Chrysanthemum plant named Coral Davis

#The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, and referred to by the cultivar name Coral Davis.

#Coral Davis, identified as 4047 (84-382A03), is a product of a mutation induction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by Cornelis P. VandenBerg on Oct. 3, 1989 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., as one flowering plant within a flowering block established as rooted cuttings from stock plants which has been exposed as unrooted cuttings to an x-ray source of 2000 rads in Fort Myers, Fla., on Mar. 30, 1989. The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivar identified as Davis, disclosed in my U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,325, dated Sep. 11, 1990. The parent cultivar can be generally described as a daisy spray pot mum with a flat capitulum form, a red purple ray floret color, a capitulum diameter of 64 to 70 mm when fully opened, a flowering response period of 51 to 63 days after start of short days, a plant height of 18 to 28 cm with 2 to 3 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 when grown as a pinched pot mum in a 15 cm pot, and a spreading and prolific branching pattern, with 4 to 6 laterals after pinch.

#The irradiation program resulting in Coral Davis has as its primary objective the expansion of color ranges of the parent cultivar Davis. The irradiation program comprised irradiating cuttings of the parent cultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 and 2000 rads. A total of 1,466 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants were planted on Jul. 31, Jul. 24 and Jul. 10, 1989. Of these, 27 initial selections were made, which selections were then revegetated and reflowered. Four consecutive flowerings resulted in discarding 21 of the original 27 selections on Jul. 9, 1990. Three selections were retained and three selections were reselected as possible introductions. Reselections were made because of the fact that the flowering plants consisted of more than one color. Of these six selections, five will be commercially introduced as Coral Davis, Dark Davis, Bronze Davis, Orange Davis and Light Davis. The one remaining selection is a dark sport, and is presently being evaulated.

#The accompanying photographic drawing is a side view of a potted mum of Coral Davis, with four cuttings in a 15 cm pot, with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

#Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to Coral Davis is the parent cultivar Davis. All traits of Coral Davis are similar to those of Davis, except for the ray floret color, which is significantly darker than the ray floret color of Davis. When comparing the description of Coral Davis with Davis, it is evident that Davis has a wider range of flowering response and plant height than Coral Davis. The reason for this is that the description of Davis was based on evaluations over a two year time period, while the description of Coral Davis is based on five flowerings in a seven month period. However, in several comparative flowering trails with the parent cultivar Davis, Coral Davis has shown a one to six day slower response than Davis.

#In the following description color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. The actual color of Coral Davis is not represented in the R.H.S. Colour Chart, and the values given are those believed closest to the actual color of Coral Davis. The color values were determined on plant material grown as a pinched spray pot mum in Salinas, Calif. on Dec. 4, 1990.

#Classification: