plant named ‘Sundarose’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Sundarose’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; double-type bright red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNDAROSE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sundarose’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-upright and mounding Petunia plants with attractive double-type flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2006 in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan of two unnamed proprietary selections of Petunia×hybrida, not patented. The new Petunia 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 Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan in March, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan since April, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions 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 ‘Sundarose’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sundarose’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

• • 1. Semi-upright and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching habit.
  • 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Long flowering period.
  • 6. Double-type bright red purple-colored flowers.
  • 7. Good garden performance.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as upright as plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter internodes than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia have more petals than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter internodes than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are double types whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection are single types.
  • 3. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘AK101’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,951. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘AK101’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright and mounding than and not as trailing as plants of ‘AK101’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter leaves than plants of ‘AK101’.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were larger and had fewer petals than flowers of plants of ‘AK101’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sundarose’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sundarose’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the autumn in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sundarose’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By terminal cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight days at temperatures of 30° C. to 35° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days at temperatures of 30° C. to 35° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.
    • Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 19.4 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 40 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 24.5 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 2.1 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong, flexible.
    • Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly.
    • Texture.—Densely pubescent.
    • Color.—Close to 143B.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.
    • Length.—About 3.5 cm.
    • Width.—About 2.1 cm.
    • Shape.—Ovate.
    • Apex.—Broadly acute.
    • Base.—Cuneate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.
    • Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation, close to 145A.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 4.2 mm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Double-type flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 13 flowers developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in Japan.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten days on the plant; flowers persistent.
    • Flower diameter.—About 4.6 cm.
    • Flower length (depth).—About 4.1 cm.
    • Throat diameter.—About 1.5 cm.
    • Tube diameter, base.—About 4 mm.
    • Tube length.—About 2.5 cm.
    • Flower buds.—Shape: Obconical; apex, twisting. Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Color: Close to 75B.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: About 17 petals fused at the base. Petal length from throat: About 1.3 cm. Petal width: About 1.6 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A; venation, close to N74A; color does not fade with development. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 75C; venation, close to 143A. Throat: Close to 149D. Tube: Close to 150C.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1.6 cm. Sepal width: About 3.9 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color: Developing sepals, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing sepals, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully developed sepals, upper surface: Close to 146A. Fully developed sepals, lower surface: Close to 146B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About six. Stamen length: About 9 mm to 15.3 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.7 mm by 2.4 mm. Anther color: Close to 8D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 8D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Petunia.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about 35° C.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia plants.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sundarose’ as illustrated and described.