Patent Publication Number: US-PP21765-P3

Title: Hibiscus plant named ‘Sahara Sunset’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Hibiscus acetosella.    
     Cultiver denomination: ‘Sahara Sunset’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus,  botanically known as  Hibiscus acetosella,  and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sahara Sunset’. 
     The new  Hibiscus  was originated in Poplarville, Miss. and is a product of a mutation induction program. The parent of the present new cultivar is an unknown  Hibiscus acetosella  Wels. Ex Hiern seedling. The present new cultivar, selected as HAC06-11, is a seedling selection from a group of seedlings produced from seed of open pollinated purple leaf  Hibiscus acetosella  Welw. Ex Hiern. which were exposed to gamma-ray radiation from a Colbalt 60 source at the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture in Tifton, Ga. 
     ‘Sahara Sunset’, identified as HAC06-11, was selected in 2006 and subsequently propagated asexually by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Poplarville, Miss. multiple times since 2006. Resulting plants were evaluated at nurseries in California, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Texas. The unique features of ‘Sahara Sunset’ have reproduced true to type in successive generations; no aberrant types have appeared. ‘Sahara Sunset’ is the first stable variegated form of the purple leaf form of the  H. acetosella  species released to date. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cultivar ‘Sahara Sunset’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. 
     The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sahara Sunset’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sahara Sunset’ as a new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus acetosella:  
         (1) Spreading upright growth habit.   (2) Unique multicolored maple-like ornamental foliage with two dominant color regions.       

     Plants of the new  Hibiscus  can be compared to plants of the parent,  Hibiscus acetosella  Welw. Ex Heirn. Plants of ‘Sahara Sunset’ differ primarily from the parent in leaf color as plants of the cultivar ‘Sahara Sunset’ have unique foliage saturated with two dominant color regions: burgundy gray with an outer band of pink. ‘Sahara Sunset’ has small insignificant purple flowers. Plants of the parent have deep red leaves and stems and dark maroon 2″ flowers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Hibiscus,  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 colors of the new  Hibiscus.    
       The photograph at the top of  FIG. 1  is a close up view of typical leaves of a ‘Sahara Sunset’  Hibiscus  plant grown as an annual shrub. 
       The photograph at the bottom of  FIG. 1  comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Sahara Sunset’  Hibiscus  grown as an annual shrub. 
       The photograph at the top of  FIG. 2  comprises a side perspective view of a single typical plant of a ‘Sahara Sunset’  Hibiscus  grown in a container. 
       The photograph at the bottom of  FIG. 2  is a close up view of typical leaves of a ‘Sahara Sunset’  Hibiscus  plant showing the unique foliage saturated with two dominant color regions: burgundy gray with an outer band of pink. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY 
     In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Color Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the photographs and description were grown in Poplarville, Miss. during the late summer and under full sun field conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 28 to 36° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4 to 24° C. Plants had grown for about three months under optimum conditions from rooted cuttings when the description, photographs, and color values were determined.
     Botanical classification:  Hibiscus acetosella  Welw. Ex Hiern.   Parentage: Gamma-ray (Colbalt 60 source) radiation-induced mutation of  Hibiscus acetosella  Welw. Ex Hiern.   Propagation:
             Type.— By freshly hardened soft-wood cuttings.     Time to initiate roots.— About three weeks at 27° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant.— About six weeks at 27° C.     Root description.— Fibrous; white in color.     Rooting habit.— Freely branching; moderately dense.       
       Plant description:
             Plant form and growth habit.— Moderately vigorous growth habit. Spreading upright when grown as an annual shrub.     Branching habit.— Fruticose.     Plant height.— 1-2 meters.     Plant diameter.— 0.5-1 meter.       
       Lateral branch description:
             Length.— 0.5-1.0 meter.     Diameter.— 1-2 cm.     Internode length.— 3-6 cm.     Texture.— Smooth.     Color.— Red Purple 59C.       
       Foliage description:
             Arrangement.— Alternate.     Length.— 4-6 cm.     Width.— 5-7 cm.     Shape.— Maple leaf shape; three to five lobes with pronounced sinuses.     Apex.— Acuminate.     Base.— Truncate.     Margin.— Irregularly dentate.     Texture.— Smooth, glabrous.     Venation pattern.— Pinnipalmate.     Color.— Upper surface with outer band (1-10 mm) — pink (Red Group RHS 54B fading to Red Purple 62D); Majority of leaf — burgundy (Red Purple RHS 59A fading to Grayed Green 188C). Lower surface same pattern but faded; outer band pink (Red Group RHS 54C); majority of the leaf burgundy (Red Purple RHS 59C).       
       Petiole:
             Length.— 3.5-7 cm.     Diameter.— 1-3 mm.     Texture.— Upper and lower surface: Glaborous.     Color.— Greyed Orange 177B with overlay of Greyed Purple 185B.       
       Flowers:
             Flower type.— Small with limited ornamental value.     Season.— November through April.     Bloom life.— One Day.     Fragrance.— None.     Arrangement.— Clustered 3-7 in some terminal leaf axils.     Individual flower.— 4-8 cm.     Symmetry.— Radial.     Color.— Purple (Red Purple 58C) with dark veining in petals (Red Purple 58A) and basal eye (Greyed-Purple 187B).     Petals.— 5, spatutate, length 2-3 cm, apex rounded, base truncate, margin entire.     Pistils.— 1, 5 parted.     Stamens.— 20-30.       
       Fruit/seed: None observed.   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new  Hibiscus  are tolerant of common insects and diseases.   Temperature tolerance: The new  Hibiscus  ‘Sahara Sunset’ is a tropical shrub and has been observed to be hardy to USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 10. In colder zones, where the plant would winter kill, the cultivar is well adapted for use as a summer annual adapted to summer heat and moisture stress. The cultivar is adapted to hotter dryer cultural conditions than many traditional bedding plants.