A plant patent may be granted to a person who inventor or discovers and asexually reproduces a distinct and new variety of a plant.  A plant patent application has similarities to both a utility patent application and a design patent application.  Similar to a utility patent application, the plant patent application must include a detailed description of the plant.  Similar to a design patent application, the plant patent application must include drawings of the plant and its leaves, stems and any special features that distinguish the plant from the closest known plant.  Furthermore, the claims of a plant patent application refer the plant “substantially as illustrated and described” in the application and the drawings are typically color photographs of the plant.   

USPP31751P2 - Hibiscus coccineus plant named ‘Whit XXII’ - Google Patents