Chrysanthemum plant named ‘G23BAO08VL’

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘G23BAO08VL’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; flexible stems; medium green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; decorative type inflorescences with quilled ray florets that are light purple in color; and excellent garden performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemumplant, botanically known asChrysanthemumXmorifoliumand hereinafter referred to by the name ‘G23BAO08VL’.

The newChrysanthemumplant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding and freely floweringChrysanthemumplants with unique and attractive inflorescence form and ray floret coloration.

The newChrysanthemumplant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofChrysanthemumXmorifolium‘G21BAO08VL’, not patented. The newChrysanthemumplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘G21BAO08VL’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in October, 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the newChrysanthemumplant by vegetative terminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in January, 2020. Asexual reproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newChrysanthemumplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘G23BAO08VL’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘G23BAO08VL’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemumplant:1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; flexible stems.3. Medium green-colored leaves.4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.5. Long flowering period.6. Decorative type inflorescences with quilled ray florets that are light purple in color.7. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the newChrysanthemumcan be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘G21BAO08VL’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newChrysanthemumdiffer primarily from plants of ‘G21BAO08VL’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the newChrysanthemumare darker purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘G21BAO08VL’. In addition, plants of the newChrysanthemumare more vigorous and more uniform than plants of ‘G21BAO08VL’.

Plants of the newChrysanthemumcan be compared to plants ofChrysanthemumXmorifolium‘G20POS01WH’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,677. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newChrysanthemumdiffer primarily from plants of ‘G20POS01WH’ in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newChrysanthemumare more vigorous than plants of ‘G20POS01WH’.2. Plants of the newChrysanthemumflower about one week earlier than plants of ‘G20POS01WH’.3. Ray florets of plants of the newChrysanthemumare light purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘G20POS01WH’ are white in color.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium under natural daylengths during the autumn and employing cultural practices typically used in commercialChrysanthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.Botanical classification:ChrysanthemumXmorifolium‘G23BAO08VL’.Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofChrysanthemumXmorifolium‘G21BAO08VL’, not patented.Propagation:Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at temperatures about 20° C.Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at temperatures about 20° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days at temperatures about 20° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days at temperatures about 20° C.Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.Plant description:Appearance.—Perennial decorative typeChrysanthemumwith quilled-shaped ray florets; stems upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded appearance to the plant; plants roughly spherical; very freely branching habit, about 25 to 30 primary lateral branches develop, each primary lateral branch with multiple secondary branches; pinching is not required, but enhances lateral branch development; dense and full plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; plants flexible, not brittle.Plant height.—About 40 cm.Plant width.—About 50 cm.Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent, fine; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B.Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3 cm to 5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Apex: Rounded to cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed and serrate, sinuses between lateral lobes divergent to parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Venation: Palmately reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B; venation, close to 148C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B; venation, close to 147B to 147C. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; slightly rough. Color, upper surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. Stipules: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.Inflorescence description:Appearance.—Decorative type inflorescence form; inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pungent.Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants flower in late September in Belgium; flowering response time, about 30 days.Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about six weeks; inflorescences persistent.Quantity of inflorescences.—About 30 to 35 inflorescences develop per lateral branch.Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to N80C.Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.Inflorescence depth(height).—About 3.5 cm.Disc diameter.—About 3 mm; inconspicuous.Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.Receptacle height.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.Receptacle shape.—Raised dome.Receptacle color.—Close to 144B.Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 150 to 200 arranged in about ten whorls. Length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Quilled. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly horizontal. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N80C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 77C; color becoming closer to 77D with subsequent development.Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About ten massed at the center of the inflorescence. Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Shape: Tubular; apices dentate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, immature: Close to 145A. Color, mature: Close to 12A.Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 25 arranged in two or three whorls. Length: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to truncate. Margin: Entire; translucent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to N137B.Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Length, fourth peduncle: About 5 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: About 30° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 147C.Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen development has not been observed on inflorescences of the newChrysanthemum.Gynoecium: Pistil development has not been observed on inflorescences of the newChrysanthemum.Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the newChrysanthemum.Garden performance: Plants of the newChrysanthemumhave demonstrated excellent garden performance and will tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 45° C.