Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.
Cultivar denomination: ‘KIE165’.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KIE165’.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Impatiens cultivars with numerous large flowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in October, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 99-176, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 99-298, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar KIE165 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany in March, 2001.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since April, 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The cultivar KIE165 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment 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 ‘KIE165’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KIE165’ as a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens.
- 1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.
- 2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.
- 3. Dark green-colored leaves.
- 4. Freely flowering habit.
- 5. Large orange-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of the female parent selection.
- 2. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.
- 3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of the male parent selection.
- 2. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.
- 3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the New Guinea Impatiens cultivar BFP-605 Orange, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,078. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar BFP-605 Orange in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar BFP-605 Orange.
- 2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar BFP-605 Orange.
- 3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar BFP-605 Orange differed in flower color.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens. The photographs show 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 Impatiens.
The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KIE165’ grown in a container.
The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘KIE165’.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
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. The following observations and measurements describe the plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter and early spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 19° C. and light levels averaged 4,000 foot candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in one-gallon containers and were about 18 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.
- Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar KIE165.
- Parentage:
- Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 99-176, not patented.
- Male, or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 99-298, not patented.
- Propagation:
- Type.—Vegetative cuttings.
- Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C.
- Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 17 days at 20° C.
- Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days at 23° C.
- Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days at 20° C.
- Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to brown in color.
- Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
- Plant description:
- Plant form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.
- Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching habit; about eleven to twelve lateral branches developing at the base; dense and bushy growth habit. Pinching, that is, removal of the terminal apices, is typically not required, but will enhance branching.
- Plant height.—About 28 cm.
- Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm by 40 cm.
- Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Internode length: About 4 cm to 5 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 178A.
- Foliage description:
- Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls, simple.
- Length.—About 10 cm.
- Width.—About 3.5 cm.
- Shape.—Elliptical.
- Apex.—Acuminate.
- Base.—Attenuate.
- Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.
- Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.
- Venation pattern.—Pinnate.
- Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation, 148C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B; venation, 185B.
- Petiole.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 185B.
- Flower description:
- Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers. Freely flowering habit; usually about four to five open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or outward. Flowers last about one week under greenhouse conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.
- Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall in Germany. Plants begin flowering about eight to twelve weeks after planting.
- Flower size.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Width: About 6.2 cm. Depth: About 2.8 cm.
- Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: 42B; on the top, 59A.
- Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single whorl. Length, banner petal: About 3.2 cm. Length, lateral and lower petals: About 3.5 cm. Width, banner petal: About 4.6 cm. Width, lateral petals: About 3.9 cm. Width, lower petals: About 4.3 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Brighter and more saturated with 40A. When opening, lower surface: 41B. Fully opened, upper surface: 40A; towards the base, 65C; at base, 66A. Fully opened, lower surface: 41A to 41B.
- Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an elongated spur. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 159D tinged with 48D. Spur length: About 5.8 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 4 mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous. Spur color: 53A.
- Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 59A.
- Reproductive organs:
- Stamens.—Quantity: Five fused at anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 4 mm by 6 mm. Anther color: 11B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155D.
- Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145C. Style color: 145C. Ovary color: 145A.
- Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production have not been observed.
- Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea Impatiens.
- Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 30° C.