Anthurium plant named ‘ANTHEWUCH’

[0001] Genus and species: Anthurium andreanum L.

[0002] Variety denomination: ‘ANTHEWUCH’.

[0003] The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Anthurium, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum L., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘ANTHEWUCH’. This new Anthurium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The objective of this breeding program was to create a new, compact, 42.0 cm to 45.0 cm height plant with large, bright pink-red, orbicular cordate and very durable spathes.

[0004] The new variety originated from a cross-pollination made in October 2008 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was a red Anthurium pot plant designated ‘9863-03’ (unpatented), and the male parent was a red Anthurium pot plant designated ‘10851-04’ (unpatented).

[0005] A single plant was selected from the progeny of the stated cross in September 2010 and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by tissue culture in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands over a 6-year period. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

[0006] Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in the European Union on Nov. 6, 2014. ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has not been made publicly available or sold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

[0007] The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands:

• • [0008] 1) Large, bright pink-red, orbicular cordate spathe;
  • [0009] 2) White spadix with yellow tip;
  • [0010] 3) Green elliptical cordate leaves; and
  • [0011] 4) Compact plant habit that develops many shoots.

[0016] The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘ANTHEWUCH’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 44-week old plants which were planted from tissue culture in 14-centimeter (diameter) pots and grown in a glass greenhouse between 19° C. and 24° C. Observations were made in May 2016. Color readings were taken under 5000 lux natural light in the greenhouse. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2015).

• [0017] Classification:
  • • [0018] Family.—Araceae.
    • [0019] Botanical.—Anthurium andreanum L.
    • [0020] Common name.—Anthurium.
    • [0021] Demonimation.—‘ANTHEWUCH’.
• [0022] Parentage:
  • • [0023] Female parent.—Anthurium plant ‘9863-03’ (unpatented).
    • [0024] Male parent.—Anthurium plant ‘10851-04’ (unpatented).
• [0025] Plant:
  • • [0026] Propagation.—Tissue culture (meristem).
    • [0027] Root description.—Fleshy-creamy colored roots with small hairy lateral roots having yellow colored root tips.
    • [0028] Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—42 to 46 weeks after planting in a 14-cm (diameter) pot.
    • [0029] Growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial.
    • [0030] Height (measured from soil, including inflorescence).—42.0 cm to 45.0 cm.
    • [0031] Width (measured from leaf tips).—46.0 cm to 50.0 cm.
• [0032] Leaves:
  • • [0033] Immature leaves.—Length: 17.0 cm to 21.0 cm. Width: 10.0 cm to 12.0 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 146A. Lower surface: RHS 146B. Texture (both upper and lower surfaces): Shiny.
    • [0034] Mature leaves.—Length (fully expanded): 19.0 cm to 23.0 cm. Width: 11.0 cm to 13.0 cm. Shape: Elliptical cordate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cordate. Leaf blade angle with the petiole: Between 110 degrees and 130 degrees. Leaf margin: Entire. Color: Upper surface: RHS 147A. Lower surface: RHS 146A. Texture: Shiny, leathery and thick. Venation: Pinnate veining; the mid-vein and primary veins (the veins that radiate out from the junction of petiole and leaf) protrude at the underside of the leaf blade. Venation color: Upper surface: RHS 144A. Lower surface: RHS 144B.
    • [0035] Lobes.—Arrangement: Leaf blade has two lobes extending past the petiole. The lobes are non-touching. Length of lobes of mature leaf blades: 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm. Width of lobes of mature leaf blades: 5.0 cm to 6.0 cm. Distance for petiole/leaf junction to highest point on lobes of mature leaf blades: 4.0 cm to 5.0 cm.
    • [0036] Petiole.—Cross-section: Round. Diameter: 0.35 cm to 0.4 cm. Length: 23.0 cm to 26.0 cm for a mature leaf size. Color: Mature leaf: RHS 144A. Immature leaf: RHS 144B. Cataphyll color surrounding the petiole: Outside: RHS 144C and 181C towards the base and tip. Inside: RHS 145C.
    • [0037] Geniculum.—Length: 1.3 cm to 1.7 cm. Width: 0.35 cm to 0.45 cm. Color: RHS 144B.
• [0038] Inflorescence:
  • • [0039] Arrangement.—Single.
    • [0040] Flowering habit (length of flowering season).—Continuous.
    • [0041] Number of inflorescences per plant.—6 to 8.
    • [0042] Fragrance.—Absent.
    • [0043] Longevity of inflorescence on plant.—Over a year.
• [0044] Spathe:
  • • [0045] Buds.—The spathe is tightly rolled around the spadix and extrudes from the peduncle sheath. After the spathe is fully open the peduncle elongates some extra centimeters.
    • [0046] Arrangement.—Spathe angle with the peduncle is between 120 degrees and 130 degrees; the spathe stands on a wiry peduncle about 0.0 cm to 4.0 cm above the foliage.
    • [0047] Shape.—Orbicular cordate.
    • [0048] Apex.—Mucronate.
    • [0049] Base.—Cordate.
    • [0050] Texture.—Shiny and blistered.
    • [0051] Margin.—Entire.
    • [0052] Size.—Length: 10.0 cm to 12.0 cm. Width: 10.5 cm to 12.5 cm.
    • [0053] Lobes.—Arrangement: The spathe has two lobes extending past the peduncle. The lobes are non-touching. Length: 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm. Width: 5.5 cm to 6.5 cm.
    • [0054] Color.—Just fully open: Upper surface: RHS 46D. Lower surface: RHS 53D. This bright pink-red color remains for a very long period, at least more than 30 weeks after opening.
• [0055] Peduncle:
  • • [0056] Shape.—Erect.
    • [0057] Cross-section.—Round.
    • [0058] Length.—30.0 cm to 34.0 cm.
    • [0059] Diameter.—0.35 cm to 0.45 cm.
    • [0060] Color.—RHS 144B.
• [0061] Flowering time:
  • • [0062] General.—One small rooted untreated tissue culture plant of 8.0 cm tall will flower, depending on the season, after 42 to 46 weeks, and 6 to 7 blossoms will appear. More blossoms appear after some additional weeks so that a full flowering and commercial plant will have 7 to 8 bright pink-red spathes. Smaller blossoms may occur on immature plants.
• [0063] Spadix:
  • • [0064] Size.—Length: 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm (depending on spathe size). Width (at apex): 0.5 cm to 0.6 cm. Width (at base): 0.6 cm to 0.7 cm.
    • [0065] Shape.—Columnar.
    • [0066] Angle from spadix tip to peduncle.—170 to 180 degrees.
    • [0067] Texture.—When the spathe is unfurling the spadix is smooth. When the spadix matures, small stigmata protrude. The stigmata are evenly distributed round the spadix. The spadix matures from base to top, slowly giving the spadix a somewhat rough appearance.
    • [0068] Color.—Immature: RHS 12A. Mature: RHS 158C. Aged: RHS 144C.
• [0069] Flowers:
  • • [0070] Quantity per spadix.—150 to 200.
    • [0071] Spadix flower arrangement.—Bisexual, rounded in cross-section.
    • [0072] Shape.—Rounded.
    • [0073] Size.—Length: 0.05 cm to 0.1 cm. Diameter (maximum): 0.1 cm.
    • [0074] Color.—RHS 156D.
• [0075] Reproductive organs:
  • • [0076] Stamens.—Not visible.
    • [0077] Pollen amount.—None.
    • [0078] Pistil.—Quantity: Many. Length: Less than 0.01 cm. Color: RHS 156D.
    • [0079] Style.—Not observed.
    • [0080] Stigma.—Shape: Ovoid. Diameter: Less than 0.01 cm. Color: RHS 156D.
    • [0081] Ovary.—Rarely visible.
    • [0082] Ovary color.—Not measured.
• [0083] Fruit and seed set: None observed.
• [0084] Disease and pest resistance: None observed.

[0085] ‘ANTHEWUCH’ differs from the female parent plant ‘9863-03’ (unpatented) in that ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has bright pink-red, orbicular cordate spathes, whereas ‘9863-03’ has red, cordate shaped spathes.

[0086] ‘ANTHEWUCH’ differs from the male parent plant ‘10851-04’ (unpatented) in that ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has bright pink-red, orbicular cordate spathes, whereas ‘10851-04’ has red, cordate shaped spathes.

[0087] ‘ANTHEWUCH’ differs from the commercial variety ‘ANTHEUBP’ (unpatented) in that ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has bright pink-red, orbicular cordate shaped spathes, whereas ‘ANTHEUBP’ has pink, cordate shaped spathes. Additionally, ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has elliptical cordate shaped leaves, whereas ‘ANTHEUBP’ has cordate shaped leaves.

[0088] ‘ANTHEWUCH’ differs from commercial variety ‘ANTHESBOL’ (unpatented) in that ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has large, bright pink-red spathes, whereas ‘ANTHESBOL’ has medium, pink spathes. Additionally, ‘ANTHEWUCH’ has elliptical cordate shaped leaves and cataphyll that are green and moderate red, whereas ‘ANTHESBOL’ has cordate shaped leaves and cataphyll that are green.