Rainbow Xenox

Sedum

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Sunkissed' and 'Moonlight Serenade'

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

Description:

PLANT: vegetatively propagated, perennial, upright bushy growth habit, medium degree of branching
STEM: purple, very strong anthocyanin colouration, weak glaucosity, absent or very sparse pubescence, medium thickness, 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 brown and brown purple (RHS 166A and 178A to 184B-C), no variegation, no petiole

FLOWERING PERIOD: begins late in season, medium length of time
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 white (RHS 155B), secondary colour of upper side is purple red (RHS 61C) at tip

Origin & Breeding History: 'Rainbow Xenox' originated from an open pollination of un-named proprietary Sedum seedlings in Rijpwetering, Netherlands in the summer of 2004. The new variety was selected in the summer of 2005 from the population of seedlings based on plant growth habit and better flower colour.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Rainbow Xenox' 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 'Rainbow Xenox' with reference varieties 'Sunkissed' and 'Moonlight Serenade'

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: 'Rainbow Xenox' (left) with reference variety 'Sunkissed' (right)

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Sedum: Reference varieties 'Moonlight Serenade' (left) and 'Sunkissed' (right)