Wildberry

Heuchera

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Wild Rose'

Summary: The petiole of 'Wildberry' is dark brown purple and longer than that of 'Wild Rose', which is dark purple. The leaf blade of 'Wildberry' is rounded with shallow lobing while the leaf blade of 'Wild Rose' is very slightly elongated and palmate shaped with medium depth lobing. The upper side of the leaf blade of 'Wildberry' has strong glossiness while that of 'Wild Rose' has absent or very weak glossiness. Colour one on the upper side of the leaf blade of 'Wildberry' is dark purple while that of 'Wild Rose' ranges between dark purple red to brown red. The flowering part of the flowering stem of 'Wildberry' is longer than that of 'Wild Rose'. The flower bud of 'Wildberry' is medium purple to dark blue pink while that of 'Wild Rose' is medium to light blue pink. The outer side of the flower is medium purple to light blue pink for 'Wildberry' while it is ranging from dark blue pink to white for 'Wild Rose'.

Description:

PLANT: medium to dense foliage

PETIOLE: dark brown purple (RHS N186C), medium density pubescence
YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): dark purple red (RHS 187D) distributed throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a very large area
LEAF BLADE: roundish length to width ratio, rounded apex, shallow lobing, few shallow indentations of margin, weak undulation of margin, weak rugosity
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): strong glossiness, absent or very sparse pubescence, colour one is dark purple (RHS N79B-C) distributed between veins throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a medium to large area, colour two is black (RHS N186B) to dark brown purple (RHS N186C) distributed along veins in a solid or nearly solid pattern over a small area
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): black (RHS N186B), absent or very sparse pubescence

TIME OF FLOWERING: begins mid-season
FLOWERING STEM: upright attitude, dark brown purple (RHS N186C) to dark purple red (RHS N186D), length to width ratio of flowering part moderately to strongly elongated, medium density of flowers
FLOWER BUD: medium purple (RHS 70B) to dark blue pink (RHS 70C)
FLOWER: downwards attitude, medium length, medium width, medium purple (RHS 71B) to light blue pink (RHS 69D) outer side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Wildberry' originated from a controlled cross conducted by the breeder, Hans Hansen, in Zeeland, Michigan, USA on September 1, 2015. The cross was made between the female parent, a proprietary unnamed hybrid known as breeder code 3-809-01, and the male parent variety 'Black Pearl'. From the resulting progeny, seeds were collected at Walters Gardens, Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan and sown by the breeder in late 2015. In the spring of 2016, 'Wildberry' was selected for its compact plant growth habit. 'Wildberry' was first asexually propagated using tissue culture in 2016 in Zeeland, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Wildberry' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2021 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. 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 in late June of 2021. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Wildberry' with reference variety 'Wild Rose'

Petiole length (cm)

Colour of petiole (RHS)

Colour of upper side of mature leaf blade (RHS)

Length of flowering part of flowering stem (cm)

Colour of flower bud (RHS)

Colour of flower (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Heuchera: 'Wildberry' (left) with reference variety 'Wild Rose' (right)