plant named ‘Wescasnow’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescasnow’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to hanging and mounding growth habit; vigorous growth habit; medium-sized elliptic leaves; numerous medium-sized white-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wescasnow’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wescasnow’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Calibrachoa plants with uniform plant habit and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2004 in Südlohn, Germany of Calibrachoa sp. ‘Wescasal’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,040, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P618, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in August, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wescasnow’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wescasnow’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

• • 1. Compact, semi-upright to hanging and mounding growth habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Medium-sized elliptic leaves.
  • 4. Numerous medium-sized white-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers.
  • 5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Wescasal’. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘Wescasal’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and mounding than plants of ‘Wescasal’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have shorter and thicker lateral branches than plants of ‘Wescasal’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have elliptic leaves whereas plants of ‘Wescasal’ have oblanceolate leaves.
  • 4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Wescasal’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Wescasal’ have light red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and mounding than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have smaller leaves than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent have pink and cream-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘Cal Cremey’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,256. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of ‘Cal Cremey’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were larger than plants of ‘Cal Cremey’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger leaves than plants of ‘Cal Cremey’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had elliptic leaves whereas plants of ‘Cal Cremey’ had oblanceolate leaves.
  • 4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Cal Cremey’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Cal Cremey’ had cream-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘Mini Famous Compact White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more upright than plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller leaves than plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had elliptic leaves whereas plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’ had oblanceolate leaves.
  • 4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flower buds than plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’.
  • 5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Mini Famous Compact White’ differed in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘Mini Famous Compact White’ had white-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wescasnow’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers in Südlohn, Germany, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3 to 50 klux. Plants were 30 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Wescasnow’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Calibrachoa sp. ‘Wescasal’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,040.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P618, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at temperatures of 20° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at temperatures of 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24 days at temperatures of 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26 days at temperatures of 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; color, close to 158A.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright to hanging and mounding growth habit; freely branching habit with lateral branches potentially developing at every node; vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 20 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 55 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 18.8 cm to 45.2 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 1.6 mm to 3.6 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong; flexible.
    • Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
    • Color.—Close to 146B with reddish tinting.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.
    • Length.—About 2.9 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.1 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptic.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, slightly lighter than 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, slightly lighter than 147B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about five to ten flowers per lateral branch; flowers face mostly outwardly.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about 12 to 14 weeks after planting; plants flower continuously from April to October in Germany.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to seven days on the plant; flowers not persistent.
    • Flower diameter.—About 3.4 cm.
    • Flower length (height).—About 2.5 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—About 8.5 mm.
    • Flower tube diameter, base.—About 3 mm.
    • Flower tube length.—About 1.5 cm.
    • Flower bud.—Shape: Oblong. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Color: Base, close to 145A to 145B; mid-section, close to 145B; towards the apex, close to 2D; venation, close to 166A.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: About 1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.7 cm. Petal shape: Broadly obovate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155B. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D; center, between 63A and 60B; central spot, close to 9A; with development, color towards the margin may become closer to 75C; venation, between 178A and 200D. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D; mid-vein, close to 200C; lateral veins, close to 64A. Throat: Close to 7A; venation, close to 199A. Tube: Close to 151C; venation, close to 186C.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm to 1.5 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A with reddish tinting.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About five per flower. Filament length: About 6 mm to 9 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C. Anther shape: Ovate, four-parted. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther width: About 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 8B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 10A.
    • Pistils.—Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style length: About 8.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 145C.
    • Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 30° C.
• Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoa.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescasnow’ as illustrated and described.