Petunia plant named `Sunpetu 882`

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named `Sunpetu 882`, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; flowers that are white in color with a purple-colored cordate-shaped pattern; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Petunia x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: `SUNPETU 882`.

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 `Sunpetu 882`.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous, upright to outwardly spreading and freely-flowering Petunia plants with attractive flower colors and patterns.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2013 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code number MP25-125-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code number MP22-21-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since January, 2015 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 conditions. 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 `Sunpetu 882`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `Sunpetu 882` as a new and distinct Petunia plant: 1. Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit. 2. Vigorous growth habit. 3. Freely branching habit. 4. Freely flowering habit. 5. Long flowering period. 6. Flowers that are white in color with a purple-colored cordate-shaped pattern. 7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Petunia have white-colored flowers with a purple-colored cordate pattern whereas plants of the female parent selection have white-colored flowers with a pink-colored cordate pattern.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Petunia have white-colored flowers with a purple-colored cordate pattern whereas plants of the male parent selection have white-colored flowers with a purple-colored star-shaped pattern.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia x hybrida `Sunmomoheart`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,290. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and `Sunmomoheart` differ primarily in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more upright to outwardly spreading whereas plants of `Sunmomoheart` are mounding. 2. Plants of the new Petunia are broader than plants of `Sunmomoheart`. 3. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia are rhomboidal in shape whereas leaves of plants of `Sunmomoheart` are elliptical in shape. 4. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia are darker green in color than leaves of plants of `Sunmomoheart`. 5. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of `Sunmomoheart`. 6. Flower petals of plants of the new Petunia are broader than flower petals of plants of `Sunmomoheart`. 7. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia have a darker colored cordate pattern than flowers of plants of `Sunmomoheart`.

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 at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of `Sunpetu 882` grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of `Sunpetu 882`.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 24-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23.degree. C. and night temperatures averaged 13.degree. C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Petunia x hybrida `Sunpetu 882`. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.--Proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code number MP25-125-2, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.--Proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code number MP22-21-2, not patented. Propagation: Type.--By terminal vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.--About one week at temperatures about 15.degree. C. to 20.degree. C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and winter.--About three weeks at temperatures about 15.degree. C. to 20.degree. C. Root description.--Fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. Rooting habit.--Freely branching; dense. Plant description: Plant form and growth habit.--Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit. Plant height.--About 23 cm. Plant diameter.--About 70 cm. Lateral branch description: Length.--About 24.7 cm. Diameter.--About 2.7 mm. Internode length.--About 2.7 cm. Strength.--Strong, flexible. Aspect.--Mostly outwardly. Texture.--Densely pubescent, rough and viscid. Color.--Close to 143A. Leaf description: Quantity and arrangement.--About twelve leaves per lateral branch; alternate, simple. Length.--About 3.7 cm. Width.--About 2.3 cm. Shape.--Rhomboidal. Apex.--Obtuse. Base.--Attenuate. Margin.--Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces.--Pubescent, rough and viscid. Venation pattern.--Pinnate; reticulate. Color.--Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 141C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 143C. Petioles.--Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. Flower description: Flower arrangement and habit.--Single-type salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about three to five flowers developing per lateral branch and about 226 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly. Fragrance.--None detected. Natural flowering season.--Early flowering habit; plants of the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in Japan. Flower longevity.--Individual flowers last about seven to ten days on the plant; flowers not persistent. Flower buds.--Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 5.5 mm. Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 149D; towards the apex, close to N78A and venation, close to NN78D. Flower diameter.--About 4.8 cm. Flower height.--About 1.6 cm. Flower tube length.--About 2.4 cm. Flower tube diameter, proximally.--About 3.1 mm. Flower tube diameter, distally.--About 1 cm. Corolla.--Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl, fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: About 1.7 cm. Petal width: About 2.3 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Main color, close to NN155C; cordate pattern, darker than N74A; venation, close to 140C; color does not change with development. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Main color, close to NN155D; cordate pattern, close to N78C; venation, close to 140C; color does not change with development. Throat: Distally, close to 154C; center, close to 7B; proximally, close to 149D; venation is faintly visible, close to 144C. Tube: Distally, close to NN155A; center, close to 150C; proximally, close to 144A; venation is faintly visible, close to 144C. Calyx.--Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color, lower surface: Close to 139C. Peduncles.--Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture: Pubescent and viscid. Color: Close to 138A. Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 1.7 cm. Filament color: Close to 150D. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.7 mm by 1.8 mm. Anther color: Close to 94C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 94C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style color: Close to 144B. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 145B. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Petunia. Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 5.degree. C. to about 35.degree. C. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia plants.

Claims

It is claimed:

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named `Sunpetu 882` as illustrated and described.

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