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Texas AgriLife Research releases two new winter-hardy hibiscus cultivars


Texas, USA
September 16, 2011

Source: Texas A&M Plant Breeding Bulletin

Blue Angel and Robert Brown Winter-Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus x moscheutos L.) Blue Angel and Robert Brown are two new and distinct cultivars of winter-hardy hibiscus developed and released by Dariusz Malinowski, Steve Brown, and William Pinchak, Texas AgriLife Research, Vernon, TX.

Blue Angel has deeply cut leaves that are green with purplish veins. Plants are intensively branched at the bottom and reach heights of 1 m. Flower color is pale II purple (RHS 91 C) in full sunlight in the morning hours (Fig. I), and changes to light violet (RHS 92B) as the flower matures in the afternoon. The bluish flower color becomes more intensive in shade or during days with overcast. The center eye is red on the outside edge, becoming dark brown towards the center of the flower. Seed pods are small (0.5 cm diameter) and contain 4 to 6 seeds.



Robert Brown has flowers that are deep purplish pink (RHS 67C) with randomly distributed white stripes. The center eye is light red on the outside edge, becoming brown towards the center of the flower. Robert Brown plants are intensively branched at the bottom and also reach heights of 1 m. Seed pods contain 6–12 seeds.

All colors are as described by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Color Chart 7 (Royal Hort. Soc. and Flower Council of Holland, 2007).

Both Blue Angel Robert Brown cultivars were evaluated for two years in Vernon, TX (USDA hardiness zone 7a) and have proven to be fully cold-hardy at this location where the lowest temperature recorded during the evaluation was -17°C in February 2011. Long-term trials have not been conducted in other regions. Considering winter hardiness of their parentage components, it is anticipated Blue Angel hibiscus will be well adapted to USDA hardiness zone 5 and higher, while Robert Brown will be adapted to zones 4-11. Both are well suited for use as a single specimen plant for small gardens where their architecture and unique flower colors can be best displayed. As with other winter-hardy hibiscus cultivars, Blue Angel and Robert Brown should be planted in full sun to promote maximum plant development and blooming. No diseases or insect pests have been observed on these cultivars at Vernon, TX. However, as with other species in the mallow family, they may be susceptible to cotton root rot caused by the fungus Phymatotrichum omnivorum, especially when grown in areas where cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is cultivated.

U.S. Plant Patents are pending for Blue Angel and Robert Brown winter-hardy hibiscus cultivars with rights assigned to the Texas A&M University System. Propagation and production rights have not been assigned to a specific commercial partner to date.



More news from: Texas A&M AgriLife


Website: http://agrilife.org/

Published: September 16, 2011

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