Patent Publication Number: US-PP28973-P2

Title: Hydrangea plant named ‘LEEP1’

Description:
Latin name of the genus and species:  Hydrangea paniculata.    
     Variety denomination: ‘LEEP1’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The new  Hydrangea  cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Independence, La. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new  Hydrangea paniculata  varieties for landscape use. The open pollination resulting in this new variety was made during 2007. 
     Seed was bulk collected from a variety of unpatented  Hydrangea paniculata  plants which had been open pollinated. The exact seed parent is unidentified. The pollen parent is unknown, as it was an open pollination breeding program. The new variety was identified as a potentially interesting selection in August of 2008, at a nursery in Independence, La. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEEP1’ by softwood cuttings was first performed during the May of 2009, at commercial nursery in Independence, La. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cultivar ‘LEEP1’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, 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 ‘LEEP1’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LEEP1’ as a new and distinct  Hydrangea  cultivar:
         1. Large inflorescence.   2. Thick branches, forming a sturdy, less floppy plant.   3. Upright growth habit.   4. Heat tolerance.   5. Easy to propagate.       

     PARENT VARIETY COMPARISON 
     The inventor cannot accurately identify seed and pollen parents. 
     COMMERCIAL COMPARISON 
     Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEEP1’ are similar to plants of  Hydrangea paniculata  ‘Phantom’, unpatented in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘LEEP1’ differ in the following:
         1. The new variety has thicker branches.   2. The new variety is smaller, reaching a height and width of approximately 5 to 6 feet, ‘Phantom’ reaches a mature height and width of approximately 6 to 10 feet.   3. Plants of the new variety are moderately dense, plants of ‘Phantom’ are loose and open.       

     ‘LEEP1’ can be compared to the patented commercial variety  Hydrangea  ‘Limelight’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,874. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however ‘LEEP1’ differs in the following:
         1. Plants of the new variety are shorter, achieving a height of approximately 5 to 6 feet at maturity, compared to 6 to 8 feet at maturity of this comparator.   2. The new variety has thicker branches.   3. The new variety has sepals colored near Green-White 157D, flushed yellow-green 149D, the comparator has sepals colored near 145B and 145C.   4. Branches of the new variety are stiffer and less prone to lodging.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH 
       The accompanying photograph in  FIG. 1  illustrates in full color a typical flowering plant of ‘LEEP1’ grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala. The plant is approximately 2 year old, The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, color references are made to The 1996 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘LEEP1’ plants outdoors, in Loxley, Ala. USA. The growing temperature ranged from approximately 18° C. to 27° C. daytime and 5° to 10° C. at night. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types. Measurements were taken during August of 2016.
     Botanical classification:  Hydrangea paniculata  ‘LEEP1’.   

     PROPAGATION 
     
         
         Time to initiate roots: Approximately 18 days at approximately 27° C. 
         Time to produce a rooted young plants: Approximately 60 days at approximately 27° C. 
         Root description: Thick and fine, freely root branching and dense, fibrous. Color is white and brown, not accurately measured with an R.H.S. chart. 
         Propagation method: Softwood cuttings. 
       
    
     PLANT 
     
         
         Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years. 
         Pot size: 2 gallon. 
         Growth habit: Flowering perennial shrub, upright and round. 
         Overall plant shape: V-shaped. 
         Height: 37 cm. 
         Plant spread: 41 cm. 
         Growth rate: Good. 
         Plant vigor: Good. 
         Branching characteristics: Opposite, basal branches, some pinching required. 
         Length of lateral branches: Average 25 cm. 
         Number of lateral branches: 4 main branches, each with 3 to 5 lateral branches, after pinching. 
         Diameter of lateral branches: 6 to 9 mm. 
         Lateral branch shape and appearance: Round. 
         Lateral branch strength: Moderate. 
         Internode length: Average range 1.8 to 3.2 cm. 
         Branch color: Immature: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C. Mature: Near RHS Yellow-Green N144D, densely covered in Greyed-Orange 174A. 
         Branch angle: 0 to 15°. 
         Branch texture: Immature branches short hirsute. Mature branches very slightly scaly. 
       
    
     FOLIAGE 
     
         
         Leaf:
             Arrangement .—Opposite.     Average length.— 8 to 10 cm.     Average width.— 4.0 to 5.0 cm.     Shape of blade .—Ovate.     Apex .—Acute.     Base .—Rounded.     Margin .—Sharply serrate.     Texture and appearance of top surface .—Short hirsute, matte.     Texture and appearance of bottom surface .—Matte, mainly glabrous. Few hirsute hairs on veins.     Color .—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 143A. Young foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C. Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A.     Venation .—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A. Venation color under side: Near Yellow-Green 145B.       
     
         Petiole:
             Average length.— 2.0 cm.     Diameter.— 4 mm.     Color .—Upper side: Near RHS Yellow-green 145B. Under side: Near RHA Yellow-green 145B.     Texture upper side .—Glossy, glabrous.     Texture under side .—Glossy, glabrous.       
     
       
    
     FLOWER 
     
         
         Bloom period:
             Natural season .—Early Summer until Fall.       
     
         Inflorescence:
             Arrangement .—Terminal corymb.     Commercial type .—Mophead.     Panicle height.— 10-15 cm.     Panicle diameter.— 9-15 cm.     Panicle shape .—Moderately tight, globular, slightly elongated sphere.     Quantity of flowers per inflorescence .—Fertile flowers: not observed to date. Sterile Flowers, 150 to 300 approximate average.     Persistent or self - cleaning .—Self-cleaning.     Fragrance .—Very faintly scented.       
     
         Sterile flower:
             Bud shape .—Obovate.     Bud length.— 4.0 mm.     Bud diameter.— 2.0 mm.     Bud color .—Near RHS Yellow-Green 149D.     Flower aspect .—Upright and outward.     Flower shape .—Cruciform.     Flower diameter .—Average range 17 to 22 mm.     Flower depth.— 8 mm.     Aspect .—Facing upright and outward. Self-cleaning.       
     
         Sterile flower sepals:
             Petal arrangement .—Cruciform.     Petal number.— 4.     Length of petal .—Approximately 8 to 12 mm.     Width of petal .—Approximately 9 to 11 mm.     Angel of attachment/aspect .—Petals angled upward approximately 15° from point of attachment. Petals slightly upwardly cupped.     Apex .—Rounded or retuse.     Shape of petal .—Ovate.     Petal margin .—Entire.     Petal base .—Obtuse.     Petal texture .—Smooth, upper and under sides.     Color .—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS Yellow-Green 149D. Upper surface at maturity: Near RHS Green-White 157D, lightly flushed Yellow-Green 149D. Under surface at first opening: Near RHS Yellow-Green 149D. Under surface at maturity: Near RHS Green-White 157D, lightly flushed Yellow-Green 149D. Color when fading: Upper and lower surfaces: Near RHS White 155A.       
     
         Sterile flower petal: Highly reduced structure.
             Arrangement .—Whorl.     Number.— 4.     Shape .—Ovate.     Tip .—Rounded.     Base .—Truncate.     Margin .—Entire.     Length.— 1 mm.     Width.— 1 mm.     Texture, upper .—Smooth.     Texture, lower .—Smooth.     Color .—All surfaces at first opening: Near RHS Yellow-Green 149D. All surfaces at maturity: Near RHS Yellow-Green 149D. All surfaces fading to: Near RHS White 155A.       
     
         Sterile flower pedicel:
             Length.— 15 mm.     Diameter.— 1 mm.     Angle .—Upright and outward.     Strength .—Flexible, not prone to breakage.     Texture .—Smooth.     Color .—Near RHS Yellow-Green 149D.       
     
         Fertile flower: Not observed to date. 
       
    
     REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 
     
         
         Sterile flower: All reproductive parts reduced to less than 1 mm or not present. 
       
    
     OTHER CHARACTERISTICS 
     
         
         Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to diseases or pests has been observed in this variety. 
         Cold tolerance: USDA Zones 3 through 8. 
         Fruit/seed production: Seed production not observed to date.