A new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant named ‘Kolmas’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark reddish brown young stem coloration; and large green and pale yellow to white variegated leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofWeigelaplant, botanically known asWeigela florida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kolmas’.

The newWeigelais a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop newWeigelacultivars with variegated leaves.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1998 of two unidentified proprietary seedling selections, not patented. The cultivar Kolmas was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1999 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the newWeigelaby terminal cuttings at Boskoop, The Netherlands since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this newWeigelaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kolmas’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kolmas’ as a new and distinct cultivar:1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.2. Dark reddish brown young stem coloration.3. Large green and pale yellow to white variegated leaves.

Plants of the newWeigeladiffer primarily from plants of the parent selections in leaf variegation coloration.

Plants of the newWeigelacan be compared to plants of theWeigelacultivar Nana Variegata, not patented. However, plants of the newWeigeladiffer from plants of ‘Nana Variegata’ in leaf coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Nana Variegata’ are green and white in color. In addition, plans of the newWeigelahave larger leaves than plants of the cultivar Nana Variegata.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Boskoop, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices. Plants were about two years old and pruned annually. The photographs and description were taken during the summer when day temperatures ranged from 14 to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5 to 11° C.