Euphorbia plant named ‘Balbreblus’

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Euphorbia×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balbreblus’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant botanically known as Euphorbia ×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balbreblus’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during June 2006. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Euphorbia cultivars with continuous flowering, and a well-branched, compact-mounded growth habit.

The new Euphorbia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination followed by embryo rescue. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is Diamond Frost ‘Inneuphdia’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,567, characterized by its white-colored flower bracts, dark yellow-green colored foliage and compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Flame’, not patented, characterized by its lack of floral bracts, dark burgundy with green-margined foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination and embryo rescue during December 2006 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since December 2006 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Illinois has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balbreblus’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant:

1. White and pink colored flower bracts; 2. Variegated yellow-green and grayed-purple colored foliage; and 3. Compact-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower bract color and foliage color. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in the presence of flower bracts, foliage color, and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Euphorbia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the female parent Diamond Frost ‘Inneuphdia’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,567. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Inneuphdia’ in at least the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new cultivar have a bract color different from plants of ‘Inneuphdia’; and 2. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color different from plants of ‘Inneuphdia’.

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balbreblus’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balbreblus’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Balbreblus’.

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in August 2009 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

Botanical classification: Euphorbia ×hybrida cultivar Balbreblus. Parentage:

Female parent.— Diamond Frost ‘Inneuphdia’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,567. Male parent.— ‘Flame’, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.— Terminal stem. Time to initiate roots.— Approximately 14 to 18 days. Time to produce a rooted cutting.— Approximately 21 to 28 days. Root description.— Fine, fibrous, white in color. Rooting habit.— Freely branching.

Plant description:

Commercial crop time.— Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot. Growth habit and general appearance.— Low vigor, compact and mounded. Size.— Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 20.0 cm. Width: Approximately 36.4 cm. Branching habit.— Freely branching with numerous secondary and tertiary branching. Pinching improves basal branching. Quantity of main branches per plant: Approximately 6. Branch.— Shape: Round in cross section. Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 21.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 3.3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color of young stem: 146A. Color of mature stem: 146A with an overlay of 187A at nodes.

Foliage description:

General description.— Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 8. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Leaves.— Shape: Elliptical. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 4.4 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 146A variegated with 187A; indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of young foliage: 146B variegated with 187A; midveins of 146C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: 147A variegated with 187A; indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 147B variegated with 187A; midveins of 147C. Petiole.— Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 146A with an overlay of 187A.

Flowering description:

Flowering habit.— ‘Balbreblus’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in greenhouse environment. Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.— Approximately 10 days.

Inflorescence description:

General description.— Type: Compound terminal cymes. Quantity per plant: Approximately 136. Fragrance: None. Length (height): Approximately 2.2 cm. Width: Approximately 3.1 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 3. Peduncle.— Shape: Round in cross section. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Vertical or 45° angle to stem. Length: Approximately 4.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A with an overlay of 187A.

Flower description:

Type.— Cyathia, persistent. Bud.— Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 3. Bud just before opening.— Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 143A with an overlay of 187A. Cyathia.— Shape: Cup-shaped, often malformed. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 143A with an overlay of 187A. Floral bracts.— Quantity: 2, opposite. Shape: Elliptical to lanceolate. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded to acute. Base: Attenuate. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color of upper surface: Purer white than 155D with speckles of N57A and an occasional spot of 147A. Color of lower surface: Purer white than 155D with a central overlay of N57A. Nectaries.— Quantity: 4 at rim of cyathium. Shape: Ovoid with lunate petaloid appendage. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Color: 143A with purer white than 155D at petaloid apex. Cyathia pedicels.— Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect or approximately 45° from vertical. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B with an overlay of 187A. Reproductive organs.— Androecium: Stamen quantity: 1 to 2 fully developed and several undeveloped per cyathium. Stamen length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Filament color: Colorless, transparent. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 158C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 158D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per cyathium. Pistil length: Approximately 2.0 mm to base of ovary; base of ovary is attached to a stalk that can expand 2.0 to 3 0 mm in a fully mature cyathium. Stigma shape: 6 parted. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 155D. Style length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Style color: 155D. Ovary diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: 143A with an overlay of 187A. Stalk color: 146A.

Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed. Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Euphorbia has not been observed.