Catharanthus Plant Named ‘CARZ0001’

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Catharathus roseus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Catharanthus variety ‘CARZ0001’ disclosed in the present application has shown uniformity and stability, as described in the following section. Catharanthus variety ‘CARZ0001’ disclosed in the present application has been asexually reproduced a sufficient number of generations with careful attention to uniformity of plant type and has been increased with continued observation for uniformity.

Origin of ‘CARZ0001’

‘CARZ0001’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘CARZ0001’ has medium sized lavender (RHS N80B) and white (RHS NN155D) colored flowers, excellent flower production, moderate plant size and uniform mounding and somewhat spreading habit with medium green foliage.

‘CARZ000l’ originates from a planned hybridization in an indoor greenhouse in October 2017 in Gilroy, California. The female parent was identified as ‘CATFH2744-3S’, having medium flowers of lavender and white color, upright habit, and being pollen sterile compared to ‘CARZ0001’. The male parent was identified as ‘CATFH2744-4’, having flowers of lavender and white color and upright habit, in contrast to ‘CARZ0001’.

The seed was sown in May 2018 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, California. ‘CARZ0001’ was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in October 2018.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘CARZ0001’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in January 2019 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, California.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the original plant in January 2019, in Gilroy, California, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘CARZ0001’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘CARZ0001’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, disease exposure, and day length.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 6th edition, 2015.

TABLE 1

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY

‘CARZ0001’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY

‘Titan Lavender

‘CARZ0001’ Blue Halo’ (Unpatented)

Flower Medium sized lavender and Lavender on outer petals

color: white with medium sized white

center

Disease Known disease resistance No known disease resistance

resistance: to Phytophthora nicotianae to Phytophthora nicotianae

Plant habit: Mounded and somewhat Mounded and compact

spreading

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a close view of an inflorescence. Taken on Jan. 3, 2023 in Gilroy, CA.

FIG. 2 shows a whole flowering plant. Taken on Aug. 16, 2023 in Monroeville, NJ.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, California in April 2024. The plants were approximately 14 weeks old and were growing in 4.5″ pots in a greenhouse.

• Plant:

•

• Form, growth and habit .—Semi-woody, grown as an annual; mounded and somewhat spreading habit; very well branched. • Plant height.— 24 cm. • Plant height ( inflorescence included ).—25 cm. • Plant width.— 30 cm. • USDA Hardiness Zone.— 10-11. • Roots:

•

• Description .—Fibrous, freely branching. • Habit .—Taproot with smaller, branching lateral roots. • Color .—Closest to RHS NN155C. • Foliage:

•

• Type .—Opposite. • Immature, leaf color, upper surface .—Closest to RHS 144C. • Lower surface .—Closest to RHS 146B. • Mature, leaf color, upper surface .—Closest to RHS 141A. • Lower surface .—Closest to RHS 143A. • Vein color, upper surface .—Closest to RHS 145A. • Vein color, lower surface .—Closest to RHS 145D. • Length.— 10.0-13.0 cm. • Width.— 2.5-4.5 cm. • Shape .—Ovate. • Base shape .—Acute. • Apex shape .—Acuminate. • Margin .—Entire. • Texture, upper .—Smooth. • Texture, lower surface .—Smooth. • Pattern of veining .—Pinnate. • Petioles color .—Closest to RHS 142B. • Petioles length.— 0.4-1.4 cm. • Diameter of petiole.— 0.20 cm. • Texture ( upper and lower surface ).—Smooth. • Stem.—

•

• Color of stem .—Closest to RHS 142B. • Length of stem.— 20-25 cm. • Diameter.— 0.4-0.6 cm. • Length of internodes.— 3.0-6.5 cm. • Texture .—Smooth. • Inflorescence:

•

• Type .—Panicle. • Blooming habit .—Flowers continuously from spring through fall. • Number of open flowers per inflorescence .—About 2-6. • Quantity of inflorescences per plant .—About 24-36. • Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant .—About 2 weeks (depending on temperatures). • Fragrance .—Rose. • Flower:

•

• Arrangement .—Arising from upper leaf axils, freely flowering, facing upwards and outwards. • Floret form.—Salverform, tube with disc of petals. • Length of floret.— 6.1 cm. • Width of floret.— 6.1 cm. • Depth of floret.— 2.8 cm. • Peduncle length.— 0.3 cm. • Peduncle diameter.— 0.2 cm. • Peduncle texture .—Smooth. • Peduncle color .—RHS 141C. • Petal arrangement .—Overlapping. • Petal number.— 5. • Petal shape .—Obovate. • Petal length.— 2.9 cm. • Petal width.— 3.0-3.6 cm. • Petal eye zone diameter.— 0.6-1.2 cm. • Young floret, color upper surface .—RHS N80B and RHS NN155D. • Young floret, color lower surface .—RHS NN155B. • Mature florets, color upper surface .—RHS N80B and RHS NN155D. • Mature floret, color lower surface .—RHS NN155B. • Apex shape .—Cuspidate. • Degree of lobation .—Deep. • Margin .—Crenate. • Base .—Fused. • Texture, upper surface .—Smooth. • Lower surface .—Smooth. • Tube, color outer surface .—Closest to RHS 145C and RHS N80B. • Tube, color inner surface .—Closest to RHS 145C. • Tube, length.— 2.5-3.0 cm. • Tube, diameter ( at opening ).—0.20 cm. • Tube, texture outer surface .—Smooth. • Inner surface .—Smooth. • Bract number per flower.— 0. • Sepal number per flower.— 5. • Sepal shape.— 0.6 cm at the widest point. • Sepal margin .—Smooth. • Bud (just before opening):

•

• Color .—RHS 157B. • Length.— 1.8 cm. • Width.— 0.6 cm at the widest point. • Shape .—Tubular. • Bract:

•

• Color .—Closest to RHS 145B. • Length.— 0.7-1.1 cm. • Diameter.— 0.15-0.2 cm. • Texture, upper surface .—Hirsute. • Lower surface .—Hirsute. • Calyx:

•

• Number of sepals.— 5, fused sepals forming a short tube around the base of the floret. • Color of sepals .—RHS 145A. • Length of sepals.— 0.2-0.3 cm. • Width of sepals.— 0.1 cm. • Apex shape .—Obtuse. • Apex margins .—Entire. • Texture, outer surface .—Pubescent. • Inner surface .—Glabrous. • Reproductive organs: • Gynoecium:

•

• Pistil quantity .—One. • Length.— 0.35 cm. • Style color .—RHS 159D. • Style length.— 0.2 cm. • Stigma color .—RHS 145C. • Ovary color .—RHS 144A. • Ovary length.— 0.1 cm. • Ovary diameter.— 0.05 cm. • Androecium:

•

• Stamen quantity.— 4. • Color of filaments .—RHS 159D. • Length filaments.— 0.05 cm. • Anther color .—RHS 164A. • Length of anthers.— 0.1 cm. • Color of pollen .—RHS 10D. • Pollen amount .—Normal. • Fertility/seed set .—Male and female fertile, moderate seed set. • Typical seed number.— 10-20. • Seed length.— 0.3 cm. • Seed width.— 0.1-0.2 cm. • Seed color .—RHS 203A. • Disease/pest resistance .—Exhibits strong resistance to aerial Phytophthora ( Phytophthora nicotianae ), insect pest resistance not observed.