plant named ‘Duegpros’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Duegpros’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEGPROS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-upright to trailing Petunia plants with numerous unique and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T06-2403-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-2705-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia 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 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 ‘Duegpros’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duegpros’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

• • 1. Compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Freely branching habit.
  • 3. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 4. Large red purple-colored flowers.
  • 5. Good garden performance.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Famous Hot Rose Morn’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Famous Hot Rose Morn’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia were more trailing than plants of ‘Famous Hot Rose Morn’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of ‘Famous Hot Rose Morn’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Famous Hot Rose Morn’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Famous Hot Rose Morn’ had white-colored petal bases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia 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 Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duegpros’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial potted Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and 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: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duegpros’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T06-2403-1, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-2705-2, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By terminal cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at temperatures of about 20° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at temperatures of about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about eight to ten lateral branches developing after pinching; moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 10 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 30 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 16 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 2.4 cm.
    • Strength.—Moderately strong.
    • Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
    • Color.—Close to 144A to 144B.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Before flowering begins, leaves are alternate, simple; after flowering begins, leaves are opposite, simple.
    • Length.—About 5.6 cm.
    • Width.—About 3.5 cm.
    • Shape.—Spatulate.
    • Apex.—Obtuse.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 145A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to 144B.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A and 144D. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 25 to 30 open flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit, plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after planting.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.
    • Flower diameter.—About 5.6 cm.
    • Flower length (height).—About 4.5 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—About 1 cm.
    • Flower tube length.—About 2.6 cm.
    • Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.
    • Flower bud.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144B and 79A.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 2.7 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.9 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled, glabrous. Tube texture: Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 66A; venation, close to 64A to 64B; color becoming closer to 66B to 66C with development. Petal lobe, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 74B to 74C; venation, close to 66A. Flower throat: Close to 166A to 166B; venation, close to 166A. Flower tube: Close to 165B; venation, close to 144B.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 2 cm. Sepal width: About 2.9 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 138A and 144A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 144B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 155A. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 4D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 143B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Petunia.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia plants.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duegpros’ as illustrated and described.