Patent Publication Number: US-PP29032-P2

Title: Monarda plant named ‘MON0012BFR’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Monarda didyma.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘MON0012BFR’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Monarda  plant, botanically known as  Monarda didyma , typically grown a container plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘MON0012BFR’. 
     The new  Monarda  plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new  Monarda  plants with attractive flowers and tolerance to Powdery Mildew. 
     The new  Monarda  plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2013 of an unnamed selection of  Monarda didyma , not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of  Monarda didyma , as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Monarda  plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled nursery environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands during the summer of 2014. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Monarda  plant by cuttings in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands, since June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new  Monarda  plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new  Monarda  have 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 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 ‘MON0012BFR’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MON0012BFR’ as a new and distinct  Monarda  plant:
         1. Broadly upright plant habit.   2. Dark green-colored leaves.   3. Freely flowering habit.   4. Large inflorescences with light purple-colored flowers.   5. Long flowering period.   6. Tolerant to Powdery Mildew.       

     Plants of the new  Monarda  differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant uniformity as plants of the new  Monarda  are more uniform than plants of the female parent selection. 
     Plants of the new  Monarda  can be compared to plants of  Monarda didyma  ‘Prarienacht’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new  Monarda  differ from plants of ‘Prarienacht’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Monarda  are more freely flowering and have larger flowers than plants of ‘Prarienacht’.   2. Plants of the new  Monarda  flower for a longer period of time than plants of ‘Prarienacht’.   3. Flowers of plants of the new  Monarda  are not persistent whereas flowers of plants of ‘Prarienacht’ are persistent.   4. Plants of the new  Monarda  are more tolerant to Powdery Mildew than plants of ‘Prarienacht’.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Monarda  plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new  Monarda  plant. 
       The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MON0012BFR’ grown in a container. 
       The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of typical leaves of ‘MON0012BFR’. 
       The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘MON0012BFR’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer in 21-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered structure in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial  Monarda  production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Monarda didyma  ‘MON0012BFR’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Unnamed selection of  Monarda didyma , not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent .—Unknown selection of  Monarda didyma , not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type cutting .—By cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer .—About two weeks at temperatures about 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer .—About two months at temperatures about 20° C.     Root description .—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically creamy 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 .—Moderately freely branching; medium density.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Herbaceous perennial; broadly upright plant habit, flattened globular plant form; overall plant form, obovate; moderately vigorous growth habit.     Plant height .—About 45.9 cm.     Plant width .—About 66.5 cm.     Lateral branch description .—Branching habit: Freely basal branching habit with about eleven main stems, each main stem with about eight lateral branches. Length: About 22.7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 6 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 35° from vertical. Texture and luster: Sparsely to moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 144A; color becoming closer to 143B with development.       
       Leaf description:
             Arrangement .—Opposite, simple.     Length .—About 10.4 cm.     Width .—About 7 cm.     Shape .—Ovate.     Apex .—Apiculate.     Base .—Truncate.     Margin .—Serrate.     Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces .—Moderately to densely pubescent and slightly rugose; matte.     Venation pattern .—Pinnate.     Fragrance .—Moderately fragrant; pleasant, spicy.     Color .—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between 143B and 144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between NN137A and 147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 145C.     Petioles .—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144B; occasionally tinged with close to 183A. Color, lower surface: Close to 145A.       
       Flower description:
             Flower form, arrangement and flowering habit .—Single labiate flowers arranged in large terminal globular spikes; flowers sessile; flowers face outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 280 flowers developing per inflorescence and about 25,000 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.     Natural flowering season .—Long flowering habit, plants flower from late spring into the summer in The Netherlands.     Postproduction longevity .—Flowers maintain good substance for about one week on the plant; flowers not persistent.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Flower buds .—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 min. Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate; curved. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to N78A; distally, close to N81A; immature calyx, close to 157C to 157D and 148A.     Inflorescence height .—About 6.3 cm.     Inflorescence diameter .—About 8.3 cm.     Flower length  ( vertical ).—About 2.1 cm.     Flower diameter  ( horizontal ).—About 6 mm.     Flower depth  ( height ).—About 3.8 cm.     Petals .—Arrangement: Labiate; upper lip hooded; lower lip, a single lobe; lips fused 66% of total length. Length, upper and lower lips: About 3.3 cm. Width, upper lip: About 2 mm. Width, lower lip: About 6 mm. Shape, upper lip: Lanceolate; apex, narrowly acute. Shape, lower lip: Oblanceolate; apex, obtuse. Margin, upper and lower lips: Entire; lower petal, slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower lips, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, upper and lower lips, lower surface: Densely pubescent; matte. Color, upper and lower lips: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN78A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N78A; color becoming closer to between N78C and N82C with development.     Sepals .—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl; lower 85% fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Apex: Acute. Margin: Free parts, entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; upper edge of tube, moderately pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; upper edge of tube, moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 157C to 157D; free parts, close to 148A and tinged with close to N77C to N77D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 157C to 157D; free parts, close to 148A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 157C to 157D; free parts, close to 148A and tinged with close to N77C to N77D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N148A; stripes, close to N77C and N77D; proximally, close to 157D.     Inflorescence bracts .—Quantity and arrangement: About 44 at the base of inflorescence. Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to lanceolate; apex, acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to between N186C and 187A and 137B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146C tinged with close to 187A and 137C.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 76B; distally, close to 76D to lighter than 76D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther color: Close to 203A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3.2 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, unequal. Stigma color: Close to 93B. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: Close to 93B to lighter than 93B. Ovary color: Close to 144A to 144B.     Seed and fruit .—Seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the new  Monarda.          
       Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: Plants of the new  Monarda  have been observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew ( Erysiphe cichoracearum ). Plants of the new  Monarda  not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to  Monarda  plants.   Garden performance: Plants of the new  Monarda  have exhibited good tolerance to rain, wind and high temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.