Patent Application
20160353643
Pelargonium×hortorum X Pelargonium sp.
‘G12120’
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of interspecific Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum X Pelargonium sp., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘G12120’.
The new interspecific Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous interspecific Pelargonium plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration and good high light and high temperature tolerance.
The new interspecific Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. on Aug. 15, 2011 of Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Catalina’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Pelargonium sp. identified as code number 7875, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new interspecific Pelargonium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bellefonte, Pa. on May 15, 2012.
Asexual reproduction of the new interspecific Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bellefonte, Pa. since Aug. 15, 2012, has shown that the unique features of this new interspecific Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium 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 ‘G12120’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘G12120’ as a new and distinct interspecific Pelargonium plant:
1. Upright and uniformly mounding to trailing plant habit.
2. Vigorous growth habit.
3. Freely branching habit.
4. Green and white variegated leaves.
5. Light scarlet-colored flowers.
6. Good garden performance.
Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Catalina’, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are more trailing than and not as upright as plants of ‘Catalina’.
2. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are more freely branching than plants of ‘Catalina’.
3. Leaves of plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are reniform to palmate in shape whereas leaves of plants of ‘Catalina’ are orbicular in shape.
4. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium have smaller flowers than plants of ‘Catalina’.
5. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium and ‘Catalina’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Catalina’ have bright pink-colored flowers.
Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.
2. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium have thicker stems than plants of the male parent selection.
3. Leaves of plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are variegated whereas leaves of plants of the male parent selection are not variegated (solid green in color).
4. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Wilhelm Langguth’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bellefonte, Pa., plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium differed from plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium were more compact than plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’.
2. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium were more mounding and trailing than and not as upright as plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’.
3. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium were more freely branching and denser than plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ .
4. Leaves of plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are reniform to palmate in shape whereas leaves of plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ are orbicular in shape.
5. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium had smaller flowers than plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’.
6. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium and ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ had dark scarlet-colored flowers.
Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium can also be compared to plants of the Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Crystal Palace’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bellefonte, Pa., plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium differed from plants of ‘Crystal Palace’ in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium were more compact than plants of ‘Crystal Palace’.
2. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium were more freely branching and denser than plants of ‘Crystal Palace’.
3. Leaves of plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium are reniform to palmate in shape whereas leaves of plants of ‘Crystal Palace’ are orbicular in shape.
4. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium and ‘Crystal Palace’ differed in leaf color as plants of ‘Crystal Palace’ have green and golden yellow variegated leaves.
5. Plants of the new interspecific Pelargonium and ‘Crystal Palace’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Crystal Palace’ had dark scarlet-colored flowers.
The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new interspecific Pelargonium 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 interspecific Pelargonium plant. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G 12120’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plants of ‘G12120’ grown in a container.
The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early spring in 11.5-cm containers in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in Bellefonte, Pa. and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 16° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 14 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
