Clematis plant named ‘Evipo058’

[0001] Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: viticella.

[0002] Variety denomination: ‘Evipo058’.

[0003] The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematis plant which originated from a controlled crossing between the female seed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, an un-named seedling. Both parent varieties are non-patented.

[0004] The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2003 and the resulting seeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment in Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named ‘Evipo058’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

[0005] The new clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parent and male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The female seed parent has purple flowers with no central bar, while the new variety has a distinct central bar. The male pollen parent has does not develop as many flowers as the newly claimed variety.

[0006] The objective of the hybridization of this clematis plant was to create a new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualities such as:

• • [0007] 1. Uniform and abundant lavender purple flowers;
  • [0008] 2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable for container culture; and
  • [0009] 3. Improved disease resistance.

[0010] This combination of qualities was lacking in clematis plants that were in commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantially achieved in the new variety.

[0011] ‘Evipo058’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in their clematis development program in the Channel Islands, United Kingdom in 2004. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo058’ by means of vegetative stem cuttings and traditional layering was first performed by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summer of 2004. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo058’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

[0014] The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo058’, as observed in its growth throughout the flowering period in Yamhill County Oreg. Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2 liter containers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may vary under different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, and climatic conditions. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

[0015] For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the clematis variety ‘Evipo053’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/986,926 are compared to ‘Evipo058’ in Chart 1.

[0016]

CHART 1
	‘Evipo058’	‘Evipo053’
Flower diameter	100 mm	70-80 mm
Tepal upper	Purple Group 79C at	Violet-Blue Group 90B with
surface	the marginal zone,	light intonations of Purple-
	Purple Group N79C at	Violet N80B
	the middle zone with a
	central bar the color of
	Purple Group N79B
Tepal count	8	6

• [0017] Blooming habit: Continuous. The natural flowering period is generally from April to September.
• [0018] Flower bud:
  • • [0019] Size.—Normally 35 mm in length. Bud diameter is 17 mm.
    • [0020] Bud form.—Broad elliptical.
    • [0021] Bud color.—Yellow-Green Group 144B.
    • [0022] Texture.—Very pubescent.
• [0023] Peduncle:
  • • [0024] Surface texture.—Pubescent.
    • [0025] Length.—On average 15 mm.
    • [0026] Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144C.
    • [0027] Strength.—Moderately strong.
• [0028] Receptacle:
  • • [0029] Surface texture.—Lightly pubescent.
    • [0030] Shape.—Broad funnel.
    • [0031] Size.—2 mm (h)×4 mm (w).
    • [0032] Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144C.
• [0033] Flower arrangement:
  • • [0034] Location on vine.—New and old growth.
    • [0035] Borne.—Normally in clusters of 5 to 9 flowers per flowering branch.
    • [0036] Attitude on vine.—Upward and outward.
• [0037] Flower bloom:
  • • [0038] Size.—On average, flowers are 100 mm in diameter and 25 mm in depth.
    • [0039] Profile.—Open flowers are flat.
    • [0040] Fragrance.—None.
    • [0041] Lasting quality.—Flowers normally remain up to 10 days on the plant.
• [0042] Tepals:
  • • [0043] Tepal color.—The upper surface is Purple Group 79C at the marginal zone, Purple Group N79C at the middle zone with a central bar the color of Purple Group N79B. The lower surface is Violet Group N88D, with a central bar Yellow-Green Group 144D. Flowers at full maturity fade slightly to Violet Group N88C on the upper tepal surface, with a cental bar color Purple Group N79C. The lower surface color does not change.
    • [0044] Quantity.—Normally 8 tepals.
    • [0045] Size.—52 mm in length by 30 mm wide.
    • [0046] Shape.—Individual tepal shape is elliptic. The apex is mucronate. The base is acute.
    • [0047] Arrangement.—Overlapping.
    • [0048] Apex recurvature.—None.
    • [0049] Tepal cross section.—Cupped somewhat.
    • [0050] Margins.—Entire. Moderate undulations of margin observed.
    • [0051] Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.
• [0052] Reproductive organs:
  • • [0053] Arrangement.—Compact so that pistils are not visible.
    • [0054] Pollen.—None observed.
    • [0055] Anthers.—Size: 5 mm in length. Color: Greyed-Purple Group N186A. Quantity: On average, 60.
    • [0056] Filaments.—Color: White Group N155A with intonations of Purple Group N78B. Length: 7 mm.
    • [0057] Pistils.—Quantity: On average, 20.
    • [0058] Styles.—Color: Green-White Group 157A. Length: 10 mm.

• [0059] Plant form: Climbing.
• [0060] Plant growth: Compact.
• [0061] Size: Seasons growth attains 30 to 40 cm in height. Average spread is 30 cm.
• [0062] Stems:
  • • [0063] Color.—Juvenile stems are Yellow-Green Group 146D. Mature stems are Yellow-Green Group 146D with light intonations of Greyed-Orange Group 175A.
    • [0064] Internodes.—On average, 52 mm between nodes.
    • [0065] Length.—Normally 10 cm from the base of the plant to the flowering portion of the stem.
    • [0066] Diameter.—Normally 3 mm.
    • [0067] Texture.—Mature stems are generally smooth.
• [0068] Plant foliage:
  • • [0069] Leaf characteristics.—Deciduous.
    • [0070] Arrangement.—Trifoliate.
    • [0071] Leaf size.—Compound leaves are normally 112 mm (l)×110 mm (w). Leaflets are normally 42 mm (l)×24 mm (w).
    • [0072] Abundance.—On average 2 leaves per 10 cm of stem.
    • [0073] Leaf color.—Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 144B. Juvenile lower Yellow-Green Group 144C. Mature upper Yellow-Green Group 146A. Mature lower Yellow-Green Group 146B.
    • [0074] Stipules.—Absent.
    • [0075] Petioles.—Size: Normally 40 mm in length by 1 mm diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color: Greyed-Purple Group N186C.
    • [0076] Petioloule.—Size: Normally 15 mm in length by 1 mm diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color: Greyed-Purple Group N186C.
    • [0077] Leaflet shape.—Generally elliptic. The base is obtuse. The apex is acuminate.
    • [0078] Margin.—Entire.
    • [0079] Surface.—The upper side is smooth. The lower side is smooth.
    • [0080] Thickness.—Average.
    • [0081] Glossiness.—Not glossy.
• [0082] Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the species. However the variety is more tolerant to clematis wilt, Ascochyta clematidina, than some clematis known to the inventors.
• [0083] Cold hardiness: The variety is tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 6.
• [0084] Heat tolerance: The variety has been found to be suitable for climate conditions found in the American Horticulture Society heat zone 7.