plant named ‘Fikalswan’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Fikalswan’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching plant habit; glossy and green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; large white-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Description

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIKALSWAN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fikalswan’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark in September, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 6877-02 (04), not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 7626 (02), not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength 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 ‘Fikalswan’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fikalswan’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

• • 1. Compact, upright and uniform plant habit.
  • 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching plant habit.
  • 4. Glossy and green-colored leaves.
  • 5. Uniform and freely flowering habit.
  • 6. Large white-colored flowers.
  • 7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than and not as vigorous as plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the female parent selection differ in flower color as developing flowers of plants of the female parent selection are yellow in color.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 3. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe are mostly flat whereas leaves of plants of the male parent selection are undulating.
  • 4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have longer postproduction longevity than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Simone’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,238. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Simone’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of ‘Simone’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than plants of ‘Simone’.
  • 3. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe were mostly flat whereas leaves of plants of ‘Simone’ were undulating.
  • 4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had longer postproduction longevity than plants of ‘Simone’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fikalswan’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 60,000 lux. Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks then plants received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Fikalswan’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 6877-02 (04), not patented.
    • Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 7626 (02), not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at temperatures of 21° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at temperatures of 21° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days at temperatures of 21° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 days at temperatures of 21° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; greyish white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant habit.—Compact, upright and uniform plant habit; freely flowering habit with numerous compound cymes; inverted triangle with rounded crown; appropriate for 10-cm to 15-cm containers; moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height at flowering.—About 14 cm.
    • Plant diameter at flowering.—About 16 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about six to eight lateral branches develop per plant; pinching (removal of the terminal apex) is not required but will enhance lateral branch development.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 10 cm to 13 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 2 mm to 4 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.
    • Aspect.—Erect.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Color.—Close to 138A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical; mostly flat; glossy.
    • Quantity per plant.—About 8 to 13 mature leaves and about 14 to 22 generative leaves.
    • Length.—About 10 cm.
    • Width.—About 8 cm.
    • Shape.—Ovate to elliptical.
    • Apex.—Obtuse.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Crenate.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous; succulent.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
    • Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully developed foliage, lower surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A.
    • Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Flowers arranged singly in compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils; uniform and freely flowering habit with usually about 25 open flowers and about 25 flower buds per lateral branch and more than 150 open flowers and flower buds per plant; flowering continuously for at least eight weeks.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night conditions or during November and December in The Netherlands; flower initiation and development can also be induced under artificial short day/long conditions (at least 14 hours of darkness).
    • Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive conditions, about nine to eleven weeks are required; actual time to flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light intensity.
    • Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance for about nine weeks under interior environmental conditions; individual flowers last about 25 days on the plant; flowers persistent.
    • Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.
    • Flower length (height).—About 1.3 cm.
    • Flower bud.—Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid with development. Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Close to NN155D tinted with close to 142D.
    • Petals.—Arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 8 mm. Aspect: Flat to partially upright. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155C.
    • Sepals.—Appearance: Four in a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Oblong, pointed. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Upright. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Eight per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic, flat. Anther length: About 0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 150D. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil number: Four per flower. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 138D. Stigma shape: Flat. Stigma color: Close to 8D. Ovary color: Close to 138D.
    • Seed.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color: Close to 166C.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C.
• Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Kalanchoes.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Fikalswan’ as illustrated and described.