plant named ‘Dopetpotucora’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Dopetpotucora’, characterized by its upright and mounding to hanging plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large light red-colored flowers with dark red-colored venation and centers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETPOTUCORA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

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 freely branching and early-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2016 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT-0451, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT14-002281-006, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia 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 greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2018 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 ‘Dopetpotucora’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dopetpotucora’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

• • 1. Upright and mounding to hanging plant habit.
  • 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching habit.
  • 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Large light red-colored flowers with dark red-colored venation and centers.
  • 6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Petunia have light red-colored flowers with dark red-colored venation and centers whereas plants of the female parent selection have purple-colored flowers. In addition, pollen of plants of the new Petunia is creamy white it color whereas pollen of plants of the female parent selection is purple in color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Petunia have light red-colored flowers with dark red-colored venation and centers whereas plants of the male parent selection have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida ‘Duepotdared’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,704. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Duepotdared’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller and darker green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Duepotdared’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of ‘Duepotdared’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Duepotdared’ differ in flower color as plants of the new Petunia have light red-colored flowers with dark red-colored venation and centers whereas plants of ‘Duepotdared’ have dark red-colored flowers.

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 (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetpotucora’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetpotucora’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT-0451, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT14-002281-006, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three weeks at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155B 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 hanging plant habit; freely branching habit with about nine to eleven primary lateral branches each with about eight. secondary branches developing after pinching; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.
    • Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.
    • Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 24.5 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 22.5 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 15 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 4 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.
    • Strength.—Moderately strong.
    • Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.
    • Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.
    • Color, developing.—Close to 144A to 144B.
    • Color, fully developed.—Close to 144A; at the internodes, close to 144A to 144B.
• Leaf description:
  • • Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering, opposite; simple.
    • Length.—About 5 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.9 cm.
    • Shape.—Spatulate.
    • Apex.—Obtuse.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery; semi-glossy.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 141B; venation, close to 142A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2.25 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 144C. Color, lower surface: Close to 145A.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 40 open flowers and flower buds per plant at one time; flowers face 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 two to three days on the plant; flowers persistent.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 6.2 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 183D.
    • Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.
    • Flower depth (height).—About 4.7 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.
    • Flower tube length.—About 3 cm.
    • Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 2.8 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.4 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat texture and luster: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Tube texture and luster: Rippled, pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Ground color, close to 51A; venation and towards the centers, close to 46B. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 50C. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Ground color, close to 51A; venation and towards the centers, close to 45B and 53B; color does not change with development Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 47D; venation, close to 177D; color becoming closer to 51C with development. Flower throat: Close to 178A; venation, close to 53B. Flower tube: Close to 178B; venation, close to 53B.
    • Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a tubular star-shaped calyx. Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.6 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded. Base: Decurrent. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 143A. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 143B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close to 155D. Anther length: About 2.5 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 142C. Stigma diameter: About 1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 142A. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About ten during the flowering season. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 161C. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 80. Length: About 0.2 mm. Diameter: About 0.2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain, temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 28° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 11.
• Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, 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 ‘Dopetpotucora’ as illustrated and described.