Patent Publication Number: US-PP23879-P2

Title: Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 910’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Helleborus niger×Helleborus argutifolius.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘COSEH 910’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant, botanically known as  Helleborus niger×Helleborus argutifolius , and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘COSEH 910’. 
     The new  Helleborus  plant is a product of a planned breeding program in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform  Helleborus  plants with unique and attractive plant habit, leaf and flower coloration and resistance to pests. 
     The new  Helleborus  plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in November, 2005 of an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of  Helleborus niger , not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of  Helleborus argutifolius , not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Helleborus  plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany in December, 2007. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Helleborus  plant by divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany since March, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new  Helleborus  plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new  Helleborus  have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. 
     The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘COSEH 910’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘COSEH 910’ as a new and distinct  Helleborus  plant:
         1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.   3. Dark green-colored leaves.   4. Long flowering period.   5. Single white and light yellow green-colored flowers.   6. Good garden performance.       

     Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the new  Helleborus  are more uniformly mounded and are more uniformly and freely flowering. 
     Plants of the new  Helleborus  can be compared to plants of  Helleborus niger×Helleborus lividus  ‘COSEH 710’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,063. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new  Helleborus  differed from plants of ‘COSEH 710’ in leaf and flower color. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Helleborus  plant 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  Helleborus  plant. 
       The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 910’ grown in a container. 
       The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘COSEH 910’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which closely approximate commercial  Helleborus  production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14 months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Helleborus niger×Helleborus argutifolius  ‘COSEH 910’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Unnamed proprietary seedling selection of  Helleborus niger , not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent .—Unnamed proprietary seedling selection of  Helleborus argutifolius , not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—By tissue culture.     Time to initiate roots .—About two months at 12° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant .—About six months at 4° C. to 15° C.     Root description .—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in color.     Rooting habit .—Sparse.       
       Plant description:
             Plant form and growth habit .—Herbaceous perennial; upright and uniformly mounding plant habit with flowers held just above the foliar plane; plant shape is globular; moderately vigorous growth habit.     Plant height .—About 32.3 cm.     Plant diameter  ( area of spread ).—About 47.6 cm.       
       Foliage description:
             Arrangement .—Leaves arranged in a basal rosette; leaves palmately compound with five leaflets per leaf.     Leaf length .—About 18.9 cm.     Leaf width .—About 27.8 cm.     Leaflet length .—About 14.8 cm.     Leaflet width .—About 5.1 cm.     Leaf shape .—Palmate; orbicular in outline.     Leaflet shape .—Narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate.     Leaflet apex .—Acute.     Leaflet base .—Attenuate.     Leaflet margin .—Sharply serrate; slightly undulate.     Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces .—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.     Leaflet venation pattern .—Pinnate.     Leaflet color .—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between N137A and 147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Between N137B and 147A; venation, close to 144B to 144C. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 144B to 144C.     Petiole .—Length: About 11.5 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B; towards the base, close to 144C.       
       Flower description:
             Flower shape and habit .—Single rotate flowers arranged in terminal and axillary cymes; freely and uniform flowering habit with about 70 flowers and flower buds developing per terminal inflorescence; flowers facing outwardly to slightly nodding and slightly upright.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Natural flowering season .—Plants begin flowering about ten months after planting; long flowering period, plants flower from late winter to early spring in Germany.     Flower longevity on the plant .—About ten days; flowers not persistent.     Flower buds .—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 145C to 145D.     Inflorescence height .—About 22.4 cm.     Inflorescence diameter .—About 31.6 cm.     Flower diameter .—About 7.1 cm.     Flower depth  ( height ).—About 2.6 cm.     Petals .—Transformed into nectaries.     Sepals .—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Broadly elliptic to broadly obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 145C; towards the base, close to 145B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 145D; towards the base, close to 145C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155B to NN155D; towards the base, tinged with between 145D and 150D; with development, color becoming closer to 144B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 150D; towards the base, close to 145B to 145C.     Peduncles .—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 9.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Aspect: About 15° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D.     Pedicels .—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 20° from the peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145C.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 60. Filament length: About 1.2 cm. Filament color: Close to 157D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 150B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About five. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style length: About 8.5 mm. Style color: Close to 150C tinged with lighter than 182D. Ovary color: Close to 145A to 145B. Nectaries (transformed petals): Quantity per flower: About 13. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Shape: Flattened triangular. Color: Close to 144A; towards the apex, close to N144A.     Seeds and fruits .—Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new  Helleborus.          
       Garden performance: Plants of the new  Helleborus  have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind; plants of the new  Helleborus  have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.   Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: Plants of the new  Helleborus  have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to  Helleborus  plants.