Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Swing Time Red’

A new variety of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Swing Time Red’ having a good uniform canopy of red-bronze single type flowers and a light green disc. The new variety has medium vigor, free branching habit with good foliage presentation.

Latin name of the genus and species: Botanical classification:Chrysanthemum morifolium.

Variety denomination: The newChrysanthemumvariety denomination is ‘Swing Time Red’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemumbotanically known asChrysanthemum morifolium,and referred to by the variety name ‘Swing Time Red’.

‘Swing Time Red’, identified as ‘20230-9’, was discovered as a natural mutation of a whole plant in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety ‘Swing Time Dark’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,896). The variety ‘Swing Time Red’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings at Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Swing Time Red’ is a pot type ofChrysanthemumplant variety having a slightly domed capitulum form and red bronze single flowers.

Comparison with Parent

Plant habit of the newChrysanthemumvariety ‘Swing Time Red’ is similar to the parent ‘Swing Time Dark’. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the newChrysanthemumvariety ‘Swing Time Red’ differed from plants of the parent ‘Swing Time Dark’ in the following characteristics.1. The new variety ‘Swing Time Red’ produces deep red bronze single flowers whereas the parent ‘Swing Time Dark’ produces dark orange single flowers.2. Plants of the new variety ‘Swing Time Red’ have similar inflorescence to the plants of the parent ‘Swing Time Dark’.

Comparison with Other Varieties

Plants of the newChrysanthemumvariety ‘Swing Time Red’ are similar to the variety ‘Vulcan Time Bronze’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,464) in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the newChrysanthemumvariety ‘Swing Time Red’ compared to plants of the variety ‘Vulcan Time Bronze’ in the following characteristics.1. The flowers of the new variety ‘Swing Time Red’ are red bronze whereas the flowers of the variety ‘Vulcan Time Bronze’ are bronze.2. The plants of the new variety ‘Swing Time Red’ have smaller and shorter inflorescence than the plants of the variety ‘Vulcan Time Bronze’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the newChrysanthemumvariety ‘Swing Time Red’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, in the month of June. The cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potChrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 24° C. to 25° C. during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 foot candles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such as three B9 treatments at 2 gm per liter. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once. The typical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with a response time of about 7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as a potChrysanthemum.In the description of this newChrysanthemumvariety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C).

Plant

The plants were grown for two weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of dark).Propagation:Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.Time to rooting.—12-14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.Rooting habit.—Fine and fibrous.

Foliage

Flower

Reproductive Organs