Fistaneon

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Fistangoli'

Summary: 'Fistaneon' produces larger plants with a greater number of branches and more narrow leaves than 'Fistangoli'. Time of beginning of flowering for 'Fistaneon' is mid-season while it is early for 'Fistangoli'. 'Fistaneon' produces a smaller inflorescence with smaller florets and a longer, lighter red peduncle than 'Fistangoli'. Colour of the middle third of the pedicel for 'Fistaneon' is medium red while it is light red for 'Fistangoli'.

Description:

'Fistaneon' is a zonal pelargonium variety. 'Fistaneon' has an intermediate growth habit and medium thick, green stems. The leaf blade shape is type one with a wide open to open base and bi-crenate margins. The leaves have a weak to moderate degree of lobing and a weak to medium waviness of the margin. The leaves are dark green in colour with no variegation. The green leaf zone is very weak to weakly conspicuous.

Time of beginning of flowering for 'Fistaneon' is mid-season. 'Fistaneon' produces reddish-violet coloured inflorescences. The flower bud is elliptic in shape and the florets are semi-double. The petal margin is entire. Width of the upper petals is medium in size. There is no white zone at the base of the upper petals. There are moderate to strongly conspicuous macule (spotted) markings on the upper petals and no markings on the lower and inner petals. The middle third of the pedicel is medium red in colour. There is no swelling of the pedicel and the sepal colour is red.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Fistaneon' originated from a hybridization between the female parent, hybrid seedling no. 998-11, and the male parent, hybrid seedling no. 876-2 (derived from crosses with a tetraploid line of variety 'Kardinal'), made in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain in 1995. One seedling within the offspring was selected in 1996. Cuttings from this selected seedling were taken to Hillscheid, Germany for further selection and trial cultivation in 1998.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Fistaneon' were conducted in a greenhouse during the spring/summer of 2001 in Langley, British Columbia. The trials included a minimum of ten plants per variety. All plants were grown from 6 week old rooted cuttings transplanted into 9 cm pots at 10 weeks using a 60:40 (peat : perlite) media mixture. At 16 weeks, the plants were repotted to 18 cm pots. Plants were spaced as needed to ensure uniform growth. Unless indicated otherwise, measured characteristics were based on 10 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Fistaneon' with reference variety 'Fistangoli'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Number of branches

Leaf width (cm)

Diameter of inflorescence (cm)

Length of peduncle (cm)

Diameter of largest floret (mm)

Colour of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of lower petal (RHS)

Colour of inner petal (RHS)