Patent Publication Number: US-PP33195-P2

Title: Aloe plant named ‘EC-ALAC-2000’

Description:
Latin name of the genus and species:  Aloe aculeata.    
     Variety denomination: ‘EC-ALAC-2000’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The seed parent an unpatented proprietary  Aloe aculeata  hybrid referred to as ‘12AL-80’. The pollen parent an unpatented proprietary  Aloe aculeata  hybrid referred to as ‘12AL-87’. The crossing was made during 2013 in Sappemeer, The Netherlands at a commercial greenhouse. ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ was discovered by the inventor in 2014. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ was first performed in Sappemeer, The Netherlands, at a commercial laboratory by tissue culture in September of 2014. ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ has since produced several generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, 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 ‘EC-ALAC-2000’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ as a new and distinct  Aloe  cultivar:
         1. Dark green leaves with distinctive greyed-green stripes.   2. Distinct greyed-orange dentate-serrate margin.   3. Apical section of foliage slightly arched/reflexed.       

     PARENTAL COMPARISON 
     Plants of the new cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ are similar to the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new variety differ from the seed parent in the following:
         1. New cultivar has a greyed-orange serrate margin, the seed parent does not have a colored margin.   2. New variety is a smaller plant than the seed parent.       

     Plants of the new cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ are similar to the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new variety differ in the following:
         1. New cultivar has a greyed-orange serrate margin; the pollen parent has a red margin.   2. New variety is a larger plant than the pollen parent.   3. The new variety has dark green foliage with many light green stripes, foliage of the pollen parent is solid green.       

     COMMERCIAL COMPARISON 
     ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety  Aloe  ‘Spider’. The two  Aloe  varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety differs in the following:
         1. New cultivar has wider foliage than this comparator.   2. Plants of the new variety have a rosette formation; plants of this comparator form multiple growth points.       

     ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ can also be compared to the commercial variety  Aloe  ‘EC-ALOE-1801’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,336. The two  Aloe  varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety differs in the following:
         1. New cultivar has greyed-orange marginal serrations, this comparator has darker red marginal serration.   2. The new variety has dark green foliage with many light green stripes, foliage of this comparator is solid green.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying photograph in  FIG. 1  illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ grown in a greenhouse in Sappemeer, The Netherlands. This plant is approximately 11 months old, shown in a 10.5 cm container. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a close up view of the underside of the foliage. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a close up view of the upperside of the foliage. 
     
    
    
     The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques. 
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘EC-ALAC-2000’ plants in a commercial greenhouse in Sappemeer, The Netherlands during April. Temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 25° C. during the day, and 18° C. to 21° C. during the night. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Natural light conditions were approximately 2500 to 3000 fc of light. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.
     Botanical classification:  Aloe  hybrid ‘EC-ALAC-2000’.   Age of the plant described: 11 months in a 10.5 cm pot.   

     PROPAGATION 
     
         
         Time to initiate roots: Approximately 7 to 10 days at 20° C. 
         Time to produce a rooted liner: About 28 to 35 days at 20° C. 
         Propagation method: Tissue culture. 
       
    
     PLANT 
     
         
         Growth habit: Basal rosette of upright leaves, forming an upright oval. 
         Container size: 10.5 cm. 
         Height: 11.9 cm to top of foliar plane. 
         Plant spread: Average 10.0 cm. 
         Growth rate: Low to moderate. 
         Branching characteristics: Basal rosette. 
         Root description: Moderately dense, fibrous. White, around RHS 155A. 
       
    
     FOLIAGE 
     
         
         Leaf:
             Arrangement .—Rosette.     Quantity of leaves .—Approximately 10 per rosette.     Average length.— 9.4 cm.     Average width.— 2.3 cm.     Average thickness.— 0.6 cm.     Shape of blade .—Lanceolate, succulent.     Apex .—Long acuminate.     Base .—Broad cuneate.     Margin .—Coarsely and bluntly dentate-serrate. Average length of teeth: 0.1 cm, average width of teeth: 0.5 cm, colored greyed-orange; 170B, fading yellow-green towards the leaf margin     Aspect .—Upright, slightly concave with a slight outward arch in apical section.     Texture of upper surface .—Densely pustulate, visible as narrow oblong ridges, colored greyed-green; 193A, average length of ridges: 0.8 cm, average width of ridges: 0.175 cm, average height of ridges; less than 0.2 mm     Texture of under surface .—Densely pustulate, visible as narrow oblong ridges, colored greyed-green; 193A, average length of ridges: 0.7 cm, average width of ridges: 0.175 cm, average height of ridges; less than 0.2 mm     Appearance upper surface .—Slightly glossy.     Appearance under surface .—Matte.     Color .—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green; NN137A, fading lighter towards the base; 143B and 143C. Stripes, Greyed-Green 193A, average length 0.8 cm, average width 0.175 cm. Dentate-serrate margin near Greyed-Orange 170B. Young foliage under side: Near RHS Green; NN137A, fading lighter towards the base; 143B and 143C. Stripes, Greyed-Green 193A, average length 0.7 cm, average width 0.175 cm. Dentate-serrate margin near Greyed-Orange 170B. Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green; NN137A, fading lighter towards the base; near Yellow-Green 146A. Stripes, Greyed-Green 193A, average length 0.8 cm, average width 0.175 cm. Dentate-serrate margin near Greyed-Orange 170B. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green; NN137A, fading lighter towards the base; near Yellow-Green 147B. Stripes, Greyed-Green 193A, average length 0.7 cm, average width 0.175 cm. Dentate-serrate margin near Greyed-Orange 170B.     Venation .—Parallel venation, coloration indistinguishable from leaf blade.       
     
       
    
     FLOWER 
     
         
         Flowering: Not observed. 
       
    
     OTHER CHARACTERISTICS 
     
         
         Seeds and fruits: None observed to date. 
         Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures up to 40 degrees C. 
         Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to normal diseases and pests known to  Aloe  observed to date.