plant named ‘WGPESMVYEL’

Abstract

A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘WGPESMVYEL’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to eventually trailing and decumbent plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; early and freely flowering habit; single-type flowers that are bright yellowish green in color with darker yellowish green-colored throats and venation; and excellent container and garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WGPESMVYEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, California. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous, freely-branching and uniformly mounding Petunia plants with early and freely flowering habit, attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 14, 2018 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number 17P080-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Petunia X hybrida ‘Yes Yellow’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. 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 greenhouse environment in Bonsall, California on May 8, 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, California since May 15, 2019 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 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 ‘WGPESMVYEL’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘WGPESMVYEL’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

• • 1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to eventually trailing and decumbent plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.
  • 3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.
  • 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Single-type flowers that are bright yellowish green in color with darker yellowish green-colored throats and venation.
  • 6. Excellent container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, 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 spreading as plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are bright yellowish green in color with darker yellowish green-colored throats and venation whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are solid lime yellow in color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Yes Yellow’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘Yes Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more spreading than plants of ‘Yes Yellow’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of ‘Yes Yellow’.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia sensu wijsman ‘DCAS303’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,888. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘DCAS303’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact and denser than plants of ‘DCAS303’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of ‘DCAS303’.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are bright yellowish green in color with darker yellowish green-colored throats and venation whereas flowers of plants of ‘DCAS303’ are yellow to blush pink in color.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida ‘Pactoyeyl’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,282. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘Pactoyel’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact and denser than plants of ‘Pactoyel’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia are stronger and sturdier than plants of ‘Pactoyel’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of ‘Pactoyel’.
  • 4. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are bright yellowish green in color with darker yellowish green-colored throats and venation whereas flower color of plants of ‘Pactoyel’ appears dark yellow towards the center and bright greenish yellow towards the margins.

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 on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘WGPESMVYEL’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘WGPESMVYEL’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 740-ml containers in an acrylic-covered greenhouse in Carlton, Michigan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18C to 32C and night temperatures ranged from 18C to 24C. Plants were pinched two weeks after planting and were five 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, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘WGPESMVYEL’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number 17P080-01, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Petunia X hybrida ‘Yes Yellow’, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three to four days at ambient temperatures about 28C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About five to seven days at ambient temperatures about 20C.
    • Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three or four weeks at ambient temperatures about 28C.
    • Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About four to five weeks at ambient temperatures about 20C.
    • Root description.—Fine, 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.—Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to eventually trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit with about eight to ten primary lateral branches with secondary laterals developing potentially at every node, dense and bushy plant form; pinching enhances development of lateral branches; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.
    • Plant height.—About 19 cm.
    • Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 44 cm.
    • Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible, not brittle. Aspect: Initially upright then outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, developing and developed: Close to 144A.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after flowers develop; leaves simple.
    • Length.—About 3 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.5 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptic to ovate.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Cuneate.
    • Margin.—Entire, not undulate.
    • Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent, pubescence, minute; slightly glossy.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to between 146B and 147B; venation, close to 146B.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and flowering habit.—Single terminal and axillary salverform flowers; flowers face mostly upward to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 86 developing flowers and open flowers per plant.
    • Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long flowering period, plants flower from early spring until frost in the autumn, flowering continuous during this period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about four weeks after planting rooted young plants.
    • Flower longevity on the plant.—Depending on temperature, about one to two weeks; petals not persistent, and sepals, persistent.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Flower buds, before showing petal color.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong, elongate. Texture and luster: Pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, developing sepals: Close to 144A.
    • Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm.
    • Flower depth (height).—About 2.6 cm.
    • Throat diameter.—About 5 mm.
    • Tube length.—About 1.8 cm.
    • Tube diameter, distally.—About 6 mm.
    • Tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.
    • Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 1.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal lobe apex: Broadly obtuse and cuspidate. Petal lobe margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Petal lobe texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Petal lobe texture and luster, lower surface: Slightly to moderately pubescent; matte. Throat texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Tube texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to more yellow than 151B to 151C; venation, close to 144A; color does not change with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 154B to 154C; venation, close to 144A; color does not change with subsequent development. Flower throat (inside): Close to 144A; venation, close to 144A. Flower tube (outside): Close to 144A; venation, close to 144A.
    • Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a single star-shaped whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely to moderately pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: When opening and fully developed, upper surface: Close to 137C. When opening and fully developed, lower surface: Close to 144A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1.25 mm. Strength: Moderately strong to strong; wiry and flexible, not brittle. Angle: About 45 degrees from the stem axis. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 144A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About five. Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close to 157A to 157B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Bi-lobed. Anther color: Close to 144A. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.75 cm. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Close to 144B. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 144A to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.
    • Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has not been observed on plants of the new Petunia.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia plants.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have excellent garden performance and have been observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 1C to about 35C.

Claims

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