Genus and species: Verbena hybrida.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Lan Lav Starxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Lan Lav Starxe2x80x99. The new cultivar is asexually reproduced from vegetative cuttings and tissue culture resulting from the cross of the seed/pod parent Temari Purple, a commercial line that is unpatented xc3x97 99-765-5 a pink with blue tones proprietary line that is unnamed and unpatented. This seedling had a purple with a small white eye flower. The instant plant is the result of a Sport from this cross.
xe2x80x98Lan Lav Starxe2x80x99 is a product of a planned breeding program intended to create new verbena cultivars with purple colored flowers, dark green foliage, vigorous growth.
The new cultivar was created in 1999 in Gilroy, Calif. and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif., Andijk, The Netherlands; Guatemala over a three year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif., Litchfield, Mich. and Andijk, The Netherlands. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations; and this novelty is firmly fixed.