A distinct cultivar of Origanum plant named &#8216;Zorba Red&#8217;, characterized by its compact and low spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; aromatic dark green foliage; and white-colored flowers subtended by red purple-colored bracts.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Origanum plant, botanically known as Origanum vulgare , and hereinafter referred to by the name Zorba Red .

The new Origanum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Steenbergen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Origanums with unique flower coloration.

The new Origanum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Origanum vulgare identified as PH96, not patented. The new Origanum was discovered and selected as a single plant within a population of plants of the selection PH96 in 1997 in a controlled environment in Steenbergen, The Netherlands. The new Origanum was selected on the basis of its compact plant habit and white-colored flowers and red purple-colored flower bracts.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Steenbergen, The Netherlands since 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Origanum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Zorba Red have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culture such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of Zorba Red . These characteristics in combination distinguish Zorba Red as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact and low spreading plant habit.

Plants of the new Origanum differ from plants of the parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Origanum are much more compact. In addition, flowers of plants of the new Origanum are more conspicuous than flowers of plants of the selection PH96.

Plants of the new Origanum differ from plants of the cultivar 4839, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/171,835, primarily in flower bract color as plants of the cultivar 4839 have light green-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Origanum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Rosenkuppel, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Steenbergen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Origanum and the cultivar Rosenkuppel differed in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Origanum were more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Rosenkuppel.

2. Plants of the new Origanum had dark green-colored leaves whereas plants of the cultivar Rosenkuppel had brownish green-colored leaves.

3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Origanum were brighter in color than flower bracts of plants of the cultivar Rosenkuppel.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown for 12-weeks in 15-cm containers were used for the photographs and following description. Plants were grown in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in Lompoc, Calif. during the late winter/early spring with day temperatures ranging from 18 to 24 C., night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18 C., and light levels ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 foot-candles.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of proprietary selection of Origanum vulgare identified as PH96, not patented.

Time to initiate roots. About 10 days at 18 C.

Time to develop roots. About 20 days at 18 C.

Form. Compact and low spreading growth habit. Lateral branches initially upright, but tend to cascade with subsequent development. Freely branching with about 18 lateral branches. Vigorous.

Flower type and habit. Small single bilabiate flowers arranged in terminal and axillary panicles; individual flowers face upward or outward depending on position in the panicle. Freely flowering; more than 250 flowers and flower buds per flowering branch. Flowers not persistent.

Natural flowering season. Summer and fall, flowering continuous during this period.

Flower longevity on the plant. About 4 to 7 days.

Seed/fruit. Seed nor fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Origanum have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Origanum.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Origanum have been observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from 1 to 30 C.