Geranium plant named ‘Ballurpinzle’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Ballurpinzle’ characterized by its semi-double pink and rose bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Ballurpinzle’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Ballurpinzle’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during February 2002. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Geranium cultivars with a vigorous and upright growth habit, medium green-colored foliage, and new and unique flower coloration.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Sil Claudio’, not patented, characterized by its pink, rose, and white-colored florets, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Balcolwhit’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,594, characterized by its white-colored semi-double florets with red purple-colored venation, dark green-colored foliage with a faint zonation pattern, and cascading and mounded growth habit. The new Geranium was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during May 2002 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2002 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Ballurpinzle’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant:

• • 1. Semi-double pink and rose bicolored flowers;
  • 2. Medium green-colored foliage; and
  • 3. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color and foliage color and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Geranium cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Fip 469 ’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,379. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Fip 469’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have non-zoned foliage; and
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have different flower color than plants of ‘Fip 469’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Ballurpinzle’. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Ballurpinzle’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an umbel of ‘Ballurpinzle’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of a single floret of ‘Ballurpinzle’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on May 19, 2005 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 75° F. (18° C. to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 62° F. to 68° F. (17° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 3,500 to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

• Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Ballurpinzle.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—‘Sil Claudio’, not patented.
    • Male parent.—‘Balcolwhit’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,594.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 14 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28 days.
    • Root description.—Fibrous.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Crop time.—Approximately 8 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous and upright.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 23.6 cm. Height from soil level to top of foliage: Approximately 12.5 cm. Width: Approximately 22.9 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Approximately 3 branches per plant.
    • Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 3.9 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.8 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with short, soft hairs. Color: 146B. Internode length at center of branch: Approximately 1.8 cm.
    • Foliage.—Number of leaves per lateral branch: Approximately 8 Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Aspect: Petiole is acute to stem and blade is at a right angle to stem. Shape: Reniform. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cordate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 4.2 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 7.3 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent with short, soft hairs. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: 137A with venation of 144A. Color of lower surfaces of mature foliage: Lighter than 137C with venation of 144B. Petiole length: Approximately 5.2 cm. Petiole diameter: Approximately 2.4 mm. Petiole texture: Densely glandular-pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Petiole color: 144A.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Ballurpinzle’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year round in greenhouse environment.
    • Time to first flower.—Approximately 11 weeks from sticking of unrooted cutting.
    • Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 5 to 7 days.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • Type.—Umbel. Position: Above foliage. Number of open umbels at nine weeks: Approximately 2. Number of developing umbels at nine weeks: Approximately 2. Umbel diameter: Approximately 9.7 cm. Umbel height/depth: Approximately 5.3 cm. Number of flowers per umbel: Approximately 8. Fragrance: None.
    • Peduncle.—Strong, erect. Aspect: At acute angle to stem. Length: Approximately 15.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular-pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Peduncle color: 144A.
• Flower description:
  • • Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 3 to 5 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oval. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Petal color: Closest to 55B. Sepal texture: Pubescent. Petal texture: Glabrous.
    • Corolla.—Form: Semi-double. Shape: Round. Diameter: Approximately 5.3 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.9 cm.
    • Petals/petaloids.—Quantity: Approximately 8 petals and 2 irregular shaped petaloids per flower. Appearance: Iridescent. Aspect: Cupped. Arrangement: Imbricate. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Length of upper petal: Approximately 2.9 cm. Width of upper petal: Approximately 2.3 cm. Length of lower petal: 2.8 cm. Width of lower petal: 2.8 cm. Color of upper surface of upper petal: Background of N66C with mottling of N66B around margin and large area in center of petal that is darker than 52A. Lower one-third of petal is 73B with strong venation of 59C. Color of lower surface of upper petal: N155B with some mottling of N66C. Color of lower petal upper surface: Background of N66C with mottling of N66B around margin and large area in center of petal that is darker and redder than N66A. Lower one-third of petal is 73B with faint venation of 59C. Color of lower petal lower surface: Shading along margin of N66D transitioning to N155B in center and at base with venation of N57D.
    • Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Angle: Acute. Length: Approximately 3.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.7 mm. Texture: Glandular-pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Pedicel color: 144C with overlay of 178D.
    • Calyx.—Shape: Five-pointed star. Length/Depth: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 2.0 cm.
    • Sepals.—Quantity per floret: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Upper sepal length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Upper sepal width: Approximately 4.7 mm. Lower sepal length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Lower sepal width: Approximately 3.3 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glandular-pubescent. Gland color: N163B. Color of upper and lower surface: 144A with faint overlay of 178C at base.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of mature anthers: Approximately 5 to 8 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: Darker than 77A. Filament length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Filament color: 155D with N66B at junction with anther. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color N163A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per floret. Pistil length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stigma shape: Five branched. Stigma length: Approximately 3 mm. Stigma color: 63A. Style length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Style color: 63A. Ovary length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Ovary texture: Sericeous. Ovary color: 143C.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed not fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Geranium has not been observed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Ballurpinzle’, substantially as herein shown and described.