Hydrangea plant named ‘Agrihydratwee’

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘Agrihydratwee’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong roots and stems; freely branching habit; and large inflorescences with blue-colored flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea,botanically known asHydrangea hybridaand hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Agrihydratwee’.

The newHydrangeais a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create newHydrangeacultivars with strong stems, large inflorescences and attractive flower color.

The newHydrangeaoriginated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 15, 2001 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection ofHydrangea hybridaidentified as code number 20 118-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofHydrangea hybridaidentified as code number 200132-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newHydrangeawas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany on Mar. 15, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the newHydrangeaby vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in a greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since Mar. 15, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this newHydrangeaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Agrihydratwee’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Agrihydratwee’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea:1. Upright and mounded plant habit.2. Strong roots and moderately strong stems.3. Freely branching habit.4. Large inflorescences with blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the newHydrangeadiffer from plants of female parent selection primarily in branching habit as plants of the newHydrangeaare more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the newHydrangeadiffer from plants of male parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have light blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the newHydrangeacan be compared to plants of the cultivar Bela, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,099. Plants of the newHydrangeadiffer from plants of the cultivar Bela in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newHydrangeaare more compact than and not as vigorous as plants of the cultivar Bela.2. Plants of the newHydrangeahave smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Bela.3. Plants of the newHydrangeaand the cultivar Bela differ in flower color as plants of the cultivar Bela have lighter blue-colored flowers.

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. Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and in the following description were grown during the winter in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants of the newHydrangeawere about one year old when the photograph and description were taken.Botanical description:Hydrangea hybridacultivar Agrihydratwee.Parentage:Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection ofHydrangea hybridaidentified as code number 20 118-02, not patented.Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection ofHydrangea hybridaidentified as code number 200132-01, not patented.Propagation:Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at temperatures of 23° C.Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at temperatures of 18° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four weeks at temperatures of 23° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five weeks at temperatures of 18° C.Root description.—Thick; whitish brown in color.Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.Plant description:Form/growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Moderately strong lateral branches; moderately vigorous growth habit.Plant height.—About 30 cm.Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 30 cm.Branching habit.—When pinched, freely branching with about five lateral branches per plant.Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 5 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: Close to 146C.Foliage description:Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.Length.—About 12 cm.Width.—About 8 cm.Shape.—Elliptic to obovate.Apex.—Acute to acuminate.Base.—Obtuse to cuneate.Margin.—Dentate to serrate.Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose; glabrous.Venation pattern.—Pinnate.Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, 146D. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 146D; venation, 146D.Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D.Flower description:Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and fertile flowers arranged on terminal panicles; panicles large and globular. Flowers face upright to outward. Flowers persistent. Flowers not fragrant.Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the summer in Northern Europe.Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about four months on the plant; fertile flowers last about one month on the plant.Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 50 sterile flowers per panicle and about 30 fertile flowers per panicle.Panicle height.—About 5 cm.Panicle diameter.—About 14 cm.Sterile flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.Sterile flower depth(height).—About 5 mm.Fertile flower diameter.—About 8 mm.Fertile flower depth(height).—About 5 mm.Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 144A.Petals, sterile flowers only, fertile flowers without petals.—Arrangement: About four in a single whorl. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 157D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 100C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 100D.Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity per flower: About four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Rugose, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 100A. Color, lower surface: Close to 100B to 100C.Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity per flower: About four in a single whorl. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 100A. Color, lower surface: Close to 100B to 100C.Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 98B.Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 98C.Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only; sterile flowers without reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About eight. Anther shape: Conical. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 98C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About three. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 101D. Ovary color: Close to 145D.Seeds.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.1 mm. Color: Close to 200C.Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions, plants of the newHydrangeahave not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common toHydrangea.Temperature tolerance: Plants of the newHydrangeahave been shown to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 38° C.