Dracaena Plant Named ‘LULU’

Latin name of the genus and species of the claimed plant: Dracaena deremensis.

Variety denomination: ‘LULU’.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dracaena plant, botanically known as Dracaena deremensis of the family of Asparagaceae, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘LULU’.

Dracaena is a monocotyledonous and tropical foliage plant which can be produced as a single or multi-stemmed plant, used mainly as a house plant for interior use or outdoors in shades in zones 9 or 10 only.

The new Dracaena ‘LULU’ originated from a naturally occurring whole plant mutation of Dracaena deremensis variety ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,793P2). The new Dracaena ‘LULU’ was discovered and selected by the inventor, Julio Gamboa Ceciliano, in 2012, as a single sprouting plant within a controlled environment, in Baltimore, Matina, Limón province, Costa Rica.

‘LULU’ was grown in tropical lowlands in Costa Rica with day lengths of 12 to 13 hours and ambient temperatures of 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The light levels in lux were 30 K and the level of relative humidity was 80%.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dracaena ‘LULU’ by vegetative cuttings was first performed in 2012 in Baltimore, Matina, Limón province, Costa Rica, and demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘LULU’, which in combination distinguish this Dracaena as a new and distinct cultivar:

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• 1. Dark green colored foliage in lower leaves, and light green foliage in upper leaves. • 2. Wide and lanceolate leaves, 30-35 cm long and supported in a rosette. • 3. 0.4 m-0.66 m plant height in a 21 cm diameter pot. • 4. Erect Plant habit.

Plants of the new Dracaena ‘LULU’ differ from plants of the parental cultivar, Dracaena deremensis ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,793P2) in the characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Comparison between ‘LULU’, ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat.

12793P2), and ‘Hawaiian Sunshine’ (U.S. Plant Pat. 13,739 P2)

Parent

Dracaena Commercial Cultivar

New Cultivar deremensis Dracaena deremensis

Dracaena ‘Limelight’ ‘Hawaiian Sunshine’

Charac- deremensis (U.S. Plant (U.S. Plant Pat.

teristic ‘LULU’ Pat. 12793 P2) 13,739 P2)

lant Less vigorous, More vigorous, More vigorous,

Vigor more leaves. bigger leaves, bigger leaves.

Shorter internodes. and internodes.

Color Dark green colored Bright, glossy, Darker green

foliage in the lower yellow-green margins, longitudinal

leaves, and light foliage which variegation.

green colored darkens to

foliage in upper light-green as

leaves. it matures and

wider yellow

tripes in leaf

margins.

Shape Lanceolate leaves Lanceolate Less leaves,

on a rosette leaves on a outwardly arching

rosette disposition.

Texture Smooth and waxy Smooth and Leathery, smooth,

of leaves waxy glabrous.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new Dracaena deremensis ‘LULU’ is the commercial cultivar ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,793 P2).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dracaena deremensis cultivar ‘LULU’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in the detailed botanical descriptions which accurately describe the color of ‘LULU’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a six-month old plant of Dracaena ‘LULU’ in a 21 cm diameter pot.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a six-month old plant of Dracaena ‘LULU’ in a 21 cm diameter pot.

FIGS. 3 A- 3 B show a close-up view of the typical leaves of Dracaena ‘LULU’ from a six-month old plant (upper side 3 A, under side 3 B).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Dracaena ‘LULU’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may show phenotypical changes with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Dracaena cultivar ‘LULU’ as grown in open-field conditions at Baltimore, Matina, Limón Province, Costa Rica, which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The average temperature in Baltimore is 31° C. during the day and 24° C. at night. Plants grow under natural light conditions.

Plants of the new Dracaena cultivar ‘LULU’ are grown under light conditions of about 80% shade from natural sunlight and about 80% relative humidity. No supplementary artificial light is necessary. Plants of the new Dracaena ‘LULU’ are given 1) a liquid 24-8-16 fertilizer every 15 days, and 2) a granular Nutricote 18-6-12 fertilizer every 6 weeks in raining season. No growth retardants are used when growing plants of the new Dracaena ‘LULU’.

Color references were made according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S., 2018) online (rhscf.orgfree.com). The photographs and descriptions were made during the dry season in Baltimore, Matina, Limón province, Costa Rica when outdoor day average temperature was 31° C. The age of the plants described is 8 months old.

• Classification:

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• Botanical.—Dracaena deremensis. • Variety denomination .—‘LULU’. • Parentage: Naturally occurring mutation of Dracaena deremensis ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,793 P2). • Optimal growth conditions:

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• Light intensities .—High adaptability to outdoor or indoor conditions • Temperature .—Day: 18° C. to 28° C. Night: 14° C. to 22° C. • Temperature tolerance .—Tolerant to temperatures between 12° C. and 35° C. • Fertilization .—A liquid 24-8-16 fertilizer every 15 days, and a granular Nutricote 18-6-12 fertilizer every 6 weeks. • Growth regulators .—Not necessary. • Propagation:

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• Type .—Vegetative, by air layer cuttings. • Rooting habit description .—Easy to root. Roots are mostly fibrous and finely branched. • Time to initiate roots.— 15 to 22 days at 20-25° C. • Faster time to produce a rooted cutting .—About 30 to 45 days at 20-25° C. • Plant:

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• Growth rate .—Approximately 66 cm annually. • Form .—Monocot; leaves whorled; leaf bases wrap around the stem. • Plant height .—Maximum of 1.50 m when grown in the ground and 0.5-0.65 m when grown in a container. • Plant width .—Single stem plant has an overall plant diameter of 46-66 cm wide. • Stem .—Diameter — About 3.0 cm when grown in ground; about 0.70 cm when grown in 21 cm size container. • Length .—About 46-66 cm. • Texture .—Rough. • Color .—RHS N144D. • Strength .—Strong and durable. • Internode length .—About 20 mm to 40 mm. • Foliage:

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• Quantity .—About 40-46 leaves. • Arrangement and attachment .—Single, alternate; leaves whorled; leaf bases wrap around the stem. • Leaf length .—About 35-40 cm. • Leaf width .—About 6-8 cm. • Overall shape of leaf .—Lanceolated. • Apex shape .—Acute, triangular, and curved downwards. • Base shape .—Clasping to stem. • Margin .—Entire. • Texture .—Upper Surface: Smooth and waxy texture. Under Surface: Smooth and waxy texture. • Pubescence .—None. • Color of mature leaf .—Upper Surface: RHS 140 A. Lower Surface: RHS 142 A. • Color of immature leaf .—Upper Surface: RHS 149 A. Lower Surface: RHS 142 A. • Central stripes average width.— 1.0-1.25 cm. • Venation .—Pattern: Longitudinal/parallel to the midrib. Color: RHS 150 B. • Leaf fragrance .—None. • Inflorescence description: None observed. • Weather resistance: Drought tolerant. • Disease/pest resistance: None observed. • Disease/pest susceptibility: None observed.