Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurfpitora’

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURFPITORA’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurfpitora’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Petunia plants with mounding habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in April, 2004 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px256-03, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name FTSMP, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible 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 ‘Sunsurfpitora’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurfpitora’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

1. Compact and mounding plant habit. 2. Vigorous growth habit. 3. Freely branching habit. 4. Early and freely flowering habit. 5. Long flowering period. 6. Medium-sized salmon pink-colored flowers. 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 the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection. 2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have darker pink-colored flowers.

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 size as plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Sunsurfcoparu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,141. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfcoparu’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter internodes than plants of ‘Sunsurfcoparu’. 2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller leaves with shorter petioles than plants of ‘Sunsurfcoparu’. 3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfcoparu’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Sunsurfcoparu’ had red purple-colored flowers.

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 comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurfpitora’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurfpitora’.

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under commercial practices typical for Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurfpitora’. Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px256-03, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name FTSMP, not patented.

Propagation:

Type .—By terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots .—About one week at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant .—About three weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C. Root description .—Fibrous; white in color. Rooting habit .—Freely branching.

Plant description:

Plant and growth habit .—Compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit. Plant height .—About 17.4 cm. Plant diameter .—About 35.2 cm.

Lateral branch description:

Length .—About 13.5 cm. Diameter .—About 3.3 mm. Internode length .—About 8 mm. Strength .—Strong, flexible. Aspect .—Upright to outwardly. Texture .—Pubescent. Color .—Close to 143B.

Foliage description:

Arrangement .—Alternate, simple. Length .—About 2.7 cm. Width .—About 1.8 cm. Shape .—Rounded. Apex .—Mucronate. Base .—Obtuse. Margin .—Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces .—Pubescent. Venation pattern .—Pinnate; reticulate. Color .—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to 144C. Petioles .—Length: About 3.7 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement and habit .—Single salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 49 flowers developing per plant; flowers face 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 diameter .—About 4.1 cm. Flower length ( depth ).—About 4.2 cm. Throat diameter .—About 10.6 mm. Tube diameter, base .—About 4.8 mm. Tube length .—About 2.5 cm. Flower bud .—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 9.7 mm. Color: Close to 145B. Corolla .—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: About 1.9 cm. Petal width: About 2.3 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire, undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to 65B. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to 65D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 65A. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 65D. Throat: Close to 4D. Tube: Close to 1D. Calyx .—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 3.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 144B. Peduncles .—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B. Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Stamen length: About 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.3 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 143B. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Seeds and fruits: 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° C. to about 35° C. Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia plants.