Fisblufort

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Designer Hot Pink'

Summary: 'Fisblufort' is a zonal pelargonium variety which has shorter plants with narrower leaves than the reference variety 'Designer Hot Pink'. The margins of the leaves of 'Fisblufort' are more wavy than those of the reference variety. The petiole of 'Fisblufort' is also significantly longer than that of 'Designer Hot Pink'. Although the florets of the two varieties are similar in colour, the lower petals of 'Fisblufort' have markings in the form of a reddish spot, whereas the lower petals of 'Designer Hot Pink' have no markings.

Description:

'Fisblufort' is a zonal pelargonium variety which produces plants with an upright to intermediate growth habit and short to medium height. The stems are green and medium to thick with dense pubescence. The leaves are type 3 in shape and are medium in length and narrow to medium in width. The leaf base is partly closed and the margins are crenate to bicrenate. 'Fisblufort' has strongly lobed leaves with shallow sinuses and moderately strong waviness of the margins. The upper side of the leaf blade is medium green, densely pubescent, with a very weak zone which is green in colour. The petiole is long to very long and densely pubescent.

'Fisblufort' produces pink inflorescences that are medium to large in size. The peduncle is medium in length with dense pubescence and no anthocyanin colouration. The buds are elliptic in shape. The florets of 'Fisblufort' are semi-double and have entire petal margins. The upper petal is broad with medium to strongly conspicuous markings which are stripes and spots of reddish purple. There is a moderately large white spot at the base of the upper petal. The lower petal of 'Fisblufort' also has a moderately strong marking which is a reddish spot. The pedicel has strong pubescence and is green in the middle third of its length. The sepals of 'Fisblufort' are green.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Fisblufort' was derived from a hybridization made in Hillscheid, Germany in 1996. The female parent was the variety 'Fisbravo' and the male parent was the variety 'Blues'. The seeds germinated in the winter of 1996-7 and the flowering seedlings were selected in May. In the autumn of 1997, the chosen seedling was vegetatively propagated by cuttings. In 1999 the decision was taken to make the clone a commercial variety.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Fisblufort' were conducted in a greenhouse during the spring/summer of 2004 in Langley, British Columbia. The trials consisted of 15 plants of each of the candidate and reference variety. Rooted cuttings were planted into 9cm pots on March 24, 2004 (Week 13) and repotted into 25cm pots on May 19, 2004 (Week 21). Pots were spaced 60cm apart, from the pot centre. Plants were grown in a peat-perlite mix (70:30), and fertilized with a constant feed of Plant Products 20-5-30/Calcium and Magnesium. Plants were shaded when light levels were above 5000 foot candles. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 23, 2004. All colour measurements were made using the RHS Colour Chart 2001.

Comparison tables for 'Fisblufort' with reference variety 'Designer Hot Pink'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Colour of upper side of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of of upper side of lower petal (RHS)

Colour of lower petal (RHS)

Colour of upper side of inner petal (RHS)