Latin name of the genus and species:Kalanchoehybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘LITTLE DRAGON’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar,Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’, was found among a population of plants of the parent varietyKalanchoe‘Dragonfire’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,694, a commercial nursery in Vista, Calif. The new cultivar was discovered as a naturally occurring single branching mutation in March of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘Lithe Dragon’ was first performed in Vista, Calif., at a commercial greenhouse, by terminal vegetative cuttings in May of 2017.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ has since produced multiple generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LITTLE DRAGON’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LITTLE DRAGON’ as a new and distinctKalanchoecultivar:1. The new cultivarKalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ forms plants comprised of apple green leaves with red margins. In bright light or during cooler climates, the leaves blush intensely, becoming mostly red with green showing only near the center of the plant.2.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ offsets at an early size; at approximately 3″-4″ tall, creating an attractive cluster of apple green, accentuated by red.3. AsKalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ begins to offset at a small size, a single cut will offset and fill a 1 gallon pot readily, enhancing commercial production usefulness.4.Kalanchoe‘Dragon Fire’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,694, has been proven landscape tolerant at 1400′ elevation in Escondido, Calif. and asKalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ is a mutation of ‘Dragon Fire’, it is likely that it is also landscape tolerant at 1400′ elevation in Escondido, Calif.5.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ is fast-growing, enhancing production times in a commercial nursery.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ are similar to the parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ differ in the following:1.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ has a more compact morphology than doesKalanchoe‘Dragon Fire’.2.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ exhibits a low growing morphology, whereasKalanchoe‘Dragon Fire’ tends to form clusters of taller growing stems.3.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’, due to its more compact morphology, can be utilized for pot sizes of 2.5″ to 8″, whereasKalanchoe‘Dragon Fire’ is better suited to larger pot sizes.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ can be compared to the commercial varietyKalanchoe‘Fantastic’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,945. Plants of the twoKalanchoesare similar in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ differs in the following:1.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ forms low growing rosettes, whereasKalanchoe‘Fantastic’ forms more upright rosettes.2.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ exhibits an attractive contrast of apple-green leaves, with accentuating red blushed margins, whereasKalanchoe‘Fantastic’ displays a pruinose mint green color, accentuated with pruinose red and some yellow marginal areas.3. Due to the earlier offsetting ofKalanchoe‘Little Dragon’, as compared withKalanchoe‘Fantastic’, the plant can be propagated more rapidly, enhancing production times in a commercial nursery.4.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ grows faster than does ‘Fantastic’, enhancing, production times in the commercial nursery.5.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’, due to its offsetting, produces a more aesthetic product than does ‘Fantastic’, with its single stem appearance.

The new cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ can be compared to the commercial varietyKalanchoe‘Bordeaux’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,760. Plants of the twoKalanchoesare similar in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new cultivar ‘Little Dragon’ differs in the following:1.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ forms semi-rosette plants, becoming attractive clusters due to the free offsetting, as compared withKalanchoe‘Bordeaux’, which forms multiple branches with no central plant.2.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ exhibits an attractive contrast of apple-green leaves, with accentuating red blushed margins, whereasKalanchoe‘Bordeaux’ produces dusky, burgundy foliage.3.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ tends to produce a cluster comprised of an upright central plant, surrounded by a plethora of offsets, whereasKalanchoe‘Bordeaux’ tends to grow with a more lax morphology, similar to a hanging basket plant.4.Kalanchoe‘Little Dragon’ displays an enhanced blushing of the leaf during cooler temperatures, including to nearly the entire rosette, whereasKalanchoe‘Bordeaux’ does not.

