Dark Yoelmira

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Yoelmira' (Elmira)

Summary: The flowers of 'Dark Yoelmira' belong to the pink colour group while those of 'Yoelmira' belong to the white colour group. The upper side of the ray florets of 'Dark Yoelmira' is white and heavily streaked with blue pink at the apex whereas it is white for 'Yoelmira'.

Description:

PLANT: year round cultivation for pot production, spray flowering type, 8 week response group, short to medium height
PRIMARY LATERAL SHOOT: few
STEM: no anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: short, very narrow to narrow, truncate to rounded base
LATERAL LOBE: diverging to parallel margins of sinus
LOWER LOBE: short to medium length, shallow sinus

FLOWER HEAD: double, decorative sub-type, chromatic self colour type, pink colour group of medium intensity, very small to small diameter, no bracts among ray florets
RAY FLORET: very short blade with short corolla tube, flat to reflexed longitudinal axis of majority, slightly concave in cross-section, dentate tip (1-2 notches), white and heavily streaked with blue pink on upper and lower sides, amount of streaking decreases as flower head develops

Origin & Breeding History: 'Dark Yoelmira' is a product from a mutation induction program conducted by the breeder, Mrs. Wendy R. Bergman, an employee of Yoder Brothers, Inc. in Barberton, Ohio, USA. It was created by exposing unrooted cuttings of Chrysanthemum variety 'Yoelmira' to x-ray radiation in July 1999 in Fort Myers, Florida, USA. Following radiation treatment, the cuttings were rooted and the terminal apices removed three times to promote lateral branching. After lateral branches from the third pinch reached sufficient size, terminal cuttings were harvested, planted and flowered. 'Dark Yoelmira' was selected in February 2000 based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colours, fast response time and excellent post production longevity.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Dark Yoelmira' were conducted in the fall of 2006 at Yoder Canada Ltd. in Leamington, Ontario. They were performed under greenhouse conditions similar to those used in commercial Chrysanthemum production. 40 unrooted cuttings per variety were directly stuck into 15 cm pots with 4 cuttings per pot and 10 pots per variety. The pots were spaced 30 cm apart. The plants were pinched once prior to short day treatment. All plants had the centre bud removed. Measured characteristics were based on measurements taken from 10 plants or parts of plants on November 1, 2006. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison table for 'Dark Yoelmira' with reference variety 'Yoelmira'

Ray floret colour (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Chrysanthemum: 'Dark Yoelmira' (left) with reference variety 'Yoelmira' (right)