A new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant named ‘ET EPB SM 14’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; continuous and freely flowering habit; relatively large white-colored flowers that are variably tinged with red and are held above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles; and good garden performance.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Assignee, Eternal Plant Boijl B.V. of Boijl, The Netherlands on Nov. 23, 2021, application number 2021/3004. Foreign priority is claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborusplant, botanically known asHelleborus nigerXHelleborusxsterniiand hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ET EPB SM 14’.

The newHelleborusplant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Boijl, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-floweringHelleborusplants with strong peduncles that hold attractive flowers above the foliar plane.

The newHelleborusplant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in Boijl, The Netherlands in January, 2016 of a proprietary selection ofHelleborus nigeridentified as code number 514, as the female, or seed, parent, not patented, with a proprietary selection ofHelleborusxsterniiidentified as code number A318, as the male, or pollen, parent, not patented. The newHelleborusplant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boijl, The Netherlands in February, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the newHelleborusplant by meristem culture in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boijl, The Netherlands since May, 2018, has shown that the unique features of this newHelleborusplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the newHelleborushave not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype of the newHelleborusplant may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype of the newHelleborusplant.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ET EPB SM 14’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ET EPB SM 14’ as a new and distinctHelleborusplant:1. Upright plant habit.2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.3. Continuous and freely flowering habit.4. Relatively large white-colored flowers that are variably tinged with red and are held above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles.5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the newHelleborusdiffer from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newHelleborusare more compact than and are not as open as plants of the female parent selection.2. Plants of the newHelleborushave larger and more durable leaves than plants of the female parent selection.3. Flowers of plants of the newHelleborusare white and variably tinged with red in color whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are white in color.

Plants of the newHelleborusdiffer from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newHelleborusare more compact than plants of the male parent selection.2. Leaves of plants of the newHelleborusare smaller than leaves of plants of the male parent selection.3. Flowers of plants of the newHelleborusare white and variably tinged with red in color whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection are pink in color.

Plants of the newHelleboruscan be compared to plants ofHelleborusxhybridus‘BLT02’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,093. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newHelleborusdiffer from plants of ‘BLT02’ in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newHelleborusare taller and broader than plants of ‘BLT02’.2. Plants of the newHelleborusare more freely flowering than plants of ‘BLT02’.3. Plants of the newHelleborushave larger flowers than plants of ‘BLT02’.4. Flowers of plants of the newHelleborusare white and variably tinged with red in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘BLT02’ are pink in color.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in three-liter containers in an outdoor nursery in Boijl, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercialHelleborusproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 10° C. and night temperatures ranged from −15° C. to 0° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.Botanical classification:Helleborus nigerXHelleborusxsternii‘ET EPB SM 14’.Parentage:Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection ofHelleborus nigeridentified as code number 514, not patented.Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection ofHelleborusxsterniiidentified as code number A318, not patented.Propagation:Type.—By meristem culture.Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at temperatures about 22° C. to 25° C.Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 to 22 days at temperatures about 5° C. to 10° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two months at temperatures about 20° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 55 to 60 days at temperatures about 12° C. to 15° C.Root description.—Fleshy, vigorous; typically white to 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; moderately dense.Plant description:Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant habit with flowers held above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.Plant height.—About 50 cm to 55 cm.Plant diameter(area of spread).—About 40 cm to 50 cm.Stems.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 143C densely covered with spots, close to 187B.Leaf description:Arrangement.—Leaves arranged alternately in a basal rosette; leaves palmately compound with three to five leaflets per leaf.Leaflet length.—About 8 cm to 12 cm.Leaflet width.—About 4 cm to 6 cm.Leaflet shape.—Lanceolate to obovate.Leaflet apex.—Acute.Leaflet base.—Obtuse.Leaflet margin.—Serrate.Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; glossy.Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; slightly glossy.Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N138C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A marbled with close to 139C to 139D; venation, close to 139C to 139D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N138C; venation, close to N138C.Petioles.—Length, fully expanded leaves: About 30 cm to 35 cm. Diameter, fully expanded leaves: About 5 mm to 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C; densely covered with spots, close to 187B.Flower description:Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in loosely branched cymes; freely flowering habit with typically about 40 to 50 flowers developing per cyme; flowers facing outwardly to somewhat drooping.Fragrance.—None detected.Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about two months after planting; plants flower from January through March in The Netherlands.Flower longevity on the plant.—About two months; flowers persistent.Inflorescence height.—About 30 cm.Inflorescence diameter.—About 50 cm to 55 cm.Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 182B.Flower diameter.—About 6 cm to 9 cm.Flower depth(height).—About 2 cm to 4 cm.Petals.—None observed; transformed into nectaries.Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single whorl; slightly imbricate. Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Width: About 3 cm to 3.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to obovate. Apex: Obtuse and occasionally emarginate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Mostly entire and occasionally emarginate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Initially, close to 155D and blushed with 143B (center) and 182B (towards the margins); with development, close to 155D increasingly more heavily blushed with 143B (center) and 182B (towards the margins); venation, similar to lamina colors; colors do not change with subsequent development. Color, lower surface: Initially, close to 155D becoming increasingly more blushed and closer to 182B; venation, similar to lamina colors; colors do not change with subsequent development.Peduncles.—Length: About 15 cm to 25 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B heavily covered with spots, close to 59A.Pedicels.—Length: About 6 cm to 12 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B heavily covered with spots, close to 59A.Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 40 to 50. Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to 155A. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 1B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 1B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About five to seven. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 157B. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Initially, close to 157B and becoming closer to 182B with development. Ovary color: Close to 145A.Nectaries.—Quantity per flower: About 10 to 15. Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Funnelform. Color: Close to N144C with margins, close to 2B.Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the newHelleborus.Garden performance: Plants of the newHelleborushave been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 35° C.Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the newHelleborushave not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common toHelleborusplants.