A new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum of the outdoor garden and greenhouse pot plant type characterized by its dark red, medium sized blooms of decorative flower form which appear in an open spray formation, its ability to be flowered the year around with uniform 6-week response under photoperiod control, and by its excellent performance as a spring, summer and fall potted plant and as a natural season garden flower.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT 
This new variety of chrysanthemum plant originated as a seedling resulting 
from a cross of Ruby Mound (unpatented) and an unnamed and unpatented 
variety, identified in my records as MN Se. 67-111-184, made by me in 1970 
at St. Paul, Minn., during the course of breeding efforts carried on by me 
at St. Paul, Minn., since 1968 with the object of developing new and 
better chrysanthemum varieties. The distinctive dark red color of the 
medium sized blooms of this plant and its short compact growth caused me 
to select this plant for propagation and test, which was done by me at St. 
Paul, Minn., by means of cuttings from the original plant. The plants so 
reproduced appeared to have all of the novel and distinctive features of 
the original plant and subsequent propagation of this variety by 
vegetative cuttings at West Chicago, Ill., and at Cortez, Fla., has 
demonstrated that the distinctive characteristics of this new variety hold 
true from generation to generation and are firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT 
The following is a detailed description of my new chrysanthemum cultivar 
with color designations according to the R.H.S. Colour Chart published by 
The Royal Horticultural Society at London, England, the observations 
having been made of plants reproduced and grown at West Chicago, Ill. 
THE PLANT 
Origin: Seedling. 
Parentage: 
Seed parent.--Ruby Mound (unpatented). 
Pollen parent.--An unnamed and unpatented variety identified as MN Sel. 
67-111-184. 
Classification: 
Botanic.-- Chrysanthemum morifolium. 
Commercial.--Greenhouse pot plant and outdoor garden plant. 
Form: Perennial herbaceous bush. 
Height: 
As a pot plant.--About 41/2 to 7 inches. 
As an outdoor garden plant.--About 11 to 15 inches. 
Growth: Terminal, with a low spreading habit, sturdy with very good 
strength. 
Branching: Under natural conditions. 
Foliage: Quantity -- abundant with seven to nine leaves per 4 inches of 
stem. 
Leaf size: About 11/4 to 21/2 inches long. 
Shape.--Lanceolate, lobed and deeply serrated. 
Color.--Upper side -- Yellow-Green 147A. Under side -- Yellow-Green 147B. 
surface texture.--Canescent. 
Venation.--Pinnately veined. 
Petioles: Length -- About 3/16 to 3/8 inch. 
THE BUD 
Form: Elliptical. 
Size: 
Diameter.--About 1/4 to 1/2 inch. 
Depth.--About 3/16 to 3/8 inch. 
Opening: The bud opens slowly. 
Color: 
When phyllaries first divide.--Yellow-Green 144A. 
when florets begin to unfurl.--Greyed-Purple 185A. 
Phyllaries: The outside of the receptacle bears many phyllaries as 
involucral bracts. 
Form.--Spear-shaped and upstanding. 
Color.--Inside surface -- Yellow-Green 146B. Outside surface -- 
Yellow-Green 147B. 
surface texture.--Pubescent. 
Peduncle: Length -- About 1/2 to 3/4 inch. 
Surface Texture.--Pubescent. 
Strength.--Erect and strong. 
Color.--Yellow-Green 148C. 
THE FLOWER 
Blooming capability: This plant can be flowered the year around with 
photoperiod control. 
Response.--6 weeks. 
Recommended flowering.--March 1 to November 1. 
Natural flowering season.--About September 26 to October 9. 
Blooms: 
Flower type.--Composite and decorative. 
Size.--Medium. Diameter: About 11/2 to 21/2 inches. Depth: About 5/8 to 1 
inch. 
Shape.--Flat when bloom first opens, becoming more hemispherical as the 
bloom matures. 
Borne.--Singly, as a head of many florets on a receptacle, in a relatively 
open spray formation. 
Florets.--Numerous in quantity. Form: Linear with obtuse apex. Arrangement: 
Decorative. Texture. Medium Firm. Appearance: Very slight shine. 
Discoloration: Very little fade. 
Color: 
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Outer petals: 
March April October 
November 
Upper side - 
46A 45A and B 46A 46A 
Reverse - 
181A 180A 42B 180A 
Inside petals: 
Upper side - 
187A 46A 46A 187B 
Reverse - 
187A 179A and B 
46A 187C 
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general color tonality of bloom.-- When viewed from a distance of 6 feet; 
March -- 46B; April -- 45B and C. 
effect of Weather.--Flower is not affected by hot or wet weather 
Persistence.--Florets hang on and dry. 
Fragrance.--Typical chrysanthemum. 
Lasting quality.--On plant -- 3 weeks. As cut flower -- Not recommended for 
cut flowers. 
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 
Stamens: Number five, syngenesiously arranged. 
Filaments.--Length -- About 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Color -- Light Yellow. 
Pollen.--Color -- Yellow. 
Pistils: Number -- One to each disc and ray floret. 
Styles.--About 1/8 to 3/16 inch long. 
Stigmas.--Color -- Yellow. 
Ovaries: Inferior bicarpellate. 
My new chrysanthemum cultivar is particularly distinguished by the dark red 
color of the medium sized decorative form of its blooms which are 
presented in an open spray formation, and by its uniform 6-week 
photoperiodic flowering response. This plant has excellent performance as 
a 4 to 5 inch potted plant for spring, summer and fall culture and as a 
natural season garden chrysanthemum. It has a short, compact plant habit 
which requires no growth retardant, and grows with strong stems and 
abundant small to medium sized foliage.