Petunia plant named ‘Suncopapin’

Botanical designation: Petunia hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Suncopapin’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Petunia plant originated from crossing of a Petunia hybrid variety called ‘9Pt-13a’ as the female parent and ‘96PWE-5-C20’ as the male parent.

The Petunia is a very popular plant that is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few Petunia varieties known to the inventors which do not have an upright growth habit and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, and disease. Petunias of the Revolution series include ‘Revolution Purple pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,915), ‘Revolution Brilliant pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,914), ‘Revolution Brilliantpink-Mini’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,899), and ‘Revolution Blue vein’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,322). These are decumbent type plants having long stems, a low plant height, abundant branching, and a high resistance to heat, rain and disease. However, there are only a few Petunia varieties known to the inventors having a decumbent and compact plant shape, a great profusion of small size flowers, reddish purple petals and a high resistance to rain, heat, and disease. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new Petunia variety having vivid reddish purple petals, together with the above features.

Progress

The female parent ‘9Pt-13a’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Suncopapin’ is a strain of our breeding lines, having a spreading growth habit with many branches. It has medium size single flowers, the petals having vivid reddish purple color. The growth of the female parent, ‘9Pt-13a’ is spreading, while that of ‘Suncopapin’ is decumbent.

The male parent ‘96PWE-5-C20’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Suncopapin’ is a strain of our breeding lines, having a decumbent growth habit with many branches. It has small single flowers, the petals having a yellowish white color with pale purplish pink eye. The size of the flower of the male parent ‘96PWE-5-C20’ is smaller than that of ‘Suncopapin’.

In July 2000, crossing of ‘9Pt-13a’ as the female parent and ‘96PWE-5-C20’ as the pollen parent was conducted at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan. In April 2001, 80 seedlings were obtained from that crossing. These seedlings were grown in pots in glasshouses and were evaluated. One seedling was selected in view of its growth habit, flower size and color in September 2001. That seedling was propagated by cutting and a trial was carried out by flower potting and bedding from April to September 2002 at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan. The botanical characteristics of that plant were then examined, using similar varieties ‘Sunmipi’ (unpatented) and ‘Revolution Pinkmini’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,556) for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this Petunia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics. Then the new variety of Petunia plant was named ‘Suncopapin’.

In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The R.H.S. Colour Chart.

This new variety is unlike any Petunia commercially available, known to the inventors, as evidenced by the following unique combinations of characteristics.

1. Rather compact and decumbent growth habit with short stems. 2. Having abundant branching and a great profusion of blooms. 3. The flowers are single and small. The petal color is vivid reddish purple (R.H.S.74A). 4. The plant has a high resistance to cold, heat and disease.

The new variety ‘Suncopapin’ differs from the similar variety ‘Sunmipi’ (unpatented) in the following points.

1. The spreading area of ‘Suncopapin’ is smaller than that of ‘Sunmipi’. 2. The stem of ‘Suncopapin’ is shorter and thinner than that of ‘Sunmipi’. 3. The internode length of ‘Suncopapin’ is shorter than that of ‘Sunmipi’. 4. The leaf of ‘Suncopapin’ is shorter and thinner than that of ‘Sunmipi’. 5. The bottom color of corolla throat ‘Suncopapin’ is light purplish pink (R.H.S. 65B) and the outside color of corolla throat is pale yellow green (R.H.S.145D). That of ‘Sunmipi’ is purplish white (R.H.S. N155B) and strong purplish pink (R.H.S. 73B). 6. The apex shape of petal of Suncopapin is obtuse. That of ‘Sunmipi’ is rounded.

The new variety ‘Suncopapin’ differs from the similar variety ‘Revolution Pinkmini’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,556) in the following points.

1. The spreading area of ‘Suncopapin’ is smaller than that of ‘Revolution Pinkmini’. 2. The stem of ‘Suncopapin’ is thinner than that of ‘Revolution Pinkmini’. 3. The leaf of ‘Suncopapin’ is shorter and thinner than that of ‘Revolution Pinkmini’. 4. The petal color of ‘Suncopapin’ is vivid reddish purple (R.H.S.74A). That of ‘Revolution Pinkmini’ is deep purplish pink (R.H.S.68A). 5. The apex shape of petal of ‘Suncopapin’ is obtuse. That of ‘Revolution Pinkmini’ is rounded.

The new variety of Petunia plant ‘Suncopapin’ was asexually reproduced by the use of cuttings at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed. The instant plant retains its distinctive characteristics and reproduces true to type in successive generations.

The depicted plants had been reproduced by the use of cuttings and were photographed during July 2003 while growing outdoors in 15 cm pots at an age of approximately 6 months at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga, Japan.

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical plant of the new variety of Petunia plant ‘Suncopapin’ while growing in a pot.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close view of typical foliage and a blossom of the new variety of Petunia plant ‘Suncopapin’.

The botanical characteristics of the new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘Suncopapin’ are as follows when observed as grown in typical outdoor conditions during July at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan at an age of approximately 6 months. The average day temperature is approximately 22° C. and the average night temperature is approximately 12° C.

Plant:

Growth habit.— Decumbent. Plant height.— Approximately 14.0 cm. Spreading area of plant.— Approximately 23.8 cm. Blooming period.— Early April to late October in the southern Kanto area, Japan. The plant shape does not change throughout this period. A typical flower commonly lasts approximately 5 days on the plant when experiencing a temperature of approximately 20° C.

Stem:

Length.— Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter.— Approximately 1.7 mm. Pubescence.— Present and typical of the species. Branching.— Approximately 4. Internode length.— Approximately 1.3 cm. Color.— R.H.S. 146B (moderate yellow green).

Leaf:

Whole shape.— Elliptic with entire margin. The apex shape is acute, and the base shape is attenuate. Length.— Approximately 3.3 cm. Width.— Approximately 2.2 cm. Color.— Upper side color is R.H.S. 146A (moderate olive green). Lower side color is R.H.S. 144A (strong yellow green). Thickness.— Approximately 0.2 mm. Pubescence.— Sparse.

Flower:

Facing direction.— Slanted upward. Type.— Single. Shape.— Funnel-shaped, with five-fissures. Shape of petal tip.— Obtuse. Lobation.— Shallow. Waving of petal.— Weak. Diameter.— Approximately 4.4 cm. Depth.— Approximately 2.8 cm. Upper petal surface color.— Near R.H.S. 74A. Lower petal surface color.— Near R.H.S. 75C. Inside color of flower throat.— R.H.S. 65B. Outside color of flower tube.— R.H.S. 145D.

Calyx:

Diameter.— Approximately 15 mm. Depth.— Approximately 10 mm. Color ( upper and lower surfaces ).—Near R.H.S. 147B. Texture ( both surfaces ).—Smooth. Reproductive organs.— 1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens. Color of pistil is R.H.S. 154C (light yellow green). Color of stamen is R.H.S. 144D (light yellow green).

Peduncle:

Diameter.— Approximately 0.9 mm. Length.— Approximately 1.4 cm. Color.— Near R.H.S. 146B. Texture.— Smooth. Calyx.— Narrow. 5 sepals in fused at the base. Physiological and ecological characteristics.— High resistance to cold, heat and disease. Moderate resistance to rain and pests. ‘Suncopapin’ has a low temperature tolerance of at least 5° C.

Seed production has not been observed.

This new variety of Petunia plant is most suitable for flower bedding and potting, particularly in hanging pots or planters. Pinching of old blossoms will enhance the formation of new blossoms.