A new and distinct Adenium cultivar named ‘LEELADE206’ is disclosed, characterized by unique double flowers colored white with a thick red-purple margin. The new variety is a Adenium, typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species:Adenium obesum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a new cultivar ofAdenium obesum. The new variety is the product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated as a seedling from the crossing of the unpatented, proprietary seed parentAdenium obesum‘VCKRWII1’ with the unpatented, proprietary pollen parent referred to asAdenium obesum‘VKRZ’. The crossing was made by the inventor in a non-commercial nursery during 2006.

The new variety was first selected by the inventor, Anong Leelachaikul, a citizen of Thailand, in June 2007, at the same nursery in Bangkok, Thailand. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing and propagation of ‘LEELADE206’, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE206’ was first performed in April 2008, at a commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand by taking a nodal cutting from the new variety and grafting that to a rootstock plant. The rootstock plants are started from seed, and are unnamed, unpatented varieties ofAdenium obesum. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation by vegetative cuttings, multiple generations have been reproduced, which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘LEELADE206’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, 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 ‘LEELADE206’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LEELADE206’ as a new and distinctAdeniumcultivar:1. Double flowers.2. White flowers with a heavy red-purple margin coloration.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE206’ are similar to the seed parent,Adenium‘VCKRWII1’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces double layered flowers whereas the seed parent produces single layered flowers.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE206’ are similar to the pollen parent,Adenium‘VKRZ’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces flowers that are two colors, whereas the flowers produced by the pollen parent are only one color.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE206’ are similar to the commercial variety,Adenium‘Lady Gaga’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new variety differs in the following characteristics:1. ‘Lady Gaga’ has fewer petals.2. Different petal shape3. ‘Lady Gaga’ has a thinner purple petal coloration.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE206’ are similar to the commerical variety,Adenium‘Aura’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new variety differs in the following characteristics:1. Different petal apex shape2. Different petal shape.3. ‘LEELADE206’ has less yellow/green coloration in the heart of the flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘LEELADE206’ plants grown according to the following protocols.

Taking place in a commercial nursery, outdoors in Bangkok, Thailand, rootstock is grown from seeds. Seeds are planted and grown for 12-14 months. After that, heads are taken off the rootstock plants and the plants are grafted together with the selected variety.

Grafting is done by means of taking a nodal cutting from the candidate variety and placing that on top of the cut of the rootstock plant. Immediately after that, the top of the plant is covered by a layer of plastic and tied down by a rubber band. The plastic covers the actual graft entirely.

Rootstock plants during the first few weeks after seeding are grown under shade, and after that they are grown in Thailand in full sun. Stock plants of the candidate variety, resulting in the nodal cutting are also grown in Thailand in full sun.

During and until 1-2 weeks after grafting, plants are placed in a greenhouse that has both shade cloth and overhead plastic. This protects the grafted plants against the sun and the rain. After that, the grafted plants are placed in full sun again.

Three to four months after grafting, the grafted plants are cut back and shipped to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the plants continue to grow for 3-5 months, after which they are sold as flowering plant. Therefore, counted from the date of grafting, it takes 6-9 months to produce a finished flowering plant.

In Thailand the plants grow under natural conditions, with temperatures ranging approximately from 10° C. to 40° C., and very bright sunlight. In the Netherlands, the plants are grown in a greenhouse with average day temperature about 26 degrees Celsius and average night temperature about 22 degrees Celsius, un-shaded, to allow as much natural light as possible.

Measurements and numerical values below represent averages of typical plant types.Botanical classification:Adenium obesum‘LEELADE206’.

PROPAGATION

Root description: The plant described is grafted and does not have its own roots for description.

PLANT

FOLIAGE

FLOWERING CHARACTERISTICS

Natural flowering season: In Thailand, the plants flower all year around, but during periods of heavy rain, the plants do drop most or all of their flowers. Therefore, especially during the rainy seasons in Thailand, the plants will not flower so heavily as during the dry seasons. In the Netherlands, the plants will naturally flower most heavily during periods of very heavy sun and long days, particularly in July and August and to a lesser extent in June and September.Inflorescence type and habit: Axillary compound cyme.Flower longevity on plant: Average: After fully opening, the flowers will stay on the plant on average between 5-10 days.Quantity of flowers: About 7 buds and 3 fully opened flowers per plant, at one time.Inflorescence size:Diameter.—Approximately 14.3 cm.Height.—Approximately 8.5 cm.Individual flower size:Diameter.—Average: 5.6 cm.Flower tube length.—Average: 4.4 cm.Flower tube diameter at distal end.—Average: 1.9 cm.Flower tube diameter at proximal end.—Average: 0.4 cm.Petals:Petal arrangement.—Rotate.Length from throat.—Average: 2.9 cm.Width.—Average: 3.1 cm.Quantity.—Average: 5.Texture.—Smooth, slightly velvety, dull.Margin.—Entire.Tip shape.—Emarginate.Petaloids.—Average: 10, average length from throat: 2.9 cm, average width: 3.0 cm, texture: smooth, slightly velvety, dull, margins entire, tip shaped abruptly acute.Color:Petals.—When opening: Upper surface: Purple, near RHS 76D with a narrow central blotch colored red-purple, RHS 60B, colored red-purple towards the margins; RHS 64B, outer margins purple to greyed-purple, in between RHS 79A and N186B. Lower surface: Red and red-purple, near RHS 53C and 58A, lighter red towards the base; 54C outer margins purple to greyed-purple, in between RHS 79A and N186B. Fully opened: Upper surface: Purple, near RHS 75C to 75D, colored red-purple towards the margins; RHS 61A. Lower surface: Red to red-purple, near RHS 58B, lighter towards the base; 58C to 58D, outer margins red-purple, RHS 59A. Flower throat (inside): White, near RHS 155A. Flower throat, vein: White, near RHS 155A. Flower tube (outside): Yellow-green to green-yellow, near RHS 154D to 1D. Flower tube, vein: Slightly tinged red, near RHS 50C. Fading: Petals fading to: Purple, near RHS 75D.Color:Petaloids.—When opening: Upper surface: White, near RHS N155B to N155C with a narrow central blotch colored red to red-purple; in between RHS 53B and 60B, colored red-purple towards the margins; RHS 64B, outer margins purple to greyed-purple, in between RHS 79A and N186B. Lower surface: Red to red-purple, near RHS 53C to 53D, purple towards the base; 75C, outer margins purple to greyed-purple, in between RHS 79A and N186B. Fully opened: Upper surface: White, near RHS N155B with a narrow central blotch and margins colored red-purple, RHS N57A to N57B, outer margins red, RHS 53A. Lower surface: Red-purple, near RHS N57B to N57C, lighter towards the base; 70D to 69D, outer margins red, RHS 53C. Fading: Petaloids fading to: Not fading.Bud:Shape.—Oblanceolate.Length.—Average: 2.9 cm.Diameter.—Average: 0.7 cm.Color.—Yellow-green, near RHS 145B, top red, RHS 53B.Peduncle:Length.—Average: 0.9 cm.Diameter.—Average; 0.4 cm.Color.—Green, near RHS 137B.Orientation.—Outward.Strength.—Moderately strong.Pedicel:Length.—Average: 0.7 cm.Diameter.—Average: 0.3 cm.Color.—Green, near RHS 143C.Orientation.—Outward to upright.Strength.—Moderately strong.Sepals:Quantity per flower.—Average: 5.Shape.—Narrow ovate.Length.—Approximately 0.8 cm.Width.—Approximately 0.3 cm.Margin.—Entire.Texture.—Smooth.Color.—Upper and lower surfaces Yellow-green, near RHS 145B to 145C both colors present individually.Apex.—Mucronulate.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

Disease resistance: Good resistance to the normal diseases found inAdenium.Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Normal for species, USDA zone 10 and higher.Fruit/seed production: No fruits/seeds detected to date.