Zodarowie

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Fip 749' (Tango Lavender Pink) and 'Patriot Rose Pink'

Summary: 'Zodarowie' is a zonal pelargonium variety which has shorter plants and shorter peduncles than the reference variety 'Patriot Rose Pink'. 'Zodarowie' has a strongly conspicuous zone on the leaf blade, whereas the leaf zone of 'Fip 749' and 'Patriot Rose Pink' is absent or very weak. The florets of 'Zodarowie' differ in main petal colour from the reference varieties. The white zone at the base of the upper petal is medium in size for 'Zodarowie', compared with 'Fip 749' which has a large to very large white zone, and 'Patriot Rose Pink' which has a medium to large white zone.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, short to medium height, narrow to medium width, few branches
STEM: green, moderately thick, dense pubescence

LEAF BLADE: medium length, medium to broad width, open base
LEAF MARGIN: bicrenate, moderate lobing, shallow to medium incisions, medium to strong waviness
UPPER SIDE OF BLADE: medium green, dense pubescence, no variegation
LEAF ZONE: strong, normal position, reddish brown
PETIOLE: short to medium, dense pubescence

INFLORESCENCE: few to medium number per plant, pink group, small to medium diameter
PEDUNCLE: short, dense pubescence, strong anthocyanin colouration
FLORET: semi-double, elliptic bud, overlapping petals, entire to slightly fringed petal margin
UPPER PETAL: blue pink, weakly to moderately conspicuous striped markings, medium sized white basal zone
LOWER PETAL: blue pink, no markings, small white basal zone
PEDICEL: medium length, dense pubescence, light to medium red in middle third, no swelling
SEPAL: dense pubescence, green with red stripes

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Zodarowie' originated from a controlled pollination between a female parent plant identified as number 1076 and a mix of pollen from several selected male plants. The cross was made in 2001 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. A single seedling was selected in April 2002 and propagated by cuttings. The new variety was tested one year later at greenhouse and field performance trials in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and was evaluated for criteria including earliness, good branching, good and stable flower colour, flower size, continuous flowering and resistance against Botrytis. In the same year it was tested in Sarrians, Southern France for heat and drought resistance.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Zodarowie' were conducted in a polyhouse during the spring/summer of 2007 at St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings planted into 15cm pots on May 8, 2007. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 11, 2007. All colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Zodarowie' with reference varieties 'Fip 749' and 'Patriot Rose Pink'

Plant height (cm)

Length of peduncle (cm)

Colour of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of lower petal (RHS)

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Pelargonium: 'Zodarowie' (left) with reference varieties 'Fip 749' (centre) and 'Patriot Rose Pink' (right)

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Pelargonium: 'Zodarowie' (left) with reference varieties 'Fip 749' (centre) and 'Patriot Rose Pink' (right)

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Pelargonium: 'Zodarowie' (left) with reference varieties 'Fip 749' (centre) and 'Patriot Rose Pink' (right)