Sunbel 0579

Calibrachoa

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sunbelao' (Million Bells Mounding Blue)

Summary: When the flower is newly open, the main colour of the inner side of the corolla lobe is violet for 'Sunbel 0579' while it is a bluer and darker violet for 'Sunbelao'. When the flower is fully open, the main colour of the inner side of the corolla lobe is violet with darker violet veins and darker violet at the transition to the corolla tube for 'Sunbel 0579' while the inner side of the corolla lobe of 'Sunbelao' is more blue violet with darker blue violet veins and darker blue violet at the transition to the corolla tube. When the flower is fully open, the main colour of the outer side of the corolla lobe is violet with brown purple veins for 'Sunbel 0579' while the outer side of the corolla lobe of 'Sunbelao' is violet with dark violet to purple veins. The veins on the inner side of the corolla tube of 'Sunbel 0579' are less conspicuous than the veins on the inner side of the corolla tube of 'Sunbelao'.

Description:

PLANT: upright to creeping growth habit with overall mounding appearance

LEAF BLADE: broad acute to obtuse apex, no variegation, medium to dark green on upper side

SEPAL: no anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER: single type, medium degree of lobing
COROLLA LOBE: inner side is violet (RHS N81B) when newly open, inner side is violet (RHS N81B-C) with darker violet (RHS N81A-B) secondary veins and at transition to corolla tube when fully open, medium conspicuousness of veins on inner side, outer side is violet (RHS N81C-D) with brown purple (RHS N77A) veins, truncate and emarginate apex
COROLLA TUBE: inner side is yellow (RHS 12A) with brown purple (RHS N77A) at transition to corolla and gray brown (RHS N199A-B) veins, weak to medium conspicuousness of veins on inner side

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sunbel 0579' was bred by controlled pollination of proprietary Calibrachoa selection designated '9P9' as the female parent and proprietary Calibrachoa selection designated '3137-1' as the male parent. The cross took place in April 2007 in an isolated area of the OMI Research and Development Centre of Suntory Flowers Ltd., in Shiga, Japan. Seeds resulting from the cross were germinated and grown to maturity. In September 2009, one plant was selected for its growth habit and flower colour. The selected plant was propagated by cutting and grown in pots in order to examine its botanical characteristics during trials conducted between April 2010 and September 2011. The new variety of Calibrachoa was named 'Sunbel 0579'.

Tests & Trials: The trial for 'Sunbel 0579' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring of 2013 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. There were a total of 20 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 30 cm diameter hanging baskets on May 7, 2013. Each basket contained 4 cuttings with a total of 5 baskets per variety. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants on July 2, 2013. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Sunbel 0579' with reference variety 'Sunbelao'

Colour of inner side of corolla lobe (RHS)

Colour of outer side of corolla lobe (RHS)

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Calibrachoa: 'Sunbel 0579' (left) with reference variety 'Sunbelao' (right)

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Calibrachoa: 'Sunbel 0579' (left) with reference variety 'Sunbelao' (right)

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Calibrachoa: 'Sunbel 0579' (left) with reference variety 'Sunbelao' (right)