Phlox Plant Named ‘dophlodalepi’

Botanical designation: Phlox subulata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLODALEPI’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

A European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Jun. 17, 2024, application number 2024/1415. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox subulata , commonly called Creeping or Moss Phlox and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophlodalepi’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Creeping Phlox plants with attractive flowers.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April 2016 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB10-000004-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB13-000040-008, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since June, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlodalepi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophlodalepi’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

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• 1. Outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit. • 2. Dark green-colored leaves. • 3. Freely flowering habit. • 4. Red purple-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers. • 5. Suitable for outdoor garden use.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have red purple-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers whereas plants of the female parent selection have lilac-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have red purple-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers whereas plants of the male parent selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of Phlox subulata ‘Crimson Beauty’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Crimson Beauty’ differ in the following characteristics:

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• 1. Leaves of plants of the new Phlox are darker green in color than leaves of plants of ‘Crimson Beauty’. • 2. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox are more rounded than and not as star-shaped as flowers of plants of ‘Crimson Beauty’. • 3. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Crimson Beauty’ differ in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have red purple-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers whereas plants of ‘Crimson Beauty’ have bright rosy red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. 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 Phlox plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophlodalepi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Rheinberg, Germany under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting rooted young plants and plants were 37 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Phlox subulata ‘Dophlodalepi’. • Parentage:

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• Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB10-000004-001, not patented. • Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary selection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB13-000040-008, not patented. • Propagation:

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• Type .—By vegetative cuttings. • Time to initiate roots, summer .—About 16 days at temperatures about 26° C. • Time to initiate roots, winter .—About three weeks at temperatures about 23° C. • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer .—About 24 days at temperatures about 23° C. • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter .—About four weeks at temperatures about 18° C. • Root description .—Fine to thick, fibrous; actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. • Plant description:

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• Plant and growth habit .—Herbaceous perennial typically grown as a container and garden plant; outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit. • Plant height .—About 12 cm. • Plant width ( spread ).—About 23 cm. • Lateral branches .—Branching habit: Freely branching habit with about seven primary lateral branches each with about five secondary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances branching potential. Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 4 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 60° from vertical. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color, developing and developed: Close to 187B. • Leaf description:

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• Arrangement .—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile. • Length .—About 2.5 cm. • Width .—About 2 mm. • Shape .—Lanceolate, subulate. • Apex .—Acuminate. • Base .—Cuneate. • Margin .—Entire, ciliate. • Texture and luster, upper and lower surface .—Smooth, glabrous; glossy. • Venation pattern .—Hyphodromous, only midvein discernible. • Color .—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 187C; at the apex, close to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137A slightly tinged with close to 187C; venation, close to N137A slightly tinged with close to 187C. • Flower description:

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• Flower type and flowering habit .—Single rotate and salverform flowers arranged in terminal and lateral panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with about four open flowers per inflorescence and about 270 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season. • Fragrance .—Faintly fragrant, sweet and pleasant. • Natural flowering season .—Plants begin flowering about 37 weeks after planting; plants flower for about three to four weeks during the spring in the garden in Germany; flowers not persistent. • Flower buds .—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to N74A. • Inflorescence height .—About 5 cm. • Inflorescence diameter .—About 5 cm. • Flower diameter .—About 2 cm by 2.2 cm. • Flower depth .—About 1.1 cm. • Flower throat diameter .—About 2 mm. • Flower tube length .—About 1.2 cm. • Flower throat diameter .—About 2 mm. • Petals .—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe length: About 1 cm. Lobe width: About 7 mm. Lobe shape: Obcordate. Lobe apex: Emarginate. Lobe margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 74A; towards the throat, close to 187A. When opening, lower surface: Close to N78B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74A; towards the throat, close to 59A; venation, close to 74A; color does not change with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 74A; venation, close to 74A; color does not change with subsequent development. Throat: Close to 59A; venation, close to 59A. Tube: Close to N78B; venation, close to N78B. • Sepals .—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular in shape. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid, subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Pubescent; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 143A tinged with close to 187A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 143A tinged with close to 187A. • Peduncles .—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: About 30° from lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 187B. • Pedicels .—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 187B. • Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to N155B. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 153D. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 143C. • Seeds and fruits .—To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Phlox. • Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to be suitable for outdoor garden use as plants tolerate rain, wind, temperatures ranging from about −35° C. to about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. • Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox plants.