Botanical designation: Calibrachoa parviflora.
Cultivar denomination: ‘DOCALBLOCHIPEPSAL’.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa parviflora and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Docalblochipepsal’.
The new Calibrachoa 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 Calibrachoa plants with numerous large and attractive flowers.
The new Calibrachoa plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa parviflora identified as code number AA17-098014-002, not patented. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2022.
Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2022 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Plants of the new Calibrachoa 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 ‘Docalblochipepsal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Docalblochipepsal’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:
- 1. Upright to outwardly spreading, trailing and decumbent plant habit.
- 2. Vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
- 3. Freely branching habit.
- 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
- 5. Large flowers with peach-colored petals, red-colored centers and purplish red-colored venation.
- 6. Good container and garden performance.
The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa have peach-colored petals with red-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection have solid red-colored petals.
Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of Calibrachoa hybrida ‘CBRZ0026’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,907. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘CBRZ0026’ in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are broader and more vigorous than plants of ‘CBRZ0026’.
- 2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger leaves than plants of ‘CBRZ0026’.
- 3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely flowering than plants of ‘CBRZ0026’.
- 4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have much larger flowers than plants of ‘CBRZ0026’.
- 5. Flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa have peach-colored petals with red-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of ‘CBRZ0026’ have light orange-colored petals with darker orange-colored centers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH
The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa 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 Calibrachoa plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Docalblochipepsal’ grown in a container.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18 C and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photograph was taken and 25 weeks old when the description was 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: Calibrachoa parviflora ‘Docalblochipepsal’.
- Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa parviflora identified as code number AA17-098014-002, not patented.
- Propagation:
- Type.—By 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 158A 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 to outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit with about six primary lateral branches each with about eight secondary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances branching; dense and full appearance; vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
- Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 16.7 cm.
- Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 17.4 cm.
- Plant diameter (spread of plant).—About 72.5 cm.
- Lateral branch description:
- Length.—About 45 cm.
- Diameter.—About 4 mm.
- Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.
- Strength.—Strong.
- Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent.
- Texture and luster.—Pubescent; glossy.
- Color, developing and developed.—Close to 144B; at the internodes, close to 152C.
- Leaf description:
- Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, and after flowering, opposite; simple.
- Length.—About 2.8 cm.
- Width.—About 8 mm.
- Shape.—Oblanceolate.
- Apex.—Rounded.
- Base.—Attenuate.
- Margin.—Entire.
- Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; matte.
- Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
- Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 141B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 141C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A; venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B; venation, close to 144C.
- Petioles.—Length: About 4.1 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 142A. Color, lower surface: Close to 142B.
- Flower description:
- Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 552 flowers and flower buds developing per plant; flowers face mostly upright to somewhat outwardly.
- Fragrance.—None detected.
- Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about six weeks after planting; plants flower continuously from the spring throughout the summer in Germany.
- Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten days on the plant; flowers not persistent.
- Flower buds.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 4.6 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Immature sepals, close to 137B; immature petals, close to 1D.
- Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm by 4.8 cm.
- Flower depth (height).—About 3.9 cm.
- Flower throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.
- Flower tube length.—About 2 cm.
- Flower tube diameter.—About 4.2 mm.
- Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: About 1.9 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.5 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 31C; towards the center, close to 46A; venation, close to 61A; color does not change with subsequent development. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 31C; towards the center, close to 46B; venation, close to 64A; color does not change with subsequent development. Throat: Distally, close to 53A and proximally, close to 13A; venation, close to 61A. Tube: Distally, close to 61B and proximally, close to 10A; venation, close to 61A.
- Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals; sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 7 mm. Sepal width: About 4.3 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte. Color: When developing and fully developed, upper surface: Close to 137B. When developing and fully developed, lower surface: Close to 137C.
- Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle: About 45 degrees from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 144B.
- Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower. Filament length: About 1.1 cm. Filament color: Close to 154C. Anther length: About 0.9 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 10C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Style length: About 9.6 mm. Style color: Close to 145A. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to N144D. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About 328 per plant. Length: About 6.2 mm. Diameter: About 3.8 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 164A. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 32. Length: About 1.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200C.
- Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain, temperatures ranging from about 5 C to about 40 C and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 11.
- Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoa plants.