Patent Document

Genus and species of plant claimed:  Buddleia  hybrid Franch. 
     Variety denomination: ‘PIIBD-II’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleia  plant, botanically known as  Buddleia  hybrid Franch., commonly known as butterfly-bush, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PIIBD-II’. ‘PIIBD-II’ is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use and for use as a potted plant. 
     ‘PIIBD-II’ originated from an open-pollination of the cultivar ‘Miss Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,950) growing in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2010. The cultivar ‘PIIBD-II’ originated and was selected in a cultivated environment in Watkinsville, Ga. from the progeny of this open-pollination by continued evaluation for growth habit, foliage and flower characteristics. 
     Asexual reproduction of ‘PIIBD-II’ by stem cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2011 has shown that all the unique features of this new  Buddleia , as herein described, are stable and reproduced true-to-type through successive generations of such asexual propagation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new cultivar ‘PIIBD-II’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance in genotype. 
     The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PIIBD-II’ from all other varieties in commerce known to the inventor.
         1. Compact, rounded to upright growth habit;   2. Dark green foliage;   3. Reddish pink flowers with an orange center;   4. Long flowering season, with flowers produced from summer to the first frost.       

     ‘PIIBD-II’ is distinguished from its female parent, ‘Miss Ruby’, by its flower color and inflorescence size. ‘PIIBD-II’ has darker reddish pink flower color and larger inflorescences, whereas ‘Miss Ruby’ has lighter medium pink flower color and smaller inflorescences. 
     ‘PIIBD-II’ can be compared to ‘Miss Molly’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,425), but differs in the following characteristics. ‘PIIBD-II’ has larger foliage, darker reddish pink flower color and larger inflorescences, whereas ‘Miss Molly’ has smaller foliage, lighter reddish purple flower color and smaller inflorescences. 
     ‘PIIBD-II’ can also be compared to its sister plant ‘PIIBD-III’ (Pending Plant patent Ser. No. 13/998,398). ‘PIIBD-II’ has reddish pink flowers with an orange center and dark green foliage, whereas ‘PIIBD-III’ has violet flowers with an orange center and grey-green foliage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliage characteristics and the overall appearance of ‘PIIBD-II’, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in color 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  Buddleia.    
         FIG. 1  Illustrates the overall appearance of a three year old plant of ‘PIIBD-II’ planted in the ground. 
         FIG. 2  Illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘PIIBD-II’ on a three year old plant. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     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. The plant used for the description was approximately three years old and was grown in the ground in a nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. Colors are described using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).
     Botanical classification:  Buddleia  hybrid Franch. ‘PIIBD-II’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent.— ‘Miss Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,950).     Male, or pollen parent.— Unknown (open-pollinated).       
       Propagation: Terminal cuttings.
             Time to initiate roots, summer.— About 21 days at 32° C.     Time to produce a finished plant, summer.— About 12 weeks from softwood cuttings.       
       Plant description: Deciduous flowering shrub; compact, rounded to upright growth habit. Freely branching; pruning enhances lateral branch development.
             Root description .—Numerous, fibrous and well-branched. Color: 161C.     Plant size .—About 213 cm high from the soil level to the top of the inflorescences and about 234 cm wide.     First year stems.— Have a diameter of about 3.5 mm. Shape: quadrangular when young, becoming rounded with age. Pubescence: tomentulose when young, becoming glabrous with age.     Second year and older stems.— Have a diameter of about 4.5 mm or more. Shape: round.     Lateral branches.— Approximately 80. Length about 50 to 60 cm. Internode length about 3.9 cm. Color on younger branches N187B. Color on older branches 199A. Diameter 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm. Strength strong and somewhat flexible. Younger branches are pubescent, becoming glabrous with age.     Trunk diameter.— 3.8 cm at the soil line. Color: N199C.     Internode length .—About 3.9 cm.     Strength .—Flexible when young, becoming stronger with age.     First year stem color  ( young ).—N187B. Color (mature): 199A.     Second year and older stem color.— 199A. Bark does not exfoliate.       
       Vegetative buds: Opposite arrangement, naked, subglobose, 2 bud scales with tomentulose pubescence.
             Color.— 197D.     Size.— About 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width.       
       Foliage description:
             Quantity of leaves per branch.— About 16-24.     Arrangement .—Opposite, simple.     Leaf length.— About 8.6 cm.     Leaf width.— About 2.5 cm.     Shape.— Lanceolate to elliptical.     Apex.— Acuminate.     Base.— Cuneate.     Margin.— Closely serrate to serrulate.     Texture .—Upper surface is glabrous, lower surface is tomentose.     Venation pattern .—Pinnate.     Venation color  ( upper surface ).—144A.     Venation color  ( lower surface ).—144C.     Foliage color  ( upper surface ).—N137A.     Foliage color  ( lower surface ).—194A.     Petiole length .—About 3 mm.     Petiole diameter.— About 1.5 mm.     Petiole color.— 144C.     Pubescence.— Tomentulose.     Leaf blade.— Variegation absent.       
       Flower description: Flowers on new growth. Flowers are produced from about June through the first frost in Watkinsville, Ga. An inflorescence is showy for about three weeks, and individual flowers are salverform in shape and last about three days and are self-cleaning. Approximately 265 flowers per individual inflorescence.
             Inflorescence type .—Terminal panicle.     Inflorescence shape.— Globose.     Inflorescence length.— About 16 cm.     Inflorescence width.— About 4.9 cm.     Fragrance.— Pleasant and sweet.     Peduncle .—About 14.6 cm in length, about 2 mm in diameter, strength — strong, color is 146C, at times overlaid with 178A, with tomentulose pubescence.     Individual flowers .—About 1.2 cm in height and 8 mm in diameter and salverform in shape.     Flower buds .—Length: about 8 mm; Diameter: about 2 mm; Color: 71B. Shape: elongated, linear balloon.     Pedicels .—About 2.5 mm in length, less than 1 mm in diameter, strength — moderately strong, 146C in color with tomentulose pubescence.     Calyx .—Consists of 4 sepals fused at the base. The calyx is about 3 mm in length, about 1 mm in diameter, 147B in color, tubular in shape with tomentulose pubescence. The individual sepals are lanceolate in shape, with an acute apex and entire margin, 147B in color with tomentulose pubescence.       
       Petals:
             Arrangement/appearance.— 4 petals fused at the base to form the corolla tube, which is about 9 mm in length, 1 mm in width, outer surface is 71A in color and the inner surface or center of the flower is 25A in color.     Petal .—Length: about 4 mm. Width: about 4 mm. Shape: broad spatulate. Apex: broad obtuse to rounded. Margin: ruffled. Texture: glaucous.     Petal color .—Upper and lower surfaces are 71A in color.     Corolla.— Throat is about 7 mm in length, less than 1 mm in width, corolla tube color inside 25A, corolla tube color outside 71A, corolla tube surfaces pubescent, corolla tube shape is tubular, corolla lobe is semi-erect at full flowering and arrangement is free, present is an eye and the color is 25A.       
       Stamens:
             Quantity/arrangement.— 4 stamens per flower, fused to the inner base of the corolla tube, about 4 mm long.     Filaments.— 3 mm in length, less than 0.5 mm in width, and 1D in color.     Anthers.— 1 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width, and 4C in color. The stamens are not pubescent.     Pollen.— Produced in small quantities and is 158D in color.       
       Pistils:
             Quantity .—One superior pistil per flower.     Pubescence.— None.     Pistil.— About 5 mm in length and about 1 mm in width.     Stigma.— Elongated shape, about 1.5 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width and 144C in color.     Style.— Tubular in shape, about 1 mm in length, less than 0.5 mm in width and 73D in color.     Ovary.— Ovoid in shape, about 2.5 mm in length, about 1 mm in width and 144B in color.       
       Fruit:
             Type/appearance .—Two-valved, septicidally dehiscent capsule.     Length.— About 7 mm.     Width.— About 2 mm.     Immature color.— 144C.     Mature color.— N200D. Each capsule contains many tiny seeds 165D in color.       
       Disease/pest resistance: ‘PIIBD-II’ has not exhibited any particular pest or disease susceptibility or resistance, except occasional susceptibility to spider mites ( Tetranychus urticae ) under very hot and dry conditions. ‘PIIBD-II’ is cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.

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