USOOPP27265P2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US PP27,265 P2 Oliver (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 11, 2016

(54) PLANT NAMED SOLAR FLARE (52) U.S. Cl. (50) Latin Name: Phlox carolina ssp. carolinax Phlox USPC ...... Pt/32O carolina ssp. angusta (58) Field of Classification Search Varietal Denomination: Solar Flare USPC ...... Pt.f32O See application file for complete search history. (71) Applicant: Charles G. Oliver, Scottdale, PA (US) Primary Examiner — Annette Para (72) Inventor: Charles G. Oliver, Scottdale, PA (US) (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — C. A. Whealy (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this (57) ABSTRACT patent is extended or adjusted under 35 A new and distinct Phlox plant named Solar Flare', char U.S.C. 154(b) by 91 days. acterized by its upright and mounding plant form; vigorous (21) Appl. No.: 14/544,218 growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large rounded inflorescences with white and (22) Filed: Dec. 9, 2014 red purple-colored flowers; and resistance to Powdery Mil dew. (51) Int. Cl. AOIH 5/02 (2006.01) 2 Drawing Sheets

1. 2 Botanical designation: Phlox carolina ssp. carolinax Flare’. These characteristics in combination distinguish Phlox Carolina S.Sp. angusta. Solar Flare as a new and distinct Phlox plant: denomination: SOLAR FLARE. 1. Upright and mounding plant form. 2. Vigorous growth habit. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 3. Freely basal branching habit. 4. Early and freely flowering habit. The present invention relates to a new and distinct Phlox 5. Large rounded inflorescences with white and red plant, botanically known as Phlox carolina ssp. carolinax purple-colored flowers. Phlox carolina ssp. angusta and hereinafter referred to by 6. Resistance to Powdery Mildew. the name 'Solar Flare’. 10 of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding parent, Minnie Pearl, in the following characteristics: program conducted by the Inventor in Upper Tyrone Town 1. Plants of the new Phlox are taller and denser than plants ship, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create of Minnie Pearl. new vigorous Phlox plants with early flowering habit, attrac 15 2. Plants of the new Phlox have shorter internodes than tive leaf and flower coloration and resistance to Powdery plants of Minnie Pearl. Mildew. 3. Plants of the new Phlox and Minnie Pearl differ in The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination stem color. conducted by the Inventor in July, 2007 of Phlox carolina 4. Plants of the new Phlox have larger leaves than plants ssp. carolina Minnie Pearl, not patented, as the female, or of Minnie Pearl. seed, parent with Phlox Carolina ssp. angusta Gypsy Love', not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox 5. Plants of the new Phlox have larger inflorescences with plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single more flowers per inflorescence than plants of Minnie within the progeny of the stated cross Pearl. pollination in a controlled environment in Upper Tyrone 6. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox are rounded Township, Pa. in June, 2008. 25 in shape whereas inflorescences of plants of Minnie Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegeta Pearl are flat-topped. tive stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in 7. Plants of the new Phlox and Minnie Pearl differ in Upper Tyrone Township, Pa. since September, 2008 has flower color as plants of Minnie Pearl have white shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are colored flowers. stable and reproduced true to type in Successive generations. 30 Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent, Gypsy Love', in the following characteristics: SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. Plants of the new Phlox h