plant named ‘BBCAL81801’

Abstract

A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘BBCAL81801’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and freely flowering habit; purple-colored petals with dark violet blue-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BBCAL81801’.

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 ‘BBCAL81801’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branching Calibrachoa plants with unique and attractive flower colors and patterns and good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. on Aug. 27, 2015 of Calibrachoa sp. ‘JGCAL09404’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,760, as the female, or seed, parent with Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL68604’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,964, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and first selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 17, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 17, 2016 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 combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. 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 ‘BBCAL81801’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BBCAL81801’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

• • 1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit.
  • 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.
  • 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Purple-colored petals with dark violet blue-colored centers.
  • 6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘JGCAL09404’, in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than plants of ‘JGCAL09404’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘JGCAL09404’ differ in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘JGCAL09404’ are dark violet and close to black-colored in color.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have good garden performance and are more tolerant to pathogens common to Calibrachoa plants than plants of ‘JGCAL09404’.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘USCAL68604’, in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa flower earlier than plants of ‘USCAL68604’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCAL68604’ differ in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘USCAL68604’ are red purple in color with almost black-colored centers.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have good garden performance and are more tolerant to pathogens common to Calibrachoa plants than plants of ‘USCAL68604’.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCALI11’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,968. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘USCALI11’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more outwardly spreading than and not as upright as plants of ‘USCALI11’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI11’ differ in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘USCALI11’ are light red purple in color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCALI51’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,874. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘USCALI51’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more outwardly spreading than and not as upright as plants of ‘USCALI51’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI51’ differ in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘USCALI51’ are violet in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate 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 photographs 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 at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BBCAL81801’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BBCAL81801’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 10-cm containers in an acrylic-covered greenhouse in Carleton, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 24° C. Plants were twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings 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: Calibrachoa sp. ‘BBCAL81801’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Calibrachoa sp. ‘JGCAL09404’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,760.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL68604’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,964.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to ten days at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About four to five weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About five to six weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.
    • Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate; freely branching habit with about four primary lateral branches each with about four to five secondary branches; dense and bushy appearance.
    • Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 11 cm.
    • Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 12 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 25.5 cm by 28 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 17 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 2 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 1 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Aspect.—About 45° to 75° from stem axis.
    • Texture and luster.—Minute pubescence; matte.
    • Color, developing.—Close to 145A.
    • Color, developed.—Close to 146C.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering, opposite; leaves simple.
    • Length.—About 2.5 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.1 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptical.
    • Apex.—Broadly acute to rounded.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Minute pubescence; matte.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146C.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Minute pubescence; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with typically about 165 flowers and flower buds developing per plant; flowers face outwardly to nodding.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa begin flowering about six weeks after planting; plants flower continuously from the spring though the summer until frost.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to five days on the plant; flowers persistent.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblong, elongate. Texture and luster: Minute pubescence; matte. Color: Close to 195B.
    • Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm by 4 cm.
    • Flower length (height).—About 2 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm by 8 mm.
    • Flower tube length.—About 1.7 cm.
    • Flower tube diameter.—About 5 mm.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 1.7 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.9 cm. Petal shape: Fan-shaped, somewhat cordate. Petal apex: Emarginate; recurving with development. Petal margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, velvety; matte. Petal texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Throat texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Tube texture and luster: Minute pubescence; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to N79A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 196A. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Towards the margins, close to N78A; center, brighter than N92A; venation, close to N79A; color does not change with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to N77D; venation, close to N77B; color becoming closer to N79D with development. Throat: Close to 4A; venation, close to 195A. Tube: Close to 160D; venation, close to 187C.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals fused towards the base and arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate to narrowly ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Minute pubescence; matte. Sepal color, when developing, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. Sepal color, developed, upper surface: Close to 146A. Sepal color, developed, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle: About 45° to 55° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Minute pubescence; matte. Color: Close to 146C.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther color: Close to 4B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 5B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 146C. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 146A. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Seeds and fruits: To date, 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 to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9a to 11b.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoa plants.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘BBCAL81801’ as illustrated and described.