A Helleborus Plant Named ‘COSEH 700’ Has Large Light Green Flowers

Summary: A Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700,’ invented by German plantsman Josef Heuger, has large light green flowers and medium green leaves.

image of one-year-old Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700’ included in patent application filed Jan. 7, 2009, with United States Patent and Trademark Office: Josef Heuger, Public Domain, via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

A Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700’ features large light green flowers and medium green leaves as a newly cultivated variety by German hybridizer Josef Heuger.

On Jan. 7, 2009, Josef Heuger applied for a patent through the United States Patent and Trademark Office for his invention, a Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700.’ As primary examiner, June Hwu reviewed the patent application. On May 18, 2010, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted patent number PP21,003 to a Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700.’

A Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700’ originates in a planned cross-pollination program conducted in January 2003. The planned breeding program took place in a controlled greenhouse environment at Heuger Gartenbaubetriebe in Glandorf, Lower Saxony state, northwestern Germany. Cross-pollination occurred between proprietary seedling selections of unnamed, unpatented Helleborus niger females as seed parents and unpatented Helleborus lividus males as pollen parents. The hybrid created by this cross is named Helleborus x ballardiae in honor of British hellebore bybridizer Helen Ballard.

In December 2005, the inventor discovered and selected a single flowering plant from the program’s progeny. Propagation by divisions confirmed the stability and true reproduction of the plant’s distinctive features over successive generations.

Josef Heuger’s description concerns plants, now known as ‘COSEH 700,’ that were grown outdoors during winter in 15-centimeter (5.9-inch) containers at the Heuger family’s nursery in Glandorf. Day temperatures during production ranged from 5 to 32 degrees Celsius (41 to 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The night temperature range was from 1 degree to 25 degrees C (33.8 to 77 degrees F).

The inventor compares ‘COSEH 700’ to another of his patented hellebore creations, Helleborus ‘HGC Silvermoon.’ Under patent number PP15,639, granted March 8, 2005, ‘Silvermoon’ is described as a compact, mounded variety of Helleborus niger x Helleborus sternii with white to light green flowers and dark green leaves. Josef Heuger notes differences in leaf and floral colors between ‘COSEH 700’ and ‘HGC Silvermoon.’

‘COSEH 700’ grows as an upright, mounded perennial. Plant height ranges from 20 to 25 centimeters (7.87 to 9.84 inches). ‘COSEH 700’ spreads to a diameter of about 25 to 35 centimeters (9.84 to 13.77 inches).

Palmately compound leaves comprise three to five serrated leaflets radiating from a common point. Leaflet shape is roughly ovate (Latin: ovatus, “egg-shaped”). Leaflets have leathery, smooth upper and lower surfaces.

Leaves have lengths of about 4 to 8 centimeters (1.57 to 3.14 inches). Leaf widths range from about 2.5 to 5.5 centimeters (0.98 to 2.16 inches).

Fully developed leaves have dark green (Royal Horticultural Society color 147A) uppersides with brown green (RHS 146B) venation. Undersides of fully developed leaves are dark brown green (RHS 147B) with brown (RHS 166A) veins.

A freely flowering habit yields about 30 to 40 outward-facing flowers per plant. Each flower, which is persistent, lasts about three weeks. Flowers exude a pleasantly moderate to strong fragrance over the lengthy, natural flowering season that spans December to March.

‘COSEH 700’ presents a floral arrangement of about five sepals in a single whorl. Each whorl has equiproportionate lengths and widths of 3.5 to 4 centimeters (1.37 to 1.57 inches). Sepal shape is broadly ovate (Latin: ovatus, “egg-shaped”) to rounded, with rounded tips. Sepal edges and surfaces are satiny smooth.

Upper surfaces of fully opened flowers are light green (RHS 145B). With development, upper surface color is between brown green (RHS 138B) and light green (RHS 139D).

Lower surfaces of fully opened flowers are between gray (RHS 157B) and light green (RHS 145C). Toward the base the lower surface has a brown purple (RHS 183B) overlay.

A Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700’ is a good garden performer. ‘COSEH 700’ defies rain and wind and tolerates temperatures from about minus 10 to about 36 degrees C (14 to 96.8 degrees F).

‘COSEH 700’ is marketed as part of the Heuger family’s prestigious Helleborus Gold Collection®. The 2015-2016 Heuger Helleborus catalog sells 'HGC Cinnamon Snow'℗ in containers sized 13 to 17 centimeters (5.11 to 6.69 inches). Its growth is described as being of medium vigorousness. Heating, at 14 degrees C (57.2 degrees F), is slated for mid-November. Selling is targeted to start at the beginning of December.

Helleborus x ballardiae 'HGC Cinnamon Snow'® graces indoor and outdoor gardens with dark green foliage and cinnamon-flushed creamy white flowers.

Helleborus 'COSEH 700' = Helleborus x ballardiae 'HGC® Cinnamon Snow' at The Greenery Nursery and Garden Shop, Turlock, Stanislas County, Central Valley, California, Feb. 26, 2013: The Greenery Nursery and Garden Shop (The Greenery Nursery), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

image of Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 700’ included in patent application filed Jan. 7, 2009, with United States Patent and Trademark Office: Josef Heuger, Public Domain, via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office @ http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=PP021003

Helleborus Cinnamon Snow, Turlock, Stanislas County, Central Valley, California, Feb. 26, 2013: The Greenery Nursery and Garden Shop (The Greenery Nursery), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenerynsy/8511458690/

For further information:

Burrell, C. Colston; Judith Knott Tyler. Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide. Portland OR: Timber Press, 2006.

“Europe: Room for Innovation in Hellebore Market.” Floral Daily.
Available @ http://www.floraldaily.com/article/1798/Europe-Room-for-innovation-in-hellebore-market

"Hellebore (Helleborus Gold Collection® Cinnamon Snow)." The National Gardening Association > Plants Database > Hellebores.
Available @ http://garden.org/plants/view/236707/Hellebore-Helleborus-Gold-Collection-Cinnamon-Snow/

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Available @ http://www.perennials.com/plants/helleborus-ballardiae-hgc-cinnamon-snow.html

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“Helleborus Plant Named ‘COSEH 700.’” United States Patent and Trademark Office > Program in Word (PIW). May 18, 2010.
Available @ http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=PP021003

“Helleborus Plant Named ‘HGC Silvermoon.’” United States Patent and Trademark Office. March 8, 2005.
Available @ http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=PP015639

“Helleborus x ballardiae Gold Collection® Cinnamon Snow.” Skagit Gardens.
Available @ http://www.skagitgardens.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=152

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Available @ http://www.seedaholic.com/helleborus-x-hybridus-helen-ballards-strain.html

"'HGC Cinnamon Snow'℗." Heuger > Katalog Helleborus 2015-2016.
Available @ http://www.heuger.com/fileadmin/lookbook/page4.html#/24

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Available @ http://www.upov.org/edocs/mdocs/upov/en/tc_edc/2007/tgp_14_draft_1_section_2_3_2.pdf

Marriner, Derdriu. "A Helleborus Plant Named 'HGC Jacob' Has White to Light Green Flowers." Earth and Space News. Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016.
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