USOOPP27267P2 (12) United States Plant Patent (10) Patent No.: US PP27,267 P2 Oliver (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 11, 2016 (54) PHLOX PLANT NAMED “DAUGHTER OF (52) U.S. Cl. PEARL USPC .......................................................... Pt/32O (58) Field of Classification Search (50) Latin Name: Phlox carolinax Phlox maculata USPC ........................................................... Pt.f32O Varietal Denomination: Daughter of Pearl 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 Daughter of Pearl, U.S.C. 154(b) by 84 days. characterized by its upright and mounding plant form; (21) Appl. No.: 14/544,219 vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large conical inflorescences with (22) Filed: Dec. 9, 2014 white and purple-colored flowers; and resistance to Powdery Mildew. (51) Int. Cl. AOIH 5/02 (2006.01) 2 Drawing Sheets 1. 2 Botanical designation: Phlox CarolinaxPhlox maculata. 1. Upright and mounding plant form. Cultivar denomination: DAUGHTER OF PEARL. 2. Vigorous growth habit. 3. Freely basal branching habit. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 4. Early and freely flowering habit. 5. Large conical inflorescences with white and purple The present invention relates to a new and distinct Phlox colored flowers. plant, botanically known as Phlox Carolinax Phlox maculata and hereinafter referred to by the name Daughter of Pearl. 6. Resistance to Powdery Mildew. The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female program conducted by the Inventor in Upper Tyrone Town 10 parent, Minnie Pearl, in the following characteristics: ship, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create 1. Plants of the new Phlox are taller and denser than plants new vigorous Phlox plants with early flowering habit, attrac of Minnie Pearl. tive leaf and flower coloration and resistance to Powdery 2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox are conical in Mildew. shape whereas inflorescences of plants of Minnie The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination 15 Pearl are flat-topped. conducted by the Inventor in July, 2007 of Phlox carolina 3. Plants of the new Phlox and Minnie Pearl differ in Minnie Pearl, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent flower color as plants of Minnie Pearl have white with Phlox maculata Alpha, not patented, as the male, or colored flowers. pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within parent, Alpha, in the following characteristics: the progeny of the Stated cross-pollination in a controlled 1. Leaves of plants of the new Phlox are not as glossy as environment in Upper Tyrone Township, Pa. in June, 2008. leaves of plants of Alpha. Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegeta 2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox are conical in tive stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in 25 shape whereas inflorescences of plants of Alpha are Upper Tyrone Township, Pa. since 2009 has shown that the flat-cylindrical in shape. unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and 3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox are denser reproduced true to type in Successive generations. than inflorescences of plants of Alpha. 4. Plants of the new Phlox and Alpha differ in flower SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 30 color as plants of Alpha have magenta pink-colored Plants of the new Phlox plant have not been observed flowers. under all possible combinations of environmental conditions 5. Plants of the new Phlox are resistant to Powdery and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat Mildew whereas plants of Alpha are susceptible to Powdery Mildew. with variations in environmental conditions such as tem 35 perature and light intensity without, however, any variance Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of in genotype. Phlox maculata Omega, not patented. In side-by-side The following traits have been repeatedly observed and comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and Omega differed are determined to be the unique characteristics of Daughter in the following characteristics: of Pearl. These characteristics in combination distinguish 40 1. Plants of the new Phlox were taller than plants of Daughter of Pearl as a new and distinct Phlox plant: Omega. US PP27,267 P2 3 4 2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox were conical Male, or pollen, parent.—Phlox maculata Alpha, not in shape whereas inflorescences of plants of Omega patented. were cylindrical in shape. Propagation: 3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox had more Tipe.—By stem cuttings. flowers per inflorescence than plants of Omega. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at 4. Plants of the new Phlox had slightly smaller flowers night temperatures about 15° C. and day tempera than plants of Omega. tures about 26° C. 5. Plants of the new Phlox and Omega differed in flower Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About six color as plants of Omega had red purple-colored weeks at night temperatures about 15° C. and day flowers. 10 6. Plants of the new Phlox had shorter peduncles than temperatures about 26°C. plants of Omega. Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; 7. Plants of the new Phlox were resistant to Powdery white in color. Mildew whereas plants of Omega were susceptible to Rooting habit. Freely branching; medium density. Powdery Mildew. 15 Plant description: Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; Phlox maculata Flower Power, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. upright and mounding plant habit, columnar, vigor No. 17.551. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new ous growth habit; freely basal branching habit with Phlox and Flower Power differed in the following charac about six to eight primary laterals developing per teristics: plant. 1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox were conical Plant height.—About 90 cm. in shape whereas inflorescences of plants of Flower Plant width (spread). About 60 cm. Power were cylindrical in shape. Lateral branches.—Length: About 90 cm. Diameter: 2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Phlox had more About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 4.5 cm to 7.5 flowers per inflorescence than plants of Flower 25 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Power’. Color: Close to 145B, spotted and streaked with 3. Plants of the new Phlox and Flower Power differed close to 59B. slightly in flower color. Leaf description: 4. Plants of the new Phlox were resistant to Powdery Arrangement. Opposite, simple; sessile. Mildew whereas plants of Flower Power were sus 30 Length. About 4 cm to 9.5 cm. ceptible to Powdery Mildew. Width. About 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm. Shape.—Lanceolate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS Apex. Acute. Base. Gradually tapering. The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the 35 Margin. Entire. overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous; thick; colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored waxy. reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may Venation pattern.-Pinnate. differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper botanical description which accurately describe the colors of 40 surface: Close to 139B; venation, close to 139B. the new Phlox plant. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower Sur The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side per face: Close to 139C; Venation, close to 139C. spective view of typical flowering plants of Daughter of Flower description: Pearl. Flower form and flowering habit. Single rotate and The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view 45 salverform flowers arranged in terminal compound of a typical flowering plant of Daughter of Pearl. panicles; panicles conical in shape; freely flowering habit with about 70 to 80 flowers developing per DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION inflorescence; flowers face upright to outwardly. Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; Sweet. The aforementioned photographs and following observa 50 Natural flowering season. Early flowering habit, tions, measurements and values describe plants grown dur plants begin flowering about eight weeks after plant ing the spring and Summer in one-gallon containers in a ing; plants flowering continuously from mid-spring polyethylene-covered greenhouse and an outdoor nursery in to early Summer in Pennsylvania. Upper Tyrone Township, Pa. and under cultural practices Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about seven to typical of Phlox production. During the production of the 55 ten days on the plant and as a cut flower; flowers not plants, day temperature averaged 26°C. and night tempera persistent. tures averaged 15° C. Plants were two years old when the Flower buds. Height: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About photographs and description were taken. In the following 3.5 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to description, color references are made to The Royal Horti 74C; distally, close to 155D. cultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where 60 Inflorescence height.—About 8 cm to 20 cm. general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm to 10 cm. Botanical classification: Phlox CarolinaxPhlox maculata Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm to 2.3 cm. Daughter of Pearl. Flower depth. About 2.5 cm. Parentage: Flower throat diameter.—About 1.8 mm. Female, or seed, parent.—Phlox carolina Minnie 65 Flower tube length.