This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the Saxifragaceae family. The botanical name of the plant is Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) ‘Galilee’.
The new cultivar originated as a seedling from a controlled cross between Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) True Blue - U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,593 (the seed parent), and the unpatented commercial variety Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) ‘Mathilda Gutges’ (the pollen parent).
The variety ‘Galilee’ has stronger stems than ‘Mathilda Gutges’ and larger florets than either ‘True Blue’ or ‘Mathilda Gutges’. The sepals of the new variety develop a deeper blue tone with the addition of less aluminum than its parent ‘True Blue’.
TABLE 1U.S. Plant Pat.UnpatentedNew VarietyNo. 18,593‘Mathilda‘Galilee’‘True Blue’Gutges’Stem strengthStrongStrongStrongPigmentationR.H.S. 100BR.H.S 100DR.H.S. 83Cof Sepals(blue group)(blue group)(violet group)Easier toat edges ofproduce a moresepals.blueR.H.S. 98Apigmentation(violet-bluewith lessgroup) inalumina thancenter ofparentssepals.Sepal marginsDentateDentateSerrateFloret SizeLarger thanSmaller thanSmaller thanParents‘Galilee’‘Galilee’
Asexual reproduction was first accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initially selected plant. Examination of asexually reproduced, successive generations grown at a nursery at Half Moon Bay, Calif., under the direction of the inventor show that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Galilee’ remains firmly fixed through three generations.