plant named ‘Balveraplos’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Balveraplos’, characterized by its white-colored flowers having a light purple-colored central ring, dark green-colored foliage, moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Sutera cordata.

Variety denomination: ‘Balveraplos’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant botanically known as Sutera cordata and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balveraplos’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, California during October 2015. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Sutera cultivars that have numerous flowers and a semi-upright growth habit suitable for hanging basket, and container use.

The new Sutera cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Sutera cordata breeding selection coded SUT-0658-001, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Sutera cordata breeding selection coded SUT-0630-003, not patented, characterized by its light violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during December 2016 in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, California.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since December 2016 in Arroyo Grande, California and West Chicago, Illinois 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 ‘Balveraplos’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant:

• • 1. White-colored flowers having a light purple-colored central ring;
  • 2. Dark green-colored foliage;
  • 3. Moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having light purple and white colored flowers unlike the white-colored flowers of the female parent, more flowers per plant, and more branches per plant. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having in having light purple and white in the flower color unlike the light violet and white-colored flowers of the male parent, more flowers per plant, and more branches per plant.

Of the many commercially available Sutera cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is MegaCopa Pink Shine ‘Balmecopine’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balmecopine’ in at least the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have white-colored flowers with a light purple-colored central ring unlike the light purple colored flowers of plants of ‘Balmecopine’; and
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have a more semi-upright growth habit than plants of ‘Balmecopine’.

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 may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balveraplos’. The approximately 4-month-old plants were grown in 12-inch hanging baskets with three plants per basket for approximately 8 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given three pinches prior to transplant.

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

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of individual flowers of ‘Balveraplos’.

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, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2023 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 4-month-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Illinois grown in 12-inch hanging baskets with three plants per basket utilizing a soilless growth medium for approximately 8 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given three pinches prior to transplant and were grown in a polycarbonate greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 75° F. to 80° F. (24° C. to 27° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18° C. to 21° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used during propagation stage. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

• Botanical classification: Sutera cordata ‘Balveraplos’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—Proprietary Sutera cordata breeding selection coded SUT-0658-001, not patented.
    • Male parent.—Proprietary Sutera cordata breeding selection coded SUT-0630-003, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 8 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 3 weeks.
    • Root description.—Fibrous.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm container.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 15.0 cm. Width: Approximately 56.0 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching increases basal branching. Quantity of main branches per plant: Approximately 8.
    • Branch.—Strength: Strong, slightly flexible. Length: Approximately 25.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 1.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and non-glandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of young stems: 144A. Color of mature stems: 146B.
• Foliage description:
  • • General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 34. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.
    • Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to perpendicular to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Serrate, ciliate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Rounded to truncate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 1.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.5 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with base of midvein of 146D other venation indistinguishable. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 138A with venation of 146D to indistinguishable.
    • Petiole.—Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: 146D.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Balveraplos’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from early spring through autumn and year-round in greenhouse environment.
    • Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.
• Flower description:
  • • General description.—Type: Simple, salverform. Quantity per plant: Approximately 400. Fragrance: None detected.
    • Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per plant: Approximately 100.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 155A.
    • Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 2.3 cm.
    • Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate. Appearance: Matte. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex: Rounded. Length from tube: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous, with sparsely pubescent base. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first open: NN155D with base of 77C, base color of all petals forms a ring around throat opening. Color of lower surface when first and fully open: NN155D tinted with 77D. Color of upper surface when fully open: NN155D with base of 77D, base color of all petals forms a ring around throat opening.
    • Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter at distal end: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Densely pubescent at throat opening. Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of inner surface: NN155D with 13A at throat opening. Color of outer surface: NN155D with an underlay of 13A.
    • Calyx.—Shape: Cupped. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width: Approximately 6.0 mm.
    • Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape: Linear. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and non-glandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 137A.
    • Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and non-glandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 146B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4, didynamous, base adnate to corolla tube. Stamen length of longer pair: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stamen length of shorter pair: Approximately 8.0 mm. Filament length of fixed portion: Approximately 6.0 mm. Filament color: NN155D. Anther shape: Obovoid. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 13B and NN155D at base. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 13B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stigma shape: Linear slightly arched, rounded apex. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 145B. Style length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Sutera has not been observed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Balveraplos’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.