Patent Publication Number: US-8637-P

Title: Ficus benjamina plant named Monique

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Ficus benjamina. The varietal denomination of the new cultivar is `Monique`. 
     The new variety was discovered as a mutation in a controlled planting of Ficus benjamina Exotica in a greenhouse in Kwekerij De Amstel, Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The new variety is a mutation of the variety Ficus benjamina Exotica and differs significantly in appearance from its parent. The leaves of the new variety are undulate-crenate and darker in color than the parent. In addition, the new variety is more resistant to leaf drop under conditions of stress and is highly pest and disease-resistant. The young leaves of the new variety display a small dark-green spot under low light conditions in the winter months, e.g., about 21° C., 30,000 lux, in the months of November, December and January, over a three-year period. As compared to its parent, the overall leaf is harder and more rigid and crisp; however, the growth rate and growth habit closely resemble those of its parent. The new variety has not borne fruit. 
     The juvenile leaves of the new variety tend to be slightly smaller than the parent, but the mature foliage maintains a deeper green coloration than the parent and has a more exaggerated acuminate leaf tip. 
     The new variety has been asexually reproduced vegetatively by rooted cuttings in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction through succeeding generations has established that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar is firmly fixed and is retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATION 
     The accompanying illustration shows a specimen of the new cultivar in a photo illustration as true to color as is reasonably possible to make in an illustration of this character. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY 
     `Monique` has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypic expression may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. The following observations and descriptions are of plants grown in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, in a greenhouse during the month of January. In this description, color references Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHSCC). The terminology used in the color descriptions herein refers to plate numbers in this color chart. 
     Classification: 
     Botanical.--Ficus benjamina cv. `Monique`. 
     Parentage: Mutation of Ficus benjamina Exotica. 
     Propagation: By vegetative cuttings and other known asexual reproduction techniques. 
     PLANT 
     A. Form: Upright, multiple-branching woody ornamental. 
     B. Growth: Extremely vigorous with uniform branching. 
     Height attained.--0.25 to 6.0 meters. 
     C. Foliage: 
     1. Size.--About 70×150 mm, medium large, Code 5-7. 
     2. Quantity.--Multiple, numerous. 
     3. Color.--New foliage: Upper side -- near 144A to near 143A. As indicated previously, a small dark green spot, near 137A, has been observed on juvenile leaves under low light conditions. The major portion of the leaf, however, is near 144A to 143A. As the leaf matures, the entire leaf darkens to near 137A. Old foliage: Upper side -- near 137A 
     4. Shape.--Ovate-acuminate leaf tip. 
     5. Texture.--Smooth and glabrous. 
     6. Veination.--An insignificant feature approximately 1 mm or less. 
     7. Form.--Undulate-crenate. 
     8. Margin.--Crenate. 
     9. Stipules.--Leaves are glabrous. 
     10. Auricle.--Absent. 
     11. Resistance to disease.--Resistant to Anthracnose, Agrobacterium radiobacter tumefaciens, Heterodera fici, Tarsonemus pallidus and Pseudoccus. 
     12. Variegation.--None. 
     D. Wood: 
     New shoots.--Color -- greenish-brown 
     Old wood.--Color -- brown 
     GENERAL 
     Temperature range: To 0° C. 
     Internode spacing: About 27 to 30 mm. 
     Preferred growing conditions: 20° C. to 32° C. 
     Growth habit: Vigorous upright woody, multiple branching. 
     Leaves per stem: Multiple alternate.