Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelkusubu’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelkusubu’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; and pale lavender-colored flowers.

Description

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunbelkusubu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbelkusubu’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new uniform Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL26, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL33, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa 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 Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since September, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunbelkusubu has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determinated to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelkusubu’. These characteristics in combination of distinguish ‘Sunbelkusubu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

• • 1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.
  • 4. Long flowering period.
  • 5. Pale lavender-colored flowers.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are taller than but not as broad as plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have red purple-colored flowers.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,279. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbelkubu differed in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were not as broad as plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.
  • 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.
  • 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.
  • 4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbelkubu differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu had purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa, 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.

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

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up of typical flowers of ‘Sunbelkusubu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the spring in an outdoor nursery. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 14° C. Plants were grown for about four months with one plant per 13.5-cm container and pinched one time. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Sunbelkusubu.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL26, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL33, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By terminal cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit. Freely branching with lateral branches potentially forming at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch development. Vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 7.3 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 47.6 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 21.8 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 1.2 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 7 mm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Aspect.—Initially upright to outward to decumbent.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
    • Color.—144A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.
    • Length.—About 3.2 cm.
    • Width.—About 9 mm.
    • Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.
    • Apex.—Rounded to obtuse.
    • Base.—Obtuse.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.
    • Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 144D. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 143C; venation, 137C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 144A; venation, 138A.
    • Petiole.—Length: About 3.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144D.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with usually about three open flowers per lateral branch. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face upright or outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three to four weeks after planting. Long flowering period; flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants flowers continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in Japan.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten days on the plant.
    • Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.
    • Flower length (depth).—About 3 cm.
    • Throat diameter.—About 8 mm.
    • Tube diameter.—About 1.5 mm.
    • Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 84D.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Slightly emarginate with truncate tendencies. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: N82B; towards the throat, 155A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: 85D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: N82D; towards the throat, 155A. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 85D. Throat: 154B; venation, 153A. Tube: 154D.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 144A. Color, lower surface: 144B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 0.8 mm by 0.8 mm. Anther color: 8C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Style color: 145A. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: N144C. Ovary color: 144A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C.
• Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Calibrachoa.

Claims

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