Mini Impatiens plant named ‘Fify Litesal’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Mini Impatiens plant named ‘Fify Litesal’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and dark pink-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Description

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Impatiens walleriana cultivar Fify Litesal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mini Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fify Litesal’.

The new Mini Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Andijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact Mini Impatiens cultivars with small flowers, freely branching and flowering habit, and attractive flower and foliage coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2000, of a proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection identified as code number IW-778-1, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection identified as code number MRO-1-36, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Fify Litesal was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands in January, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Andijk, The Netherlands since January, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fify Litesal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fify Litesal’ as a new and distinct Mini Impatiens cultivar:

• • 1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.
  • 2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.
  • 3. Dark green-colored leaves.
  • 4. Freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Dark pink-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Impatiens are larger than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the Impatiens walleriana cultivar Fify Salmon Two, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/818,374, in flower color.

The new Impatiens can be compared to the Impatiens walleriana cultivar Fify Salmon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,559. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Fify Salmon in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Fify Salmon.
  • 2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Fify Salmon.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were lighter in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Fify Salmon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, 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 acurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a flowering plant of ‘Fify Litesal’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Fify Litesal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Fify Litesal have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse during the late spring with day temperatures about 27 to 29° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18° C. and light levels about 2,000 foot-candles. Rooted young plants were planted in containers and had been growing for about five months when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Impatiens walleriana cultivar Fify Litesal.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—Proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection identified as code number IW-778-1, not patented.
    • Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection identified as code number MRO-1-36, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 21 days at 22 to 23° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 28 days at 16 to 24° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • General appearance.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.
    • Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous and freely-branching growth habit with about 15 basal branches; lateral branches potentially forming at every node; dense and bushy growth habit. Pinching enhances branching.
    • Plant height.—About 8.5 cm.
    • Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.
    • Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 6 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.
    • Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Slightly crenate with minute ciliation. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146D.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and habit.—Numerous small single flowers. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Freely flowering, usually about 32 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or outward. Flowers last about five to seven days on the plant under greenhouse conditions. Flowers persistent. Flowers not fragrant.
    • Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous through the spring and summer.
    • Flower size.—Height: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Depth: About 1.4 cm.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 52D.
    • Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single whorl. Length, banner petal: About 1.2 cm. Length, lateral petals: About 1.5 cm. Length, basal petals: About 1.7 cm. Width, banner petal: About 1.6 cm. Width, lateral petals: About 1 cm. Width, basal petals: About 1.1 cm. Shape: Obovate to cordate. Apex: Rounded or slightly emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: 50A to 50B. When opening, lower surface: 55B. Fully opened, upper surface: 52B; towards the base, 50A; spots near base, 56A. Color becoming closer to 52D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 55B.
    • Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; one modified into an elongated spur. Calyx length: About 5 mm. Calyx diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. Spur length: About 2.8 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 2 mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur color: 36A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused around stigma. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther color: 52A. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 67B. Style color: 146A. Ovary color: 146A.
    • Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed.
• Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Mini Impatiens plant named ‘Fify Litesal’, as illustrated and described.