Pretty Pistachio

Heuchera

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Citronelle' and 'Appletini'

Summary: The petiole of 'Pretty Pistachio' is shorter than that of the reference varieties. The petiole of 'Pretty Pistachio' is light green and medium brown purple while the petiole of 'Citronelle' is light green and brown red and that of 'Appletini' is medium brown purple. The upper side of young leaf blade of 'Pretty Pistachio' is light green throughout while that of 'Appletini' is light green with darker green distributed along the veins. The leaf blade of 'Pretty Pistachio' is longer than the leaf blade of 'Appletini'. The leaf blade of 'Pretty Pistachio' has sinuses of medium depth between the lobes and a medium degree of undulation of the margin while those of the reference varieties have deep sinuses between the lobes and a strong undulation of the margin. The upper side of the leaf blade of 'Pretty Pistachio' is medium yellow green while the leaf blade of 'Citronelle' is light green and that of 'Appletini' is light green with darker green distributed along the veins. The plants of 'Pretty Pistachio' begin flowering early to mid-season while those of 'Citronelle' begin flowering mid to late season. The flowering stem of 'Pretty Pistachio' is medium brown purple while that of 'Citronelle' is medium brown purple to brown red and that of 'Appletini' is dark brown. The flower bud of 'Pretty Pistachio' is light red pink while it is white for 'Citronelle' and dark purple red for 'Appletini'. The flower of 'Pretty Pistachio' has a semi-downwards attitude while that of 'Appletini' has an upwards attitude. The outer side of the flower is light red pink to light blue pink for 'Pretty Pistachio' while it is white for 'Citronelle' and dark red for 'Appletini'.

Description:

PLANT: medium density of foliage

PETIOLE: light green (RHS 145A) and medium brown purple (RHS 185C), dense pubescence
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): light green (RHS N144A) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a large area
LEAF BLADE: very slightly elongated length to width ratio, acute apex, medium depth of sinuses between lobes, medium number of shallow indentations of margin, medium degree of undulation of margin, weak rugosity
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): absent or very weak glossiness, sparse pubescence, medium yellow green (RHS 151C/D) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a large area
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): light green (RHS 145C to 157A), sparse pubescence

TIME OF FLOWERING: begins early to mid-season
FLOWERING STEM: upright to semi-upright attitude, medium brown purple (RHS 184D), length to width ratio of flowering part moderately to strongly elongated, sparse to medium density of flowers
FLOWER BUD: light red pink (RHS 49D)
FLOWER: semi-downwards attitude, short to medium length, narrow to medium width, light red pink (RHS 50D) to light blue pink (RHS 54D) outer side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Pretty Pistachio' originated from a controlled cross conducted by the breeder, Hans Hansen, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA on January 23, 2012. The cross was made between the female parent 'Hercules' and the male parent, a proprietary unreleased hybrid known by the breeder code K9-67-05. During the spring of 2012, 'Pretty Pistachio' was selected for its flower colour, plant growth habit, heat tolerance, number of flowers and vigour. 'Pretty Pistachio' was first propagated asexually using stem cuttings in the fall of 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Pretty Pistachio' was conducted outdoors during the summers of 2018 and 2020 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants of 'Pretty Pistachio', 19 plants of 'Citronelle' and 20 plants of 'Appletini' in both trial years. The plants were grown in 16 cm pots with 40 cm spacing between pots under a galvanized steel structure covered with black mesh shade fabric. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety. Data on the flowering characteristics was collected in 2020. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Pretty Pistachio' with reference varieties 'Citronelle' and 'Appletini'

Petiole length (cm)

Petiole colour (RHS)

Colour of upper side of young leaf blade (RHS)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Colour of upper side of leaf blade (RHS)

Colour of flowering stem (RHS)

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

Colour of flower (RHS)

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Heuchera: 'Pretty Pistachio'

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Heuchera: Reference variety 'Citronelle'

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Heuchera: Reference variety 'Appletini'