Buddleja Plant Named ‘SFF22-053’

Genus and species: Buddleja x hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘SFF22-053’.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buddleja plant, also known as butterfly bush, a perennial or shrub that is grown for use as an ornamental landscape and container plant and as a hanging basket. The new variety is known botanically as Buddleja x hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘SFF22-053’.

‘SFF22-053’ originates from a Buddleja breeding program, which was started in 2018 and conducted at the inventor's nursery in Arroyo Grande, California. The aim of the breeding program is to develop a series of compact varieties of Buddleja x hybrida with pendulous habits especially suitable for use in hanging baskets and planted containers, bearing pendulous flowering inflorescences in a range of colors. The first variety to be released from the breeding program was Buddleja Plant named ‘SFF21-026’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 35,795). The inventor wished to develop further varieties which are compatible in plant habit with ‘SFF-21-026’ but exhibiting different flower colors or color combinations.

The breeding of ‘SFF22-053’ commenced in fall 2018 with the harvesting of seeds from Buddleja ‘Balchrylu’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,842) which is the open-pollinated female parent variety. The male parent is unknown. The harvested seeds were sown and grown out and evaluated for plant habits in three growing cycles from 2019 to 2022 during which period the inventor evaluated the grown-on seedlings for suitability for use in hanging baskets. The inventor selected ‘SFF22-053’ in 2022 for its closely identical plant habit and characteristics to ‘SFF21-026’ except for its different flower colors.

The inventor first asexually propagated ‘SFF22-053’ in spring 2022 in a greenhouse at the inventor's nursery in Arroyo Grande, California using stem cuttings. The inventor has confirmed that ‘SFF22-053’ is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the distinguishing characteristics of ‘SFF22-053’. ‘SFF22-053’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, without however, any variance in genotype.

•

• 1. ‘SFF22-053’ exhibits a pendulous growth habit suitable for use in hanging baskets. • 2. The dimensions of ‘SFF22-053’ are 30 cm in height and 90 cm in diameter at the end of the first growing season. • 3. The stems of ‘SFF22-053’ arch downwards when laden with flowers (inflorescences). • 4. The inflorescences of ‘SFF22-053’ are a terete cylindrical shape with a rounded apex and bear approximately 300 outward-facing flowers. • 5. The flowers of ‘SFF22-053’ are rose-pink in color and exhibit yellow-orange eyes due to that coloration within the central corolla tube and on the petal bases. • 6. ‘SFF22-053’ sets few seeds and remains in bloom for 12 months continually in the Central Coast of California. • 7. ‘SFF22-053’ grows and flowers rapidly. Fully flowering plants may be produced in 1 or 2 gallon containers in 10 to 12 weeks from planting a well-rooted cutting or young plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Buddleja cultivar ‘SFF22-053’ showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Photographs were taken in August 2022 in Santa Barbara, California from a one-year-old plant grown outdoors in a 2-gallon container, with one pinch after initial cutting establishment and without any chemical growth regulators. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which more accurately describes the actual colors of the new variety ‘SFF22-053’.

FIG. 1 depicts an entire plant in flower of ‘SFF22-053’.

FIG. 2 depicts a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘SFF22-053’ showing the panicles of rose-pink flowers with yellow-orange eyes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SFF22-053’. Observations, measurements, values, and comparisons were collected in August 2024 in Santa Barbara, California from a one year old plant which had been growing outdoors in full sun in a 2-gallon container, with one pinch after initial cutting establishment and without any chemical growth regulators. Color determinations were made in accordance with The 2007 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart from London England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Plant:

•

• Commercial classification .—Shrub and perennial. • Common name .—Butterfly bush. • Type .—Ornamental. • Uses .—Hanging baskets, container plant for the deck or patio, perennial plant in an herbaceous border or for planting as a shrub in the landscape. Stems and foliage may be used in cut flower arrangements. • Container size .—Suggested size is 1-gallon or 2-gallon container, or 8-inch to 10-inch diameter hanging basket. • Cultural requirements .—Plant in well-drained soil, position in full sun, and maintain moderate watering. For hanging baskets, pinch out the young growing tip to encourage branching. For use in the landscape, prune branches hard back in spring to 7.5 cm to 10.0 cm in length. • Blooming seasons .—Continually in bloom year-round in central coast California. • Vigor .—Rapid growth rate. Plant will fill out and flower in a 1 gallon contain in 12 to 14 weeks from planting a rooted cutting. • Plant habit .—Prostrate, flowering stems arching downwards. • Dimensions after first season of growth.— 30 cm in height, 90 cm in width. • Hardiness .—Hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5. • Heat and humidity tolerance .—Good, performs well in hot humid conditions. • Drought tolerance .—High. • Pest and disease susceptibility .—None. • Botanical classification:

•

• Genus.—Buddleja. • Species .—X hybrida. • Denomination .—‘SFF22-053’. • Parentage: ‘SFF22-053’ is a hybrid that resulted from the cross-pollination of the following parent plants:

•

• Female parent.—Buddleja ‘Balchrylu’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,842). • Male parent .—Unknown variety. • Propagation:

•

• Propagation .—Softwood cuttings taken above or below the node. • Root system .—Fibrous. • Time to initiate rooting.— 2 to 3 weeks are required to produce a cutting which is viable on its own roots. • Temperature to initiate rooting .—Under greenhouse conditions, 20° Centigrade. • Crop time .—From planting and pinching (stopping) a well-rooted cutting or young plant, 10 to 12 weeks are needed to produce a full and flowering 1-gallon or 2-gallon container. • Special growing requirements .—For a long-term landscape planting, prune stems back to 7.5 cm to 10.0 cm in length in early spring of each year. • Base (trunk):

•

• Trunk .—A trunk is formed beneath the first pinch or pruning. • Trunk height .—Determined by height of first pruning, recommended between 5.0 cm and 10.0 cm above ground or soil level. • Trunk surface .—Woody, bark fibrous and fissured. • Basal stem color.— 197B. • Branches, lateral stems:

•

• Description .—Plant is strongly apically dominant, sending up branches around the base and apex of the trunk and occasionally from underground. These basal stems grow rapidly and bear terminal paniculate inflorescences. Secondary (lateral) stems begin to develop as the basal stems begin to flower. Secondary stems are relatively short and only develop once the inflorescences on the basal stems have finished flowering. • Basal stems .—Shape: Square with rounded edges. Length: 30.0 cm to 35.0 cm from base to base of inflorescence, 50.0 cm to 55.0 cm in length including the inflorescence. Width: 5.0 mm at stem base, 4.0 mm immediately below inflorescence. Surface texture: Puberulent, appears downy, color 192C. Color: 199B. Internode distance: Varies between 5.0 cm and 6.0 cm. Basal stem strength: Moderately stiff and wiry. Stem pubescence: Light, downy, very short hairs less than 0.5 mm in length, down color 156D. • Secondary ( lateral ) stems .—Quantity: 3 to 4 pairs at each basal stem node. Dimensions: Length up to 10.0 cm, diameter up to 2.0 mm, and internode distance 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm. Color: Ranges between N187C and N187D. Surface: Puberulent, downy, hairs approximately 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm in length, color 192C. • Foliage:

•

• Type .—Evergreen in hardiness zone 10. • Leaf arrangement .—Opposite. • Leaf division .—Simple. • Leaf quantity.— 8 to 10 leaves per basal stem, 2 to 6 leaves per secondary stem. • Leaf shape .—Lanceolate. • Leaf base .—Attenuate. • Leaf apex .—Acute. • Leaf dimensions .—Up to 8.5 cm in length, 3.5 cm in width. • Leaf color ( adaxial surface ).—143C. • Leaf color ( abaxial surface ).—141D. • Leaf surface ( both ).—Lightly puberulent. • Leaf margins .—Dentate, approximately 16 teeth per leaf edge, approximately 2 to 3 teeth per cm. Tooth depth 1.5 mm. Teeth angled towards leaf apex. Tooth apex acute, occasionally acuminate. • Leaf venation .—Pinnate, slightly depressed on adaxial surface, midrib depressed and appearing as a longitudinal fold in the leaf. • Vein color ( adaxial surface ).—As leaf except midrib color darker 147B. • Vein color ( abaxial surface ).—145D. • Leaf attachment .—Sessile. • Leaf bulging between veins .—Medium, adaxial leaf surface raised between 1 mm and 2 mm above adjacent veins. • Peduncle:

•

• Dimensions.— 7.0 mm in length, 1.0 mm in diameter. • Shape .—Terete. • Surface .—Lightly puberulent. • Color.— 187B. • Inflorescence:

•

• Inflorescence .—Terminal cymose panicle. • Inflorescence dimensions.— 15 cm-20 cm in length; diameter 8 cm towards inflorescence base and 4.5 cm towards inflorescence rounded apex. • Shape .—Terete cylindrical, rounded apex. • Lastingness .—Whole inflorescence bears fresh flowers for 5 to 7 days before flowers senesce from base to apex. Some color remains in each inflorescence for 3 to 4 weeks before aging to dark brown in color and eventually falling away • Fragrance .—Pleasantly fragrant, lilac-like. • Pedicel:

•

• Description .—Short pedicel subtends one pair of flowers. • Dimensions.— 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter. • Pedicel shape .—Terete. • Pedicel color.— 146C towards base (stem attachment) becoming 174C towards base of corolla tube. • Pedicel surface .—Lightly puberulent. • Bud:

•

• Shape .—Ovoid. • Dimensions.— 3.0 mm in length, 2.0 mm in diameter. • Color .—N82C. • Surface .—Smooth, rugose. • Flowers:

•

• Shape .—Salverform, consisting of slender corolla tube (fused petal bases) and rotate free terminal petal lobes. • Description .—Flowers densely arranged in the inflorescence with outward-facing petal lobes whose adaxial surfaces are rose-pink in color and corolla tube inner surface is yellow-orange in color, appearing as a central eye. • Flowering .—Flowers continually from May to September. Peak flowering in months of June and July. • Quantity of flowers per cyme .—Ranges between 8 (young inflorescence) and 23 (mature inflorescence, peak flowering). • Quantity of cymes per inflorescence ( peak flowering ).—29. • Quantity of flowers per inflorescence at peak flowering .—Approximately 650. • Dimensions.— 9.0 mm in length including corolla tube, 8.0 mm in diameter (across petal lobe apices). • Corolla tube .—Shape: Funnel shaped. Dimensions: Tube 6.0 mm in length, 2.0 mm in diameter. Surfaces (both): Glabrous and glossy. Color (inner surface): Midway between 17A and 25A. Color (outer surface): N34C. Corolla eye (formed from lobe bases): Color: 25C. Corolla lobe attitude (flower fully opened): Lobes held horizontally or slightly erect, upward-facing. • Petals ( free petal lobes ).—Shape: Spatulate with broad free petal lobes. Apex shape: Rounded, occasionally minutely crenate. Margin type: Undulating and lightly crenate. Dimensions (including lobes): 5.0 mm to 6.0 mm in length, 4.0 mm in width. Lobe dimensions: 4.0 mm in length and width. Surfaces (both): Glabrous. Color (adaxial surface): 73A. Color (abaxial surface): 73D. • Calyx, sepals:

•

• Calyx subtends each pair of flowers .—One calyx per flower. • Calyx shape .—Campanulate, rotate beneath each flower, narrowly fused between flowers. • Sepals .—Quantity: 4. Shape: Rectangular, longitudinally incurved to clasp corolla tube. Dimensions: 3.0 mm in length, 2.5 mm in width. Apex: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Surface (both surfaces): Glabrous. Color (both surfaces): Ranges between 59D and N34C. • Reproductive organs:

•

• Description .—Reproductive organs tiny and located within corolla tube. • Stamens .—Quantity, arrangement: 4, attached to corolla tube base, then free and held entirely within the tube. Filaments: Very short (shorter than anthers) and positioned towards tube base. Anthers: Approximately 1.0 mm in length and very thin. Positioned at or slightly below tube mouth. Anther color: NN155D. Pollen: None observed. • Pistil .—Quantity: 1, style less than 1.0 mm in length. Color: White, NN155C. Stigma: Not observed. • Ovary .—Not observed. • Seed .—Quantity: Sparse (low seed set for the genus). Color: 200C. Shape: Ovoid.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS AND CLOSEST KNOWN VARIETY

‘SFF22-053’ may be compared with the female parent variety, Buddleja ‘Balchrylu’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,842) as follows: Although both varieties ‘SFF22-053’ and ‘Balchrylu’ exhibit a prostrate plant habit, the habit of ‘SFF22-053’ is markedly shorter and more pendulous. Whereas the flower petals and lobes of ‘SFF22-053’ are rose-pink in color, the flower petals and lobes of ‘Balchrylu’ are mid-violet in color.

The male parent variety of ‘SFF22-053’ is unknown: no comparison is possible.

The closest variety of Buddleja known to the inventor is the inventor's variety of Buddleja Plant named ‘SFF21-026’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 35,795). Whereas both varieties ‘SFF22-053’ and ‘SFF21-026’ exhibit similar dwarf habits and pendulous flowering stems and inflorescences, the dominant color of the flower petals and flower lobes varies between lighter colored rose-pink (‘SFF22-053’) compared with mid-violet (‘SFF21-026’). In addition, the eyes (corolla tube inner surface and petal base) of ‘SFF21-026’ are darker orange than the yellow- color of the eyes of ‘SFF21-053’.