착색이 빠른 볼 타입 포인세티아 ‘Red Ball’ 품종 육성
포인세티아(Euphorbia pulcherrima. Willd. Ex Klotzch) ‘Red Ball’은 국립원예특작과학원에서 2019년에 육성한 품종이다. ‘Red Ball’은 긴 관상 기간을 가지는 ‘Christmas Eve’를 모본으로 빨간색 주름진 덮개잎이 볼 타입 꽃을 만드는 ‘Winter Rose Early Red’를 부본으로 교배하여 획득한 실생 계통을 선발하여 육성하였다. 2016년부터 2018년 생육, 개화, 균일성 등에 대하여 1,2차 특성 검정을 실시하였다. 이후 2019년 3차 특성검정을 실시하여 최종선발한 후 직무육성품종심의회에 상정하여 ‘Red Ball’로 명명하였다. ‘Red Ball’품종은 전체적으로 짧은 적색 덮개잎을 가지며 꽃 모양이 납작하지 않아 입체감이 높다. 또한 단일 처리후 약 5.5~6주가 경과하면 완전히 착색되어 출하가 가능할 만큼 착색소요기간이 짧다. ‘Red Ball’은 2021년 4월 12일에 국립종자원에 품종등록(제8497호) 되었다.
A newly developed poinsettia cultivar, ‘Red Ball’, was bred by the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science (NIHHS) in 2019, characterized by its early colored and ball-shaped structure. In 2015, the ‘Red Ball’ cultivar was derived from the crossing of the cv. ‘Christmas Eve’, exhibiting long floral periods, and the cv. ‘Winter Rose Early Red’, known for its red and curly bracts forming a ball-shaped structure. From 2016 to 2018, the first and second characterization evaluations of progenies based on growth, flowering, and uniformity were conducted. On the third evaluation, ‘Red Ball’ was finally selected in 2019. With its early colored and ball-type flowers, ‘Red Ball’ is considered a novel ornament to domestic consumers. This cultivar has a relatively narrow leaf blade and bracts, predicting a compact plant. ‘Red Ball’ cultivar’s bracts and transitional leaves develop into fully red-colored in only 5.5-6 weeks after short day commencement. The rights of plant breeders of ‘Red Ball’ were registered in 2021 (Grant no. 8497) in Korea.