Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2110’

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2110’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early-season flowering response; large inflorescences with dark pink-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

CROSS REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Filed: Concurrently with this application having U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,962

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 ‘PER2110’.

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

The new Poinsettia plant originated is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘PER1188’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,201. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘PER1188’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Sep. 22, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since January, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant 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 ‘PER2110’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER2110’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:1. Relatively compact, upright and mounded plant habit.2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.3. Freely and upright branching habit.4. Dark green-colored leaves.5. Early-season flowering response; under natural season conditions, plants flower in early November in Southern California.6. Large inflorescences with dark pink-colored flower bracts.7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘PER1188’, in flower bract color as plants of ‘PER1188’ have bright red-colored flower bracts with no flecking.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of theEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘PER2010’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,962. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER2010’ differ primarily in flower bract color.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of theEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘490 Early Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,817. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘490 Early Pink’ in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of ‘490 Early Pink’.2. Branching habit of plants of the new Poinsettia was more upright than branching habit of plants of ‘490 Early Pink’.3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger flower bracts than plants of ‘490 Early Pink’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of theEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘Peterstar Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,879. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.2. Branching habit of plants of the new Poinsettia was more upright than branching habit of plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about 18 days earlier than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ when grown under natural season conditions.5. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger flower bracts than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 17 weeks old when the photographs and the 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:Euphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘PER2110’.Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘PER1188’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,201.Propagation:Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 20° C. night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at 20° C. night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.Plant description:Plant habit and form.—Relatively compact, upright and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; large inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.Plant height.—About 32 cm.Plant diameter or spread.—About 58 cm.Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching habit, about seven lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B.Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 14.5 cm. Width: About 10.5 cm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate, lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded to nearly truncate. Margin: Mostly entire with pointed lobes. Aspect: Flat. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 136A; venation, close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137B; venation, close to 147C. Petiole: Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to N199D. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D.Inflorescence description:Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned above the foliar plane.Fragrance.—None detected.Flowering response.—Early-season flowering response; under natural season conditions, plants typically flower on November 7 in Southern California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower about 7 to 7.5 weeks later.Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and flower bract color for about four weeks under interior conditions; inflorescences persistent.Inflorescence diameter.—About 32 cm.Inflorescence height(depth).—About 5.5 cm.Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 25. Length, largest bracts: About 15.4 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 10 cm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate, occasionally shallowly lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire, occasionally with a few shallow lobes. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Veins prominent, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly horizontal; older bracts, slightly drooping. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to 180C to 180D; along midvein, close to 143A to 143B. Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to 180D. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 181C; venation, close to 181C; color becoming closer to 51D with development; central bracts, close to 53D. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 181C; venation, close to 181C; color becoming closer to 51D with development. Bract petiole: Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 180B. Color, lower surface: Close to 182A.Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 18. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 146A. Color, mature: Close to 146B.Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 24B.Peduncles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145B.Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About six to eight. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 60B. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 153B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 9A. Pistils: Pistil development has not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettia plants.Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about 29° C.