plant named ‘Dopetsunye’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsunye’, characterized by its upright and mounding to semi-trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; flowers that are bright yellow in color; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: (Petunia x hybrida) X Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETSUNYE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as (Petunia x hybrida) X Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dopetsunye’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new moderately vigorous and mounding Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of (Petunia x hybrida) X Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number TT-0809, not patented. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Apr. 20, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since Jun. 1, 2016 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 combinations of 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 ‘Dopetsunye’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dopetsunye’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

• • 1. Upright and mounding to semi-trailing plant habit.
  • 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching habit.
  • 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Flowers that are bright yellow in color.
  • 6. Good garden performance.

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

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia sensu X Calibrachoa sp. ‘Dancalipet’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,063. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Dancalipet’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of ‘Dancalipet’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia have slightly larger flowers than plants of ‘Dancalipet’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Dancalipet’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Dancalipet’ have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of (Petunia x hybrida) X Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duesunblu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,156. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Duesunblu’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as trailing as plants of ‘Duesunblu’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Duesunblu’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Duesunblu’ have dark violet-colored flowers with dark purple-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate 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 photographs 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 on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetsunye’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetsunye’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early spring in 15-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C., night temperatures averaged 20° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 lux to 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following 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: (Petunia x hybrida) X Calibrachoa sp. ‘Dopetsunye’.
• Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of (Petunia x hybrida) X Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number TT-0809, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About five to seven days at night temperatures about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and winter.—About three weeks at night temperatures about 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding to semi-trailing plant habit; freely branching habit with about five basal (primary) lateral branches, each primary lateral branch with secondary and tertiary laterals potentially developing at every node; moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 19 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 33 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 15.5 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 4 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 1.7 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Aspect.—Initially upright then becoming semi-trailing with development.
    • Texture and luster.—Pubescent, minute; matte.
    • Color, developing and developed.—Close to 146B.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering, opposite; simple.
    • Length.—About 4 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.75 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptical with ovate tendencies.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Attenuate with cuneate tendencies.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, minute; slightly glossy.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to 146B.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, minute; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with flowers potentially developing at every node and typically more than 300 flowers per plant will develop during the flowering season; flowers face upright to outwardly.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during the summer in Southern California; early flowering habit, plants typically beginning flowering about seven weeks from unrooted cuttings.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.
    • Flower buds (prior to petal appearance).—Length: About 1.35 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Elongated. Texture and luster: Pubescent, minute; matte. Color: Close to 146A.
    • Flower diameter.—About 4.25 cm.
    • Flower depth (height).—About 3.6 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—About 9 mm.
    • Flower tube length.—About 2.2 cm.
    • Flower tube diameter, middle.—About 5 mm.
    • Flower tube diameter, base.—About 4 mm.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 2 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded with a short central point. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; satiny; slightly glossy. Petal texture and luster, lower surface: Pubescent, minute; slightly glossy. Throat texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Tube texture and luster: Pubescent, minute; slightly glossy. Color: Petal lobe, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 5A to 5C; venation, close to 6A; color does not change with development. Petal lobe, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 4B to 4C; venation, close to 144A; color does not change with development. Flower throat: Close to 9A; venation, close to 59A. Flower tube: Close to 4B to 4C; venation, close to 144A.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a star-shaped calyx. Calyx length: About 1.8 cm. Calyx diameter: About 2.2 cm. Sepal length: About 1.9 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, minute; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 146A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.25 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from lateral stem axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent, minute; matte. Color: Close to 146A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 1.4 cm. Filament color: Close to NN155A. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Nearly round. Anther color: Close to 12B to 12C. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style length: About 1.3 cm. Style color: Close to NN155A. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 145D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Petunia to date.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate full sunlight conditions, 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 to date.

Claims

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