Moonlight Serenade

Sedum

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Sunkissed' and 'Rainbow Xenox'

Summary: The plants of 'Moonlight Serenade' are wider than those of both reference varieties. The stem of 'Moonlight Serenade' is purple with very strong anthocyanin colouration and a medium to large diameter while that of 'Sunkissed' is light green and purple with weak anthocyanin colouration and a small to medium sized diameter. The leaf of 'Moonlight Serenade' is longer than that of both reference varieties and wider than that of 'Rainbow Xenox'. The upper side of the leaf blade of 'Moonlight Serenade' is dark brown and brown green while that of 'Sunkissed' is brown green and that of 'Rainbow Xenox' is brown and brown purple. The inflorescence of 'Moonlight Serenade' is larger in diameter than that of both reference varieties. The upper side of the petal of 'Moonlight Serenade' is yellow green to white with brown purple to blue pink at the tip whereas it is yellow green to white throughout for 'Sunkissed' and white with purple red at the tip for 'Rainbow Xenox'. The flowering period for 'Moonlight Serenade' is long while it is medium length for both reference varieties.

Description:

PLANT: vegetatively propagated, perennial, upright bushy and irregular growth habit, medium degree of branching
STEM: purple, very strong anthocyanin colouration, weak glaucosity, absent or very sparse pubescence, medium to large diameter, smooth

LEAF: arrangement of leaves is opposite, simple, ovate, acute apex, cordate base, sinuate and crenate margin, absent or very sparse pubescence on upper and lower side, weak glaucosity on upper side, upper side is dark brown and brown green (RHS 200B and 137B to 191A), no variegation, no petiole

FLOWERING PERIOD: begins late in season, long
INFLORESCENCE: cyme, positioned at terminal location, erect attitude
PETALS: arrangement is very open, very few per flower, small, ovate, acute apex, absent to very weak recurvature of tip, entire margin, absent or very sparse pubescence on lower side, main colour of upper and lower side is yellow green to white (RHS 1D-155B), secondary colour of upper side is brown purple with blue pink (RHS 186B-C) at tip

Origin & Breeding History: 'Moonlight Serenade' originated from a population of seedlings created from the hybridization of 'Purple Emperor' and 'Xenox' at Rijpwetering, Netherlands in the summer of 2005. The new variety was selected in the summer of 2006 from the population of seedlings based on plant growth habit and flower colour.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Moonlight Serenade' were conducted at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario during the summer of 2013. The trial consisted of 15 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties with one plant per pot. The pots were 22 cm in diameter and were spaced approximately 45 cm apart. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Moonlight Serenade' with reference varieties 'Sunkissed' and 'Rainbow Xenox'

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Colour of leaf blade (RHS)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Colour of petal (RHS)

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Sedum: 'Moonlight Serenade' (left) with reference variety 'Sunkissed' (right)

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Sedum: Reference varieties 'Rainbow Xenox' (left) and 'Sunkissed' (right)