SMPOTW

Ninebark

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Little Devil'

Summary: The plants of 'SMPOTW' have branches with fewer fully developed secondary branches than the plants of 'Little Devil'. The branches of 'SMPOTW' have longer internodes than the branches of 'Little Devil'. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the secondary branches is weak to medium for 'SMPOTW' while anthocyanin colouration of the secondary branches of 'Little Devil' is medium to strong. The colour of the seed pod of 'SMPOTW' is brown green and develops red tones with age while the seed pod of 'Little Devil' is brown red.

Description:

SHRUB: deciduous, upright growth habit, medium density of foliage, many branches
BRANCH: erect attitude, medium stiffness, brown, medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration, medium density of secondary branches
SECONDARY BRANCH: purple red, weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: alternate arrangement along branches, ovate shape, acute apex, truncate to rounded base, dentate margin, strong degree of folding when newly open, medium to strong lobing
UPPER SIDE OF LEAF BLADE: weak glossiness, weak prominence of midrib, dark green (darker than RHS 147A) when newly open during summer
LOWER SIDE OF LEAF BLADE: medium prominence of midrib, no anthocyanin colouration of midrib, brown green (greyer than RHS 147C) when newly open during summer
PETIOLE: present

INFLORESCENCE: corymb type
COROLLA: rotate form, inner side is white (RHS NN155B-C) with occasional light blue pink (RHS 62D), outer side is white (RHS NN155B-C)

SEED POD: brown green (closest to RHS 146D) developing red tones with age

Origin & Breeding History: 'SMPOTW' was bred and developed by the breeder, Timothy D. Wood, of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. It originated from an open pollinated cross that occurred during the summer of 2006 between the Physocarpus opulifolius variety 'Seward' as the female parent and a plant known to be a sibling of the variety 'Seward' as the male parent. 'SMPOTW' was selected in 2008 for its plant growth habit, foliage colour, foliage size, good mildew resistance, flower bud colour, and production characteristics. Asexual reproduction of 'SMPOTW' by softwood cuttings was first conducted in July 2008 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The PBR comparative trial of 'SMPOTW' was conducted as an outdoor irrigated container trial during the summer of 2014 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. It included a total of 15 shrubs of the candidate variety and 8 shrubs of the reference variety. All shrubs were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 13.5 litre containers on June 17, 2013. The trial was arranged in rows with approximately 1 m spacing between shrubs. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 shrubs or parts of shrubs of each variety on July 2, 2014. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMPOTW' with reference variety 'Little Devil'

Branch internode length (cm)

Number of fully developed secondary branches per branch (count)

Colour of leaf blade when newly open during summer (RHS)

Colour of seed pod (RHS)

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Ninebark: 'SMPOTW' (left) with reference variety 'Little Devil' (right)

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Ninebark: 'SMPOTW' (left) with reference variety 'Little Devil' (right)

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Ninebark: 'SMPOTW' (left) with reference variety 'Little Devil' (right)