Patent Publication Number: US-PP15822-P2

Title: Aster plant named ‘Yomelody’

Description:
Botanical classification/cultivar designation:  Aster hybrida  cultivar Yomelody. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant, botanically known as  Aster hybrida  and hereinater referred to by the name ‘Yomelody’. 
   The new  Aster  is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the program is to create or discover new potted  Aster  cultivars that have a uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors uniform flowering response and good postproduction longevity. 
   The new  Aster  originated from an open-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 1992, in Salinas, Calif., of the  Aster  cultivar Royal Ruby, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a an unknown  Aster  selection, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Aster  was discovered and selected by the Inventor in January, 2000, as a single flowering plant from within the resulting progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. 
   The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, uniform flowering response and good postproduction longevity. 
   Asexual reproduction of the new  Aster  by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Alva, Fla. in March, 2000. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new  Aster  are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The cultivar Yomelody has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype. 
   The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yomelody’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yomelody’ as a new and distinct cultivar of  Aster:  
         1. Uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.   2. Freely branching growth habit.   3. Dark green-colored foliage.   4. Uniform flowering habit.   5. Natural flowering season around September 17 th .   6. Daisy-type inflorescences with violet-colored ray florets.   7. Good garden performance.       

   Plants of the new  Aster  can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Royal Ruby. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new  Aster  differed from plants of the cultivar Royal Ruby, in the following characteristics:
         1. Inflorescences of plants of the new  Aster  and the cultivar Royal Ruby differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Royal Ruby had red purple-colored ray florets.   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new  Aster  were longer-lasting than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Royal Ruby.       

   Plants of the new  Aster  can be compared to plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new  Aster  differed from plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Aster  were stronger, fuller and more rain tolerant than plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard.   2. Plants of the new  Aster  flowered about four days later than plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard under natural season conditions.   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new  Aster  and the cultivar Patricia Ballard differed in ray floret coloration as ray florets of plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard were pink in color.   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new  Aster  were longer-lasting than plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard.       

   Plants of the new  Aster  can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Purple Viking, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,357. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new  Aster  differed from plants of the cultivar Purple Viking in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Aster  were larger and more mounded than plants of the cultivar Purple Viking.   2. Plants of the new  Aster  flowered about five days later than plants of the cultivar Purple Viking under natural season conditions.   3. Plants of the new  Aster  had larger inflorescences with more ray florets than plants of the cultivar Purple Viking.   4. Ray florets of inflorescences of plants of the new  Aster  were lighter in color than ray florets of inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Purple Viking.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
     The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Aster  showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new  Aster.    
     The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yomelody’ grown in a container. 
     The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Yomelody’. 
   

   DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
   In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown and flowered during the winter in Alva, Fla., in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial potted  Aster  production. During the production of these plants, day temperatures were about 25° C. and night temperatures were about 18° C. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-cm containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched several times. At the time of the final pinch, photoinductive short day/long night treatments were initiated.
     Botanical classification:  Aster hybrida  cultivar Yomelody.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent.—Aster hybrida  cultivar Royal Ruby, not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent.— Unknown  Aster hybrida  selection, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type.— Terminal vegetative cuttings.     Time to initiate roots.— About one week at 21° C.     Time to produce a rooted cutting.— About 16 to 19 days at 21° C.     Root description.— Fine, fibrous; white, close to 155D.     Rooting habit.— Freely branching.       
       Plant description:
             Appearance.— Daisy-type potted  Aster.  Upright with lateral branches outwardly spreading; inverted triangle with uniformly mounded crown. Strong and freely branching growth habit with lateral branches developing at every node when pinched (removal of terminal apices); dense and full plants. Moderately vigorous.     Plant height.— About 23 cm.     Plant width.— About 28 cm.     Lateral branches.— Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147A.     Foliage description.— Arrangement: Alternate; simple; sessile. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation, lower surface: 147B.       
       Inflorescence description:
             Appearance.— Daisy-type inflorescence form with linear-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences terminal and axillary. Disk and ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences not fragrant.     Flowering response.— Under natural conditions, plants flower on September 17 th  in Alva, Fla. Uniform flowering habit.     Inflorescence longevity.— Inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about one to two weeks on the plant.     Quantity of inflorescences.— About six open inflorescences per lateral branch.     Inflorescence bud.— Height: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Spherical. Color: Close to 147A.     Inflorescence diameter.— About 3.4 cm.     Inflorescence height.— About 1.1 cm.     Diameter of disc.— About 7 mm.     Receptacle diameter.— About 1.5 mm.     Ray florets.— Shape: Linear. Orientation: Initially upright, then about 90° from vertical. Aspect: Straight, mostly flat. Length: About 1.6 cm. Corolla tube length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Apex: Acute to emarginate. Base: Fused into a corolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous, satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 41 arranged in about two whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 86B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 86C to 86D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 86B and 86C; color becoming closer to 86D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Lighter than 86D.     Disc florets.— Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle. Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1. mm. Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 52. Color: Apex: Close to 155D. Mid-section: Close to 144D. Base: Close to 155D.     Phyllaries.— Quantity per inflorescence: About 40. Length: About 4 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Waxy, smooth. Texture, lower surface: Smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A.     Peduncles.— Length: First peduncle: About 2.4 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Angle to vertical: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.     Reproductive organs.— Androecium: Anther color: Close to 79B. Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Style color: Close to 79B. Stigma color: Close to 11D.     Seed/fruit.— Seed and fruit production has not been observed.       
       Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to  Asters  has not been observed on plants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.   Garden performance: Plants of the new  Aster  have been observed to be rain and wind tolerant and to tolerate temperatures from 0 to more than 38° C.