Poinsettia plant named ‘PER4703’

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER4703’, characterized by its uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; late season flowering response; inflorescences with maroon red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known asEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER4703’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. cultivar Eckadire, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,846. The cultivar PER4703 was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of ‘Eckadire’ in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. in January, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. since March, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are 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 ‘PER4703’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER4703’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia:1. Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.2. Freely branching habit.3. Dark green-colored leaves.4. Late season flowering response; under natural season conditions, plants flower in about 9 weeks in Encinitas, Calif.5. Inflorescences with maroon red-colored flower bracts that are lobed.6. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar Eckadire, primarily in flower bract color as plants of the cultivar Eckadire had dark red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettia cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar 490 in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about two weeks later than plants of the cultivar 490 grown under natural season conditions.2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar 490 differed in flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar 490 had dark red-colored flower bracts.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night averaged 19° C. and light levels were about 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched one time. Plants were about 19 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.Botanical classification:Euphorbia pulcherrimacultivar PER4703.Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of theEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. cultivar Eckadire, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,846.Propagation:Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C. to 22° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at 20° C. to 22° C.Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.Plant description:Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane. Vigorous growth habit.Plant height.—About 38 cm.Plant diameter or spread.—About 55 cm.Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching habit, about seven lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A.Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 12.5 cm. Width: About 11.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic or five-pointed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire or lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Minute pubescence. Surface: Rugose. Aspect: Mostly flat. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation, 147B. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147A; venation, 147C. Petiole: Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 59A.Inflorescence description:Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned above the foliage.Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod conditions. Late season flowering; response time, about 9 weeks; natural season flowering maturity date is early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and bract color for about four weeks under interior conditions.Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 35 cm. Height (depth): About 11 cm.Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length, largest bracts: About 17.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 12.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic; lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute to attenuate. Margin: Entire; lobed. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Surface: Slightly rugose to smooth. Aspect: Slightly upright. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts, upper and lower surfaces: 53A. Fully developed bracts, upper surface: 53A. Fully developed bracts, lower surface: 53B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color. Bract petiole: Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 53A.Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Diameter of cyathia cluster: About 3.5 cm by 4 cm. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 146A. Color, mature: 146B to 146C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: About one or two. Size: About 2.5 mm by 5 mm. Color: 21A.Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About 15. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 59A. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A. Pistils: None observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been observed.Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias.Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about 30° C.