Botanical classification: xSemponium.

Variety denomination: ‘Sienna’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rights application filed on Mar. 11, 2021, application No. 2021/0764. There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed plant breeder's rights documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of xSemponium, aninterspecifichybrid plant and referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Sienna’. The new cultivar of xSemponiumis a frost hardy succulent subshrub perennial grown for ornamental foliage use in landscapes and containers.

The new cultivar arose from an ongoing breeding program by the Inventor in Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The goal of the breeding program was to produce a new cultivar of xSemponiumwith unique foliage coloration, a compact growth habit, a dense and neat plant habit with production of many side shoots.

The new cultivar arose from a cross made by the Inventor in 2016 betweenAeonium‘Ice Warrior’ (not patented) as the female parent andSempervivum ciliosum‘Green Ice’ (not patented) as the male parent. The Inventor selected ‘Sienna’ as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross in 2018.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by stem root cuttings in 2018 in Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Asexual propagation by cuttings and offshoots has determined the characteristics to be stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Sienna’ as a unique cultivar of xSemponium.1. ‘Sienna’ exhibits a compact, dense growth habit with short stems.2. ‘Sienna’ exhibits a uniformly neat, conical growth habit.3. ‘Sienna’ exhibits tightly compact rings of adjacent foliage rosettes in tiers from the main stem.4. ‘Sienna’ exhibits production of multiple offsets; 1 head produces an average of 12 offsets.5. ‘Sienna’ exhibits unique foliage coloration: in winter to early spring; green with dark purple-brown margins and light green centers, in mid spring; purple-brown, in late spring to autumn; bright orange with light green centers.

The female parent plant differs from ‘Sienna’ in having taller stems, fewer offsets, rosettes that are larger in size, plant habit that is less dense and compact, leaves that are larger in size, and foliage that is green with purple-red margins from spring to autumn. The male parent plant differs from ‘Sienna’ in having foliage that is green in color with hairs on both surfaces, and rosettes and leaves that are smaller in size. ‘Sienna’ can be most closely compared to the xSemponiumcultivars ‘Destiny’ (not patented) and ‘Diamond’ (not patented). ‘Destiny’ differs from ‘Sienna’ in having leaves that are larger in size, spade-shaped, and very dark maroon in color with the lower surface becoming light green towards the base with numerous red spots. ‘Diamond’ differs from ‘Sienna’ in having leaves that are larger in size and pale green in color with a few scattered spots.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited to website listings by Surreal Succulents, Researchgate, and National Gardening Association.

