Balfanimcar

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Bright Red' (Showcase Bright Red) and 'Designer Dark Red'

Summary: 'Balfanimcar' has deeper leaf lobes than the reference varieties. 'Balfanimcar' has a reddish-brown leaf zone while 'Bright Red' has a green leaf zone. 'Balfanimcar' has a longer peduncle than the reference varieties. 'Balfanimcar' has medium anthocyanin colouration on the peduncle while 'Bright Red' has strong anthocyanin and 'Designer Dark Red' has very weak anthocyanin. The middle third of the pedicel is dark red for 'Balfanimcar' while it is violet for 'Bright Red' and medium red for 'Designer Dark Red'. 'Balfanimcar' has fewer petals than 'Designer Dark Red'. The sepals of 'Balfanimcar' are mostly red with green at the tips while the sepals of 'Designer Dark Red' are mostly green with red at the base.

Description:

'Balfanimcar' has a semi-upright growth habit with medium plant height and width. The stems are green in colour, medium in thickness and have dense pubescence. The leaf blade is short to medium in length and medium to wide in width. The leaf base varies from wide open to closed and the margin is bicrenate. The margin incisions are shallow in depth. There are a few leaf lobes which are medium to deep in depth. The leaf blade margin has medium waviness. The upper side of the leaf blade has dense pubescence and is medium green in colour with no variegation. The zone on the upper side is weak in conspicuousness, reddish brown in colour and in the normal position. The petiole is medium to long in length and has dense pubescence.

The inflorescence of 'Balfanimcar' is in the red colour group. The inflorescence is medium in diameter. The peduncle is medium to long in length, has dense pubescence and has medium anthocyanin colouration on the upper part. The buds are elliptic in shape. The florets are semi-double and medium in diameter. The petal margins are entire and the lower petal width is medium to broad. The lower petals have no markings present and have a small white zone at the base. The upper petals have weak striped markings present and a very small white zone at the base. The pedicel is short in length, has dense pubescence, is dark red in the middle third and has no swelling present. The sepal has dense pubescence and is red in colour with green tips.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balfanimcar' originated in a controlled breeding program during August 2000 at Arroyo Grande, California, USA. The female parent was a proprietary breeding selection designated BFP-2341, characterized by its semi-double, scarlet coloured flowers and dark green coloured, zoned foliage. The male parent was the variety 'Americana Dark Red', characterized by its semi-double dark red coloured flowers and dark green coloured, zoned foliage. The initial selection was made in March 2002 and asexual propagation has been conducted through the use of vegetative cuttings.

Tests & Trials: 'Balfanimcar' was tested in a polyhouse during the spring of 2005, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings planted into 15 cm pots on April 21, 2005. All colour measurements were made using the RHS Colour Chart 2001. Measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Balfanimcar' with reference varieties 'Bright Red' and 'Designer Dark Red'

Petiole length (cm)

Peduncle length (cm)

Number of petals

Colour of upper side of lower petal (RHS)

Colour of lower side (RHS)

Colour of upper side of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of upper side of inner petal (RHS)