Sunbelku 7372

Calibrachoa

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Suncalred' (Million Bells Red Improved)

Summary: The plants of 'Sunbelku 7372' are shorter with a spreading growth habit whereas the plants of 'Suncalred' have an upright growth habit. When fully open, the inner side of the corolla lobe of 'Sunbelku 7372' is red whereas it is dark purple red for 'Suncalred'. At the transition to the corolla tube, the inner side of the corolla of 'Sunbelku 7372' has a very small to small and rounded area of red whereas that of 'Suncalred' has a small and rounded area of dark purple red. The apex of the corolla lobe of 'Sunbelku 7372' is truncate while it is cuspidate for 'Suncalred'.

Description:

PLANT: spreading growth habit

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

PEDICEL: medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER: single type, medium to strong degree of lobing
COROLLA: inner side is dark purple red (RHS 60A) with darker purple red (RHS 59A) at transition to corolla tube and on veins when newly open, red (closest to RHS 45B) with very small to small area of red (closest to RHS 45A) at transition to corolla tube when fully open, and dark purple red to dark red pink (RHS 53B-C-D) when aged; weak conspicuousness of veins, absent or very small area of main colour of inner side of corolla tube extending onto base of lower corolla lobes
COROLLA LOBE: truncate apex
COROLLA TUBE: inner side is yellow (RHS 9A-B) with dark brown (RHS 200A) veins

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sunbelku 7372' originated from a controlled cross conducted in June 2009 at the Omi Research and Development Center of Suntory Flowers Ltd. in Higashiomi-shi, Shiga, Japan. The cross involved the two proprietary varieties, 'CR177-01' as the female parent and 'CR183-01' as the male parent. Seeds from the pollination were germinated and grown to maturity. A single plant was selected in July 2010 based on its flower colour and growth habit. The selected plant was further propagated by cuttings and grown in pots in trials conducted from April to September 2011 to assess its botanical characteristics and confirm that its selection characteristics remained stable. It was later named 'Sunbelku 7372'.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Sunbelku 7372' was conducted as an outdoor irrigated hanging basket trial during the summer of 2014 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 30 cm hanging baskets on April 18, 2014 and transferred outside on June 10, 2014. 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 of each variety on July 8, 2014. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Sunbelku 7372' with reference variety 'Suncalred'

Plant height (cm)

Colour of inner side of corolla when fully open (RHS)

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Calibrachoa: 'Sunbelku 7372' (left) with reference variety 'Suncalred' (right)

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Calibrachoa: 'Sunbelku 7372' (left) with reference variety 'Suncalred' (right)

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Calibrachoa: 'Sunbelku 7372' (left) with reference variety 'Suncalred' (right)