Sunbelrikupi

Calibrachoa

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sunbelkupi' (Million Bells Trailing Pink)

Summary: 'Sunbelrikupi' has thicker stems than 'Sunbelkupi'. The flowers of 'Sunbelrikupi' are larger in diameter with more conspicuous venation on the inner side of the corolla tube than those of 'Sunbelkupi'. The colour of the upper side of the corolla is bright purple for 'Sunbelrikupi' while it is bright violet with a blue violet ring at the area of transition to the corolla tube for 'Sunbelkupi'. The inner side of the corolla tube is orange yellow for 'Sunbelrikupi' while it is yellow to light yellow green for 'Sunbelkupi'.

Description:

'Sunbelrikupi' is a calibrachoa variety with a small plant width and horizontal-trailing plant growth habit. The shoots are medium to thick with strong anthocyanin colouration. The leaves are medium to dark green with no variegation. The leaf blades are elliptic with a broad acute shaped apex and no blistering. The sepals are lanceolate in shape with no anthocyanin colouration.

'Sunbelrikupi' produces single type, funnel form flowers with a moderate to strong degree of lobing of the corolla. The main colour of the upper side of the corolla is bright purple with no secondary colour. The veins on the upper side of the corolla are red brown and weak to moderate in conspicuousness. The corolla lobes have a round to truncate shaped apex and moderate undulation of the margin. The inner side of the corolla tube is orange yellow with strong conspicuousness of the veins. Before anther dehiscence, the anthers are yellow.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sunbelrikupi' originated from a controlled cross using 'Sunbelchipi' (Million Bells Cherry Pink) as the female parent and 'Sunbelkupi' (Million Bells Trailing Pink) as the male parent. The cross took place at the Omi Research & Development Center, Flower Division of Suntory Ltd. located at 863-1, Aza-Iketani, Omori-cho, Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan during May of 1996. From this cross, five seedlings were selected at the end of September 1997 based on their semi-erect plant growth habit and vivid reddish purple petals. Upon final selection, 'Sunbelrikupi' was propagated by cuttings and evaluated in pot, greenhouse and field trials from April to November of 1999.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'Sunbelrikupi' was conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2004 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 11 cm pots on August 30, 2004. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 RHS colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Sunbelrikupi' with reference variety 'Sunbelkupi'

Corolla diameter (mm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)