yellow-green) to RHS 144B
(Yellow-green), striped darker RHS
147A to RHS 147B.
Fruit and Seed Set: No
fruit or seeds detected to date.
Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance
or susceptibility to diseases or
insects noted to date.
COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND
COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS
'Regal Supreme' differs from the
commercial Hosta sp. variety 'Tom
Schmid' (unpatented), by having a
much wider leaf margin of color than 'Tom Schmid'.
'Regal Supreme' differs from the
parent Hosta sp. variety 'Krossa Regal' (unpatented), in that 'Regal Supreme' has a wide leaf margin of
color while 'Krossa Regal' does not
have a leaf margin of color.
'Regal Supreme' differs from the
commercial variety 'Forest Fire' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,644) in that 'Regal Supreme' has leaves that are
ovate, moderately carinate with
apiculate apices, while 'Forest Fire' has broadly ovate to cordate
leaves with cuspidate apices.
According to the U.S. government, a new Hosta cultivar is an "invention". Therefore, it is
eligible to receive a patent, just like Edison's electric light
bulb. In the case of hostas and other plants, a patent means
that for the next 20 years, nobody may propagate and sell this
cultivar without providing compensation to the owner of the
patent. This is a different process than registering a Hosta with 
