Fireball

Monarda

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Gardenview Scarlet'

Summary: The plants of 'Fireball' are taller than those of 'Gardenview Scarlet'. 'Fireball' has leaves with more serrations along their margin than those of 'Gardenview Scarlet'. The inflorescence of 'Fireball' has a smaller diameter with smaller flower bracts than 'Gardenview Scarlet'. 'Fireball' has dark purple red flowers while those of 'Gardenview Scarlet' are dark pink red.

Description:

'Fireball' is a perennial type, vegetatively propagated monarda variety with an upright, bushy plant growth habit and moderate degree of branching. The medium thick and smooth stems are medium green with absent to very weak anthocyanin colouration and glaucosity. Pubescence of the stem is absent to very sparse. The leaves are simple and their arrangement along the stems is opposite. The leaf blade is ovate in shape with an acuminate apex, cordate base and serrate margin. The upper side of the leaf blade has absent to very weak glaucosity. Both the upper and lower sides of the leaf blade are medium green with no variegation and have sparse pubescence. The petiole has weak anthocyanin.

Flowering for 'Fireball' begins mid-season and is almost continuous for a long period of time. The inflorescence is a head type and the flowers are arranged in terminal locations on the stems. The attitude of the flowers is erect. The flower bracts are medium in size and dark green to dark purple red. The flowers are dark purple red.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Fireball' is a selection from a seed bed of hybrid Monarda seedlings that were produced from various crosses of unidentified Monarda seedling selections. The selection of 'Fireball' took place in Rijpwetering in 1995 and was based on its unique flower colour and plant growth habit.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'Fireball' was conducted in a field at Variety Rights Management, Oxford Station, Ontario during the summer/fall of 2004. The trial consisted of 10 plants of each variety planted in rows. The plants were spaced approximately 0.50 metres apart and the rows were 0.75 metres apart. All colour characteristics were determined using the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart (1995 green box edition) and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Fireball' with reference variety 'Gardenview Scarlet'

Plant height (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Flower colour (RHS)