Patent Publication Number: US-9176-P

Title: Chrysanthemum plant named `Yellow Ginger`

Description:
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat. and referred to by the cultivar name Yellow Ginger which is a sport of the cultivar Ginger which is described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403. Yellow Ginger is a naturally occurring branch sport of Ginger. 
     Ginger was originated from a cross made by Grace H. Mack in a controlled breeding program in New Canaan, Conn., in 1981 and identified by seedling identification No. 82M18017. The parents of Ginger were both unnamed seedlings. Ginger was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Cornelius P. VandenBerg, in September 1982, in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The first act of asexual reproduction of Ginger was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in December 1982 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by technicians working under formulations established and supervised by Cornelius P. VandenBerg. 
     The present invention Yellow Ginger was originated and selected from a Ginger flower block taken from the parent cultivar of the Prophets® series by Yoder Brothers, Inc., of Barberton, Ohio. The Yoder Ginger garden mum series refers to U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403 as the original parent source of its flower block. 
     Yellow Ginger has been successfully asexually reproduced by Robert Kustigian from branch cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in North Oxford, Mass. 
     Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Yellow Ginger are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. 
     Yellow Ginger has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. 
     The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in a controlled area in North Oxford, Mass. Rooted cuttings were established in soil and maintained indoors in greenhouses under simulated conditions of natural temperature and daylight. Single pinching was practiced with all branches and buds retained. Suggested flowering in the northern, eastern, north eastern (New England) and western United States is from January through November, in southern states, year round (January through December) and in Florida, December through April. 
     The new cultivar, Yellow Ginger, is similar in many respects to Ginger; having the same characteristics of Ginger of: 
     (1) Flat capitulum form. 
     (2) Decorative capitulum type. 
     (3) Diameter across face of capitulum up to 5.5 cm at maturity. 
     (4) Short plant height. 
     (5) Spreading and prolific branching pattern. 
     (6) Uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response. 
     (7) Sturdy stem and habit. 
     (8) Durability in shipment. 
     (9) Resistance to sun scald. 
     (10) Resistance to shatter. 
     (11) Absence of disc florets. 
     The new cultivar is distinguished from Ginger by the following characteristics: 
     (1) Complete and uniform yellow ray floret color. 
     (2) Slightly earlier bloom than Ginger. Ginger&#39;s natural bloom time being August 26 in Salinas, Calif. and around the last week in September in New England. Yellow Ginger&#39;s bloom time is the first week of September in New England. 
     (3) Slightly longer length of bloom than Ginger. 
     (4) Resistance to floret color fade. 
    
    
     The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Yellow Ginger with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type. 
     Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Yellow Ginger grown as a pinched spray pot mum. 
     Sheet 2 is a color photograph of three views of the inflorescence of Yellow Ginger. 
     Sheet 3 is a color photograph comparing the flowers of Yellow Ginger and Ginger. 
    
    
     Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventors, the most similar in comparison to Yellow Ginger is Ginger, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403. Reference is made to the attached Botanical Classification which compares certain characteristics of Yellow Ginger to the same characteristics of Ginger. 
     Other varieties, such as Legend (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,404) and Target (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,621) have similar characteristics to Yellow Ginger. However, Legend is noticeably different due to its pompon petallage style and Target has a dark golden center. Most importantly, both flower types lack the complete and uniform yellow floret of Yellow Ginger. Yellow Ginger has no contrasting bronze-red center of capitulum as in Ginger, or dark golden center petallage as in Target. 
     In the following description, color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. Color values given are those closest to the actual color. The color values were determined on plant material grown in Worcester, Mass., on Dec. 30, 1993. 
     
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BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION                                                  
Chrysanthemum morifolium                                                  
Flower name:                                                              
           Yellow Ginger Ginger                                           
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Bloom:                                                                    
Size       1/4&#34; bud      1/4&#34; bud                                         
Fully Expanded                                                            
           21/2&#34; (5.5 cm at                                               
                         21/2&#34; (5.5 cm at                                 
           maturity      maturity                                         
Borne      Terminal on   Terminal on disbudded                            
           disbudded branches                                             
                         branches                                         
Stems      Strong        Strong                                           
Form Type  Flat Decorative                                                
                         Flat Decorative (spray                           
(Capitulum)                                                               
           (spray pot and                                                 
                         pot and garden mum                               
           garden mum)                                                    
Permanence 16-18 days (resists                                            
                         10-12 days (quick fade)                          
           fade)                                                          
Color (Corolla of ray florets):                                           
Center of Flower                                                          
           Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                         Yellow 12A to 14A with                           
                         bronze red center (169A                          
                         to 169C)                                         
Base of Petals                                                            
           Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                         Two tone bronze                                  
                         169A to 169C                                     
Inside of Petals                                                          
           Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                         Yellow 12A to 14A                                
                         with bronze on tips                              
Reverse of Petals                                                         
           Yellow 12A to 14A                                              
                         Yellow 12A to 14A                                
Tonality from a                                                           
           Yellow        Bronze                                           
distance                                                                  
of about 3 meters                                                         
Discoloration                                                             
           non-oxidation oxidation in sun                                 
Petals:                                                                   
Texture and shape                                                         
           Smooth,flat oblong                                             
                         Smooth,flat oblong                               
Appearance and                                                            
           Not open at base,                                              
                         Not open at base,                                
form       shallow keel  shallow keel                                     
Arrangement                                                               
           Fully decorative                                               
                         Fully decorative                                 
Persistence                                                               
           Resist shatter                                                 
                         Resist shatter                                   
Reproductive Organs:                                                      
Androecium Not present   Not present                                      
Pollen     Not present   Not present                                      
Gynoecium  Present on ray                                                 
                         Present on ray florets                           
           florets                                                        
Plant:                                                                    
Form       Herbaceous    Herbaceous                                       
Growth     Upright       Upright                                          
Height     Short         Short                                            
Spread     15-16&#34; as a pinched                                            
                         15-16&#34; as a pinched                              
           plant (spreading and                                           
                         plant (spreading and                             
           prolific)     prolific)                                        
Foliage:                                                                  
Top Side   137A to 137B  137A to 137B                                     
Underside  137B to 137C  137B to 137C                                     
Quantity   Numerous      Numerous                                         
Shape      Spatulate lobed                                                
                         Spatulated lobed                                 
Texture    Smooth        Smooth                                           
Ribs and veins                                                            
           Slight prominence                                              
                         Slight prominence                                
Edge       Indented      Indented                                         
Serration  Slightly serrated                                              
                         Slightly serrated                                
Size       3&#34; long × 1.5&#34; wide                                      
                         3&#34; long × 1.5&#34; wide                        
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