USCALI17

Calibrachoa

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'KLEC01055' (MiniFamous Cherry Pink) and 'Sunbelchipi' (Million Bells Cherry Pink)

Summary: 'USCALI17' is a calibrachoa variety which produces plants with a semi-mounding growth habit, whereas 'KLEC01055' has a more trailing habit. The shoots of 'USCALI17' are short to medium, while 'KLEC01055' has long shoots and 'Sunbelchipi' has medium to long shoots. 'USCALI17' has two colours on the upper side of the corolla. 'Sunbelchipi' has only one colour on the corolla. The secondary colour of 'USCALI17' is a dark ring around the transition to the corolla tube. The secondary colour of 'KLEC01055' is a yellow area on the lower lobe, extending from the corolla tube. The veins on the inner side of the corolla tube are moderately conspicuous in 'USCALI17', whereas they are weak in 'KLEC01055'.

Description:

'USCALI17' is a calibrachoa variety with a semi-mounding growth habit and plants which are medium in width. The shoots are medium in thickness, short to medium in length and have no anthocyanin colouration. The leaves are medium in length and medium to broad in width. The leaf blade is medium green in colour and elliptic in shape, with a broad acute apex and no blistering. The petiole is medium in length. The sepals are medium in length and width and are linear in shape, with no anthocyanin colouration.

'USCALI17' has single flowers which are small to medium in diameter and funnel shaped. The pedicel is medium in length. The corolla has moderate lobing. The upper side of the corolla has a red purple main colour with a dark ring at the transition to the corolla tube. The veins on the upper side of the corolla are red and weakly conspicuous. The undulation of the corolla margin is weak. The apex of the corolla lobe of 'USCALI17' is retuse. The corolla tube is long and yellow in colour on the inner side. The veins on the corolla tube are moderately conspicuous on the inner side. The anthers of 'USCALI17' are yellow.

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'USCALI17' originated from a planned breeding program developed by the breeder in Japan. In May 1998, a controlled cross was conducted with the female parent CJ20-7, a seedling selection with magenta flowers, crossed with the male parent CJ19-2, a seedling selection with pink flowers. The seed was collected and sent to Gensingen, Germany for further breeding and selection. The new variety was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny in June 1999. The selection criteria were growth habit, superior summer performance, large flowers and resistance to Thielaviopsis, a soil fungus.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'USCALI17' were conducted in a polyhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario, during the summer of 2004. The trial consisted of a total of 18 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings, transplanted into 10 inch baskets on May 27, 2004. Each basket contained 3 cuttings, with a total of 6 baskets per variety. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 16, 2004. All colour measurements were made using the RHS Colour Chart 2001.

Comparison tables for 'USCALI17' with reference varieties 'KLEC01055' and 'Sunbelchipi'

Length of shoot (cm)

Diameter of corolla (mm)

Main colour of upper side of corolla (RHS)

Upper side of corolla (RHS)

Main colour of corolla (RHS)

Main colour of corolla tube (RHS)