plant named ‘Balcanoran’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Balcanoran’, characterized by its dark orange-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit, is disclosed.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Calibrachoa×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balcanoran’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant botanically known as Calibrachoa×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balcanoran’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elburn, Ill. during October 2005. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive flower coloration, medium green-colored foliage, and a moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

The new Calibrachoa cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is MILLION BELLS Crackling Fire ‘Sunbelfire’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,684, characterized by its yellow and red bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and mounded and outward spreading growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is STARLETTE Yellow Improved ‘01C-J-6’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,529, characterized by its dark yellow-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and low mounding and outward spreading growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during June 2006 in a controlled environment at Elburn, Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2006 at Elburn, Ill. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the 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 ‘Balcanoran’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant:

• • 1. Dark orange-colored flowers;
  • 2. Medium green-colored foliage; and
  • 3. Moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

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

Of the many commercially available Calibrachoa cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Aloha Orange ‘Duealor’, not patented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Duealor’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller flowers, as measured by corolla diameter, than plants of ‘Duealor’;
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger leaves, as measured by leaf length and width, than plants of ‘Duealor’ and
  • 3. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from plants of ‘Duealor’.

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 ‘Balcanoran’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 6 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

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

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balcanoran’.

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 in May 2009 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 6 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

• Botanical classification: Calibrachoa×hybrida cultivar Balcanoran.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—MILLION BELLS Crackling Fire ‘Sunbelfire’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,684.
    • Male parent.—STARLETTE Yellow Improved ‘01C-J-6’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,529.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 8 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28 days.
    • Root description.—Fibrous.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 7 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 10.8 cm. Width: Approximately 31.7 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal branching. Quantity of main branches per plant: Approximately 6.
    • Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 17.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 1.4 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of young stem: 144B. Color of mature stem: 144A with an overlay of 187A.
• Foliage description:
  • • General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 16. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple. Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.
    • Leaves.—Aspect: At acute angle to stem with tip turning downward. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 3.3 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.2 cm. Texture of upper surface: Moderately glandular pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137B with venation of 144D to indistinguishable. Color of lower surface of young foliage: 138A with venation of 138D to indistinguishable. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: 137A with venation of 144D to indistinguishable. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 138B with venation of 138D to indistinguishable.
    • Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.5 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Moderately glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 144C.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Balcanoran’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in greenhouse environment.
    • Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately 5 to 7 days.
• Flower description:
  • • General description.—Type: Single, salverform. Quantity per plant: Approximately 12. Fragrance: None detected.
    • Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per plant: Approximately 7.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length: Approximately 2.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: Petal portion N34C and tube portion of 151C, venation of N186A.
    • Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 3.1 cm.
    • Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Length from tube: Approximately 1.3 cm. Length of free portion: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glandular pubescent, dense along venation. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface when first open: 46B with throat opening and venation of 46A. Color of lower surface when first and fully open: 32D with midviens of N186A. Color of upper surface when fully open: 33B with throat opening and venation of N34A; fades to 30A with age.
    • Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter at distal end: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of inner surface: 13A with venation of N34A. Color of outer surface: 151D with venation of N186A.
    • Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused along lower third. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface: 137A. Color of lower surface: 138A with base of 144C.
    • Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 144B with a faint overlay of 187A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5, basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Filament length of fixed portion: Approximately 6.0 mm. Filament color: 151D with a small stripe of N186A. Anther shape: Bilobed, ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 8A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 8B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 144A. Style length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Style color: N144D. Ovary diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: N144C.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoa has not been observed.

Claims

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