Patent Publication Number: US-PP20318-P3

Title: Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Petno Orange’

Description:
Genus:  Chrysanthemum morifolium.    
   Variety denomination: ‘Petno Orange’. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   ‘Petno Orange’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new  chrysanthemum  cultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural season flowering date around September 26 and a blooming period of 6 weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of  chrysanthemum  plant. 
   ‘Petno Orange’ is a seedling resulting from the open pollination among groups of un-named, unknown and unpatented  chrysanthemum  cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Woubrugge, The Netherlands in September 2005. The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Woubrugge, The Netherlands over a two year period. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Woubrugge, The Netherlands.
         1. Small, double orange flowers with yellow-green centers;   2. Prolific branching;   3. A rounded to flat plant habit; and   4. A spreading growth habit and rapid growth rate.       

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
     The present invention of a new and distinct variety of  chrysanthemum  is shown in the accompanying photographs, the colors being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type. 
       FIG. 1  shows a close-up of the individual flowers, bud and leaves. 
       FIG. 2  shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   This new variety of  chrysanthemum  is of the botanical classification  Chrysanthemum morifolium.  The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown outdoors in Woubrugge, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 22 in 2005 and 2006. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 26. The average height of the plants was 42 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces small-sized blooms with orange ray florets and small yellow-green centers and a blooming period of 6 weeks. 
   The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Petno Orange’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995. 
   BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF ‘PETNO ORANGE’ 
   
       
       Plant:
             Shape.— Rounded to flat.     Growth habit.— Spreading.     Growth rate.— Rapid.     Height.— 42 cm to 46 cm.     Width.— 48 cm to 50 cm.       
     
       Branches:
             Stem color.— RHS 137C (green).     Stem.— Strength: Strong. Brittleness: Absent. Anthocyanin Coloration: Present, a slight layer of RHS 181A (greyed-red) mainly at the base of the stem.     Length of lateral branch  ( from top to bottom ).—17 cm to 15 cm.     Lateral branch color.— RHS 137C (green).     Lateral branch attachment.— Petiolate.     Branching  ( average number of lateral branches ).—Very prolific with 11 breaks after pinching.       
     
       Leaves:
             Color.— Upper surface: RHS 146A (yellow-green). Lower surface: RHS 137C (green).     Size.— General: Medium. Length: 4.3 cm to 4.5 cm. Width: 3.3 cm to 3.5 cm.     Quantity  ( number per lateral branch ).—7 to 8.     Shape.— Obovate to round.     Apex.— Acute.     Base.— Asymmetric.     Margin.— Crenate.     Texture.— Upper surface: Glabrous. Lower surface: Pubescent.     Venation arrangement.— Palmate.     Shape of base of sinus between lateral lobes.— Acute.     Margin of sinus between lateral lobes.— Diverging.       
     
       Bud:
             Size.— General: Medium. Cross-section: 1.5 cm. Height: 1.5 cm.     Outside color.— RHS 172A (greyed-orange).     Involucral bracts.— 2 rows, length 0.7 cm, width 0.3 cm.     Involucral bracts among disc - florets.— Absent.     Involucral bracts color.— RHS 138A (green).       
     
       Bloom:
             Type.— Double.     Size.— General: Small. Fully expanded: 3.7 cm to 4.0 cm.     Number of blooms per branch.— Approximately 7 blooms per branch.     Performance on the plant  ( blooming period ).—6 weeks.     Fragrance.— Typical  chrysanthemum , slight.     Tonality from distance.— A rich flowering garden mum with small orange flowers and a small green disc.     Discoloration to color.— None.     Peduncle.— Length: 9 cm to 10 cm. Color: RHS 137C (green).     Natural season blooming date.— 26 September.       
     
       Ray florets:
             Texture.— Both the upper and lower surfaces are smooth.     Number.— 110 to 130.     Cross - section.— Concave.     Longitudinal axis of majority.— Flat to incurved.     Length of corolla tube.— 0.3 cm.     Apex.— Rounded.     Margin.— Entire.     Length.— 1.5 cm to 1.7 cm.     Width.— 0.3 cm to 0.5 cm.     Ratio length/width.— High.     Color.— Upper surface of the outer ray-florets: Near RHS 172C (greyed-orange). Lower surface of the ray-florets: Near RHS 167C (greyed-orange).       
     
       Disc florets:
             Disc diameter.— 0.4 cm.     Distribution of disc florets.— A few, visible at all stages of flowering.     Shape.— Funnel-shaped.     Color.— RHS 151A (yellow-green).     Receptacle shape.— Domed flat.     Color of center of the flower  ( disc - florets ).—Immature: RHS 151A (yellow-green). Mature: RHS 151A (yellow-green).       
     
       Reproductive organs:
             Stamen  ( present in disc florets only ).—Absent.     Pollen.— Absent.     Styles.— Thin.     Style color.— RHS 144A (yellow-green).     Style length.— 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm.     Stigma color.— RHS 144A (yellow-green).     Stigma width.— 0.1 cm.     Ovaries.— Enclosed in calyx.       
     
       Fruit/seed set: Seeds are produced in small quantities; ovate, RHS 199A (grey-brown) and 0.15 cm in length. 
     
  
   COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS 
   ‘Petno Orange’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Spicy Yocheryl’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,221) in that ‘Petno Orange’ flowers earlier (September 26) than ‘Spicy Yocheryl’ (October 6). ‘Petno Orange’ has orange double flowers with yellow-green centers, while ‘Spicy Yocheryl’ has pale orange flowers. Additionally, ‘Petno Orange’ is more vigorous than ‘Spicy Yocheryl’. 
   ‘Petno Orange’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Yomiranda’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,848) in that ‘Petno Orange’ has a later flowering date (September 26) than ‘Yomiranda’ (September 22). Additionally, ‘Petno Orange’ has orange double flowers with yellow-green centers and has high vigor, while ‘Yomiranda’ has pale orange to almost apricot-colored flowers and has moderate vigor.