Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.
Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETDURWHIT 24’.
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 ‘Dopetdurwhit 24’.
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 compact, 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, 2020 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT19-K0357, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT20-K0696, 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, 2021.
Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2021 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 ‘Dopetdurwhit 24’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dopetdurwhit 24’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:
- 1. Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit.
- 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
- 3. Freely branching habit.
- 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
- 5. Large pure white-colored flowers.
- 6. Good container and 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 branching habit as plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of the female parent selection.
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 the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than and not as vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.
- 2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of the male parent selection.
- 3. Plants of the new Petunia are resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus whereas plants of the male parent selection are not resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida ‘Revolution White’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,768. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Revolution White’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than and not as vigorous as plants of ‘Revolution White’.
- 2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than plants of ‘Revolution White’.
- 3. Plants of the new Petunia flower earlier than plants of ‘Revolution White’.
- 4. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of ‘Revolution White’.
- 5. Plants of the new Petunia are resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus whereas plants of ‘Revolution White’ are not resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying colored photographs illustrate 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 photographs 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 on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetdurwhit 24’ grown in a container.
The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetdurwhit 24’.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The aforementioned photographs 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 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 photographs were 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: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetdurwhit 24’.
- Parentage:
- Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT19-K0357, not patented.
- Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT20-K0696, 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.—Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about ten primary lateral branches each with about seven secondary branches developing after pinching; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
- Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 26 cm.
- Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 29 cm.
- Plant diameter.—About 59 cm.
- Lateral branch description:
- Length.—About 38 cm.
- Diameter.—About 4 mm.
- Internode length.—About 2.8 cm.
- Strength.—Moderately strong.
- Aspect.—Initially upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.
- Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.
- Color, developing and developed.—Close to 144A to 144B.
- Leaf description:
- Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering, opposite; simple.
- Length.—About 4.2 cm.
- Width.—About 2.3 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 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 144A.
- Petioles.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.
- Flower description:
- Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 416 flowers and flower buds developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers face mostly 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 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 150B to 150C.
- Flower diameter.—About 5.4 cm by 5.5 cm.
- Flower depth (height).—About 4.9 cm.
- Flower throat diameter.—About 1.2 cm.
- Flower tube length.—About 2.4 cm.
- Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 6 mm.
- Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 2.6 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.8 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse, rounded. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Tube texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to 155C. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 157D. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155C; venation, close to 150A; color becoming closer to NN155B with subsequent development. Flower throat: Close to 150D; venation, close to 150A. Flower tube: Close to 150C; venation, close to 150B.
- Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a tubular star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 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 139A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 137B.
- Peduncles.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 138A.
- Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 1.4 cm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther length: About 1.8 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 158A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About 200 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 5 C to about 40 C and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 11.
- Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to be resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus. To date, plants of the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Petunia plants.
Patent Grant
PP36106
