Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ Has Dark Purple Flowers and Dark Green Leaves

Summary: Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin,’ a Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) cultivar by German breeder Joseph Heuger, has dark purple flowers and dark green leaves.

side view of flower of Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ in images included in Joseph Heuger’s patent application, filed June 28, 2004, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): color scans via Plant Patents Image Database, Engineering & Physical Science Library (USPTO designation: College Park Patent & Trademark Resource Center), University of Maryland, CC BY 2.0, via University of Maryland’s Plant Patents Image Database @ http://www.lib.umd.edu/plantpatents/binaries/15700/pp15705.pdf

Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin,’ a Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) cultivar by German hellebore hybridizer Joseph Heuger, has dark purple flowers and dark green leaves.

On June 28, 2004, Heuger filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent for Helleborus orientalis ‘HGC Merlin.’ Primary examiner Kent Bell and assistant examiner Wendy C. Haas reviewed Heuger’s application. On March 29, 2005, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office assigned plant patent number 15,705 to Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin.’

‘HGC Merlin’ has its origins in a breeding program conducted in January 1999 by Heuger. Unnamed, unpatented female and male Helleborus orientalis seedlings were cross-pollinated in a controlled environment at Heuger’s family nursery, Heuger Gartenbaubetriebe, in Glandorf, Lower Saxony state, northwestern Germany.

Heuger discovered and selected the flowering plant now known as ‘HGC Merlin’ from among the cross-pollinated parents’ offspring. ‘HGC Merlin’ displayed distinguishing traits of a mounded, upright habit; attractive flower and leaf colorings; relatively early and long blooming period. Propagation by divisions, begun in March 2001, confirmed the retention and true reproduction of the new cultivar’s distinguishing traits over successive generations.

Heuger’s application describes 6-month-old plants that were grown in 15-centimeter (5.9-inch) containers during winter. Production temperatures in the Heuger nursery’s glass-covered greenhouse were about 18 degrees Celsius (64.4 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and about 14 degrees C (57.2 degrees F) during the night.

Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ has a temperature tolerance that ranges from minus 12 to 36 degrees C (10.4 to 96.8 degrees F).

‘HGC Merlin’ has a moderately vigorous growth habit. The new cultivar’s upright, mounded form includes basal leaves and single flowers. Height measures about 20 centimeters (7.87 inches). Spread, or width, is about 40 centimeters (15.74 inches).

Basal leaves are palmately compound. Five to seven leaflets radiate from each leaf’s petiole, the leaf stalk that attaches the leaf to the stem.

Lanceolate, or lance-shaped, leaves have serrated margins. Glabrously textured upper and lower surfaces are hairlessly smooth.

Upper surfaces of fully expanded leaflets are dark green (Royal Horticultural Society colour chart color 147A). Veins are brown green (RHS 146B to 146C).

Lower surfaces of fully expanded leaves are brown green (RHS 147B). Veins are brown green (RHS 146C).

Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ has a relatively early and lengthy natural flowering season. Intermittent flowering occurs from November to February in Glandorf. A freely flowering habit yields about 10 developing flowers per plant over the blooming period. On the plant, flowers last about 10 days.

The cultivar’s single rounded flowers are each borne in a single arrangement on short peduncles, or floral stems. Each plant typically has more than one peduncle.

Ovoid, or egg-shaped, buds have a height of about 1.4 centimeters (0.55 inches). Bud diameter is about 1.1 centimeters (0.43 inches). Coloring is between dark violet (RHS 79A) and brown purple (RHS 187A).

Flowers droop outwardly. ‘HGC Merlin’ has no detectable fragrance.

Petals are tiny and form inconspicuous nectaries. Sepals, typically numbering five, are arranged as a single whorl for each flower. Sepal length is about 3.5 centimeters (1.37 inches). Sepal width is about 3.3 centimeters (1.29 inches).

Broadly ovate, or egg-shaped, sepals have smooth, untoothed margins, described as entire. Upper and lower surfaces have a glabrous texture that is satiny and hairlessly smooth.

Upper and lower surfaces of developing and fully expanded sepals are between dark violet (RHS 79A) and brown purple (RHS 187A).

Peduncles are strong, with a straight to bent orientation. Length range is from about 3 to 5 centimeters (1.18 to 1.96 inches). Peduncle diameter is about 1.5 millimeters (0.059 inches). Glabrously textured peduncles are hairlessly smooth. Colorings is brown green (RHS 146C), with an overlay of dark purple red (RHS 187C).

Heuger’s 2015-2016 hellebore catalog lists ‘HGC Merlin’®℗ as available in containers sized 15 to 19 centimeters (5.90 to 7.48 inches). Growth is described as vigorous. Heating, at a maximum temperature of 14 degrees C (57.2 degrees F), is slated for the end of January. The beginning of February is targeted as selling start date.

The takeaway for Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ is the winter interest of the Lenten rose cultivar’s showy dark purple flowers, in fresh cut arrangements and in in-ground and potted garden niches, throughout a relatively early and long flowering season that begins in late autumn and lasts throughout winter.

closeup of Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ flower in images included in Joseph Heuger’s patent application, filed June 28, 2004, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): color scans via Plant Patents Image Database, Engineering & Physical Science Library (USPTO designation: College Park Patent & Trademark Resource Center), University of Maryland, CC BY 2.0, via University of Maryland’s Plant Patents Image Database @ http://www.lib.umd.edu/plantpatents/binaries/15700/pp15705.pdf

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

side view of flower of Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ in images included in Joseph Heuger’s patent application, filed June 28, 2004, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): color scans via Plant Patents Image Database, Engineering & Physical Science Library (USPTO designation: College Park Patent & Trademark Resource Center), University of Maryland, CC BY 2.0, via University of Maryland’s Plant Patents Image Database @ http://www.lib.umd.edu/plantpatents/binaries/15700/pp15705.pdf

closeup of Helleborus ‘HGC Merlin’ flower in images included in Joseph Heuger’s patent application, filed June 28, 2004, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): color scans via Plant Patents Image Database, Engineering & Physical Science Library (USPTO designation: College Park Patent & Trademark Resource Center), University of Maryland, CC BY 2.0, via University of Maryland’s Plant Patents Image Database @ http://www.lib.umd.edu/plantpatents/binaries/15700/pp15705.pdf

For further information:

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

Burrell, C. Colston; Judith Knott Tyler. “Not Your Mother’s Hellebores: A New Look at Species and Hybrids (Part 2).” Pacific Horticulture magazine. January 2008.
Available @ http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/not-your-mothers-hellebores-part-2/

“Hellebore (Helleborus Gold Collection® Merlin).” The National Gardening Association > Plants Database > Hellebores.
Available @ http://garden.org/plants/view/586946/Hellebore-Helleborus-Gold-Collection-Merlin/

“Helleborus Plant Named ‘HGC Green Corsican.’” United States Patent and Trademark Office > Program in Word (PIW). March 8, 2005.
Available @ http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=PP015641

“HGC Merlin’®℗.” Heuger > Katalog Helleborus 2015-2016.
Available @ http://www.heuger.com/fileadmin/lookbook/page5.html#/34

International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. “Document TGP/14: Glossary of Technical, Botanical and Statistical Terms Used in UPOV Documents. Section 2: Botanical Terms: Subsection 3: Color: (2): Color Names for the RHS Colour Chart.” UPOV (Union Internationale Pour la Protection des Obtentions Végétales). Dec. 9, 2006.
Available @ http://www.upov.int/edocs/mdocs/upov/en/tc_edc?2007/tgp_14_draft_1_section_2_3_2.pdf

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘COSEH 210’ Has Large White Flowers and Sells as ‘HGC Joel’®.” Earth and Space News. Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/helleborus-coseh-210-has-large-white.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘COSEH 710’ Has Light Green Flowers With Reddish Pink Flushes.” Earth and Space News. Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/11/helleborus-coseh-710-has-light-green.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘COSEH 740’ Has White Flowers and Dark Green Leaves.” Earth and Space News. Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/11/helleborus-coseh-740-has-white-flowers.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘HGC Double Surprise’ Has Purple-Spotted White Double Flowers.” Earth and Space News. Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/helleborus-hgc-double-surprise-has.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘HGC Jericho’ Has Large White Flowers and Dark Green Leaves.” Earth and Space News. Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/02/helleborus-hgc-jericho-has-large-white.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ Has White Flowers and Dark Green Leaves.” Earth and Space News. Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/helleborus-hgc-josef-lemper-has-white.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘HGC Lady Freckle’ Has Red Purple-Spotted White Flowers.” Earth and Space News. Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/helleborus-hgc-lady-freckle-has-red.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Helleborus ‘HGC Silvermoon' Has White to Light Green Flowers.” Earth and Space News. Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/02/helleborus-hgc-silvermoon-has-white-to.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “A Helleborus Plant Named ‘COSEH 700’ Has Large Light Green Flowers.” Earth and Space News. Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-helleborus-plant-named-coseh-700-has.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “A Helleborus Plant Named ‘HGC Jacob’ Has White to Light Green Flowers.” Earth and Space News. Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-helleborus-plant-named-hgc-jacob-has.html

“PP15705 -- Helleborus Plant Named ‘HGC Merlin.’” University of Maryland > Plant Patents Image Database.
Available @ http://www.lib.umd.edu/plantpatents/id/11671

Rice, Graham; Elizabeth Strangman. The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Hellebores. Newton Abbot, England: David and Charles, 2005.