A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘SUN 400’, characterized by its uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofArgyranthemumplant, botanically known asArgyranthemum frutescensand hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘SUN 400’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create newArgyranthemumplants with attractive ray and disc floret colors and good garden performance and pest resistance.

The newArgyranthemumplant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2011 in Glandorf, Germany of two unnamed seedling selections ofArgyranthemum frutescens, not patented. The newArgyranthemumplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany in July, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the newArgyranthemumplant by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Glandorf, Germany in February, 2014. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the newArgyranthemumplant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SUN 400’ as a new and distinctArgyranthemumplant:1. Uniformly mounded plant habit.2. Freely branching habit.3. Freely flowering habit.4. Decorative-type inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets.5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the newArgyranthemumdiffer from plants of the parent selections primarily in uniformity as plants of the newArgyranthemumare more uniformly mounding than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the newArgyranthemumcan be compared to plants ofArgyranthemum frutescens‘SUN 60’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the newArgyranthemumdiffered primarily from plants of ‘SUN 60’ in ray floret color as plants of ‘SUN 60’ have red-colored ray florets.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial pottedArgyranthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 25 klux to 90 klux. Plants were pinched one time five weeks after planting and were 2.5 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.Botanical classification:Argyranthemum frutescens‘SUN 400’.Parentage:Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection ofArgyranthemum frutescens, not patented.Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection ofArgyranthemum frutescens, not patented.Propagation:Type.—Terminal cuttings.Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 8 to 10 days at temperatures about 18° C. to 24° C.Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 10 to 15 days at temperatures about 14° C. to 18° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 16 days at temperatures about 18° C. to 24° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 to 20 days at temperatures about 14° C. to 18° C.Root description.—Fine to medium in thickness, fibrous; typically white 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.—Moderate branching; medium density.Plant description:Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; uniformly mounding plant habit; upright to broadly spreading form; overall shape, roughly flattened globular; moderately vigorous growth habit.Branching habit.—Freely branching growth habit with about ten lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development.Plant height.—About 15.3 cm.Plant width.—About 25.8 cm.Lateral branches.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong; young stems, flexible. Texture: Slightly ribbed; sparsely pubescent. Luster: Slightly glossy. Color: Close to 138C; axial stripes, close to 138B.Leaf description:Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.Length.—About 7.5 cm.Width.—About 3.1 cm.Shape.—Pinnatisect; in outline, narrowly obovate.Apex.—Acute.Base.—Cuneate.Margin.—Deeply incised.Sinuses.—Parallel.Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy.Venation.—Pinnate.Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation, close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 138A.Inflorescence description:Inflorescence form and arrangement.—Decorative-type terminal and axillary inflorescences held above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a receptacle; inflorescences face mostly upright to outwardly.Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 130 inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering season.Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring to late summer in Germany; flowering continuous during this period.Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two to three weeks on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: Towards the base, close to 138B; towards the apex, close to 199D; towards the margins, close to N199B.Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.9 cm. Depth (height): About 2.3 cm. Diameter of disc: No disc florets observed. Receptacle diameter: About 3.5 mm. Receptacle height: About 3.5 mm.Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement: About 240 arranged in about ten whorls. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Oblong to oblanceolate. Apex: Emarginate to shallowly praemorse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface: Glabrous; slightly velvety; carinate. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 2D. When opening, lower surface: Slightly lighter than 4D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 2D; with development, color becoming lighter than 2D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 4D; color does not change with development.Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement: About 20 arranged in two whorls. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; edges, papery. Luster, upper surface: Glossy. Luster, lower surface: Matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 144C; margins and papery edges, close to 199B to 199D. Color, lower surface: Close to 143B to 143C; margins and papery edges, close to 199B to 199D.Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 2.9 cm. Length, fourth peduncle: About 5.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm. Angle: Terminal peduncle, erect; lateral peduncles, about 45° from branch axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Moderately ribbed, glabrous. Luster: Slightly glossy. Color: Close to 138B.Reproductive organs.—Androecium: No stamens observed. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Decurrent. Stigma color: Close to 15A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 154D. Ovary color: Close to 145C to 145D.Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed on plants of the newArgyranthemum.Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the newArgyranthemumhave not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common toArgyranthemumplants.Garden performance: Plants of the newArgyranthemumhave been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, high temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 9.