USCALI11

Calibrachoa

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sunbelchipi' (Million Bells Cherry Pink)

Summary: 'USCALI11' is a shorter plant than 'Sunbelchipi'. The degree of lobing in the corolla of 'USCALI11' is stronger than in 'Sunbelchipi'. 'USCALI11' has a slightly darker pink corolla colour on the upper and lower side than 'Sunbelchipi'. 'USCALI11' has a slightly shorter corolla tube than 'Sunbelchipi'.

Description:

'USCALI11' is a short to medium calibrachoa variety with an upright growth habit. The shoots are medium in thickness, short to medium in length with weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The leaves are medium green, elliptic in shape, with a broadly acute to obtuse apex. There is no variegation or blistering present on the leaf blade. The sepals are lanceolate in shape, with no anthocyanin present. 'USCALI11' produces single, funnelform, purple pink flowers. The corolla has medium to strong lobing weak undulation of the margin and medium conspicuousness of the veins. The corolla lobe apex is rounded to truncate. The inside of the corolla tube is yellow and has veins of weak to medium conspicuousness. Anther colour is yellow.

Origin & Breeding History: 'USCALI11' is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the breeder, Ushio Sakazaki of Hikone Shiga, Japan. The objectives of the program was to create new semi-upright calibrachoa varieties with greater disease resistance and heat tolerance. 'USCALI11' originated from a cross made by the breeder on May 10, 1998 in Shiga, Japan, with the pink seedling selection 'CJ19-3' as the female parent, and the pink seedling selection 'CJ18-8' as the male parent. The F1 seed was collected and sent to Gensingen, Germany for further breeding and selection. 'USCALI11' was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny on June 15, 1999 in Germany. The selection criteria included semi-upright growth habit, large flower size, superior summer performance, and resistance to Thielaviopsis (a soil fungus).

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'USCALI11' were conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2003 in St. Thomas, Ontario. Trials included a total of 18 plants of each variety. Plants were grown from rooted cuttings transplanted into 25cm baskets on April 30, 2003 (week 18). Each basket contained 3 cuttings with a total of six baskets per variety. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 RHS colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'USCALI11' with reference variety 'Sunbelchipi'

Plant height (cm)

Corolla tube length (mm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)