Patent Publication Number: US-PP32154-P2

Title: Crocosmia plant named ‘Scorchio’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Crocosmia  X  hybrida.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘SCORCHIO’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Crocosmia  plant, also referred to as  Montbretia , botanically known as  Crocosmia  X  hybrida  and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Scorchio’. 
     The new  Crocosmia  plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright and strong  Crocosmia  plants with large attractive upward-facing flowers, a long flowering period and winter hardiness. 
     The new  Crocosmia  plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom on Jul. 10, 2007 of two unnamed seedling selections of  Crocosmia  X  hybrida , not patented. The new  Crocosmia  plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom on Aug. 14, 2009. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Crocosmia  plant by divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom since the spring of 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new  Crocosmia  plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new  Crocosmia  have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. 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 ‘Scorchio’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Scorchio’ as a new and distinct  Crocosmia  plant:
         1. Upright plant habit; strong, sturdy and resistance to lodging.   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.   3. Freely flowering habit.   4. Numerous and relatively large and upward-facing yellow orange, orange, orange red and red-colored flowers.   5. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.       

     Plants of the new  Crocosmia  differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Crocosmia  are more freely flowering than plants of the parent selections.   2. Plants of the new  Crocosmia  have larger flowers than plants of the parent selections.   3. Plants of the new  Crocosmia  are more winter hardy than plants of the parent selections.       

     Plants of the new  Crocosmia  can be compared to plants of  Crocosmia  X  hybrida  ‘Zambesi’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new  Crocosmia  differ primarily from plants of ‘Zambesi’ in flower color as plants of the new  Crocosmia  have more distinct and pronounced flower color markings than plants of ‘Zambesi’. In addition, plants of the new  Crocosmia  have larger flowers than plants of ‘Zambesi’. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Crocosmia  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  Crocosmia  plant. 
       The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Scorchio’ grown in an outdoor nursery. 
       The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Scorchio’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new  Crocosmia  grown during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Hillegom, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Crocosmia  X  hybrida  ‘Scorchio’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Unnamed seedling selection of  Crocosmia  X  hybrida , not patented.     Male or pollen parent .—Unnamed seedling selection of  Crocosmia  X  hybrida , not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—By in vitro meristem culture.     Time to initiate roots .—About one week at temperatures about 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant .—About seven weeks at temperatures ranging from 15° to 20° C.     Root description .—Medium in thickness, fleshy and fibrous; brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.     Rooting habit .—Low branching; medium density.     Corms .—To date, corm development has not been observed on plants of the new  Crocosmia.          
       Overall plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Upright plant habit; overall plant shape, narrowly oblong with slightly arching flowering stems; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; strong stems that develop at the plant base and resist lodging; moderate to rapid growth rate.     Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane .—About 59.5 cm.     Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane .—About 88.7 cm.     Plant diameter  ( spread ).—About 21.3 cm.       
       Stem description:
             Aspect .—Mostly upright.     Length .—About 58.9 cm.     Diameter .—About 5 mm.     Internode length .—About 22.6 cm.     Strength .—Strong.     Texture and luster .—Smooth, glabrous, waxy; slightly glossy.     Color, when developing .—Close to 146B tinged with between 177A and N199A.     Color, developed .—Close to 143C slightly tinged with close to 177B; waxy cuticle, close to 198B to 198C.       
       Leaf description:
             Appearance .—Simple, distichous; sessile.     Quantity per stem .—About seven.     Length .—About 47.5 cm.     Width .—About 2.5 cm.     Shape .—Ensiform, moderately plicate.     Apex .—Narrowly acuminate.     Base .—Sheathing; sheath is about 25.9 cm in length, 1 cm in width and close to 143B in color.     Margin .—Entire.     Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces .—Smooth, glabrous; matte.     Venation pattern .—Camptodrome.     Color .—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A and 137B; venation, close to 138A.       
       Flower description:
             Flower type and habit .—Single tubular flowers arranged on terminal rhipidiums; flowers sessile; flowers face mostly outwardly and upward-facing; perianth segments fused; freely flowering habit with about 51 flowers developing per inflorescence.     Natural flowering season .—Flowering continuous in July and August in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering about six months after planting.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Flower longevity on the plant .—About ten days; flowers not persistent.     Flower buds .—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate, slightly curved downward. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Color: Close to 34B; towards the apex, close to 34A; towards the base, close to 153D; immature sepals, upper surface, close to 146D strongly tinged with closer to 178B; immature sepals, lower surface, close to 146D.     Inflorescence length .—About 27.5 cm.     Inflorescence diameter .—About 13.2 cm.     Flower diameter .—About 4.4 cm by 4.9 cm.     Flower length .—About 4.9 cm.     Flower throat diameter .—About 7 mm.     Flower tube length .—About 2.1 cm.     Flower tube diameter .—About 6 mm to 7 mm.     Perianth .—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each whorl with three segments fused towards the base; inner whorl of perianth segments has a larger dorsal segment and two smaller lateral segments that are similar to outer whorl segments. Inner perianth dorsal segment: Outer perianth segments: Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Obovate; proximally, 50% of the length of the segment is fused into a tube. Apex: Narrowly obtuse to broadly and bluntly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Color, when opening, upper surface: Close to N30A; towards the throat, 23A and 24A. Color, when opening, lower surface: Close to between N30B and 33A; proximally, close to 17B. Color, fully opening, upper surface: Close to N30B; towards the throat, 24A; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with development. Color, fully opening, lower surface: Close to N30B; proximally, close to 21A and 21B; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with development. Inner perianth lateral segments and outer perianth segments: Length: About 3.9 cm. Width, inner lateral segment: About 1.1 cm. Width, outer segments: About 1 cm. Shape: Obovate; proximally, 50% of the length of the segment is fused into a tube. Apex: Narrowly obtuse to broadly and bluntly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Color, when opening, upper surface: Close to 17B; towards the throat, 13A; at the throat, close to N34A; towards the apex and margins, close to N30C; central band, close to 33B. Color, when opening, lower surface: Close to 15A; towards the apex, and margins, close to N30B. Color, fully opening, upper surface: Close to 17B to 17C; towards the throat, 42A; towards the apex and margins, close to N30C; central band, close to 33B; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with development. Color, fully opening, lower surface: Close to 15A; towards the apex and margins, close to N30B; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with development. Flower throat and tube: Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Color, throat: Close to 14A and N34A; venation, similar to lamina. Color, tube: Close to 14A to 14B; venation, similar to lamina.     Sepals .—Arrangement: Three in a single whorl. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Broadly oblong. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Broadly cuneate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, when opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D; towards the margins, close to 178B. Color, fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D; towards the apex and margins, close to 178B to 178C.     Peduncles .—Length: About 26.9 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle, primary peduncles: Proximally, erect; distally, arching to about 80° from vertical. Angle, lateral peduncles: About 32.5° from primary peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous, waxy; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to between 177A and 200B; waxy cuticle, close to 198B to 198C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A; waxy cuticle, close to 198B to 198C.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically three. Filament length: About 3 cm. Filament color: Close to 13B. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 6.5 mm by 1.25 mm. Anther color: Close to 20B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 15D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4.7 cm. Style length: About 4.2 cm. Style color: Close to 13B. Stigma shape: Three-parted, curved. Stigma size: About 5 mm by 6 mm. Stigma color: Close to 25B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.     Fruits and seeds .—To date, fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants of the new  Crocosmia.          
       Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: To date, plants of the new  Crocosmia  have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to  Crocosmia  plants.   Garden performance: Plants of the new  Crocosmia  have been observed to have good garden performance, to resist lodging and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to about 35° C.; suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 10.