Gallery Cobra

Dahlia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Autumn Fairy'

Summary: 'Gallery Cobra' has a taller plant height than 'Autumn Fairy'. 'Galley Cobra' has weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration in the stem and petiole while 'Autumn Fairy' has medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration in the stem and medium intensity in the petiole. 'Gallery Cobra' has a darker orange flower than 'Autumn Fairy'. The ray florets of 'Gallery Cobra' are shorter and broader than 'Autumn Fairy'. 'Gallery Cobra' has a shorter peduncle length than 'Autumn Fairy'.

Description:

'Gallery Cobra' has an upright growth habit. The stem is medium green in colour and has weak anthocyanin present. The stem is straight and has absent or very sparse pubescence. The terminal leaflets are ovate to elliptic in shape with dentate margins. The leaf texture is leathery and there is weak glaucosity and absent to very sparse pubescence on the upper surface. The leaves are dark green in colour. The petiole has no wings present and there is weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration.

The flowers are a decorative type. They are located above and in the foliage and are angled less than 30 degrees with the stem. The flowers are orange-red in colour. The ray florets have striped markings and blunt tips. There is no disc present. The involucral bracts are elliptical in shape and yellowish to light-green in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Gallery Cobra' was a selection made in 1996 from a seedling population from the cross pollination of the Dahlia varieties 'Art Deco' the female parent by 'VLE 6' the pollen parent. Selection criteria were plant height, early flowering and longevity, compact branching plants, and bicoloured florets. It is maintained in the vegetative state, and reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Lisse, The Netherlands.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Gallery Cobra' were conducted in Oxford Station, Ontario during the summer of 2001. The trials consisted of a minimum of ten plants per variety grown in rows in the field in which the rows were one one meter apart, and the plants within the row were 0.40 meters apart. Measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Gallery Cobra' with reference variety 'Autumn Fairy'

Plant height (cm)

Flower diameter (cm)

Colour of ray floret (RHS)

Ray floret length

Ray floret width

Peduncle length (cm)