Sensation Rose

Salvia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Rose Queen'

Summary: 'Sensation Rose' has a more upright growth habit with shorter internodes than 'Rose Queen'. The lower lip of the flower of 'Sensation Rose' is blue pink while it is violet in 'Rose Queen'. 'Sensation Rose' has more anthocyanin colouration on the calyx than 'Rose Queen'.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, sparse to medium foliage, weak anthocyanin colouration on the shoot, dense pubescence on the shoot

LEAF: opposite arrangement, ovate to lanceolate, acute apex, cordate to obtuse s base, crenate margin, light green, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration on the petiole, absent to very weak pubescence on the upper and lower side, weak rugosity

INFLORESCENCE: spike, opposite arrangement of the flowers
FLOWER: upright attitude, bilabiate, large amount of purple anthocyanin present on the calyx, upper and lower lip blue pink

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sensation Rose' was developed in Quedlinburg, Germany as part of a planned breeding program to develop early flowering, compact, rose coloured salvia variety. 'Sensation Rose' originated from a cross pollination conducted in December 2000, between a seedling designated as 'MN 1700' as the female parent and a seedling designated as '60608810' as the male parent. The new variety was selected in July 2002, in Quedlinburg, Germany, based on compact growth habit, flower colour, and plant vigour.

Tests & Trials: Test and trials were conducted during the summer of 2006, in St. Thomas, Ontario. Trial included 15 plants of the candidate and reference variety each individually grown in 15cm pots in a polyhouse. Observations and measurements were taken on 10 plants of each. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society colour chart.

Comparison table for 'Sensation Rose' with reference variety 'Rose Queen'

Flower colour (RHS)

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Salvia: 'Sensation Rose' (left) with reference variety 'Rose Queen' (right)