Cante Hocora

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Cante Coras' (Caliente Coral)

Summary: 'Cante Hocora' has very strong anthocyanin colouration in the peduncle while 'Cante Coras' has absent to very weak anthocyanin. 'Cante Hocora' has purple red upper and lower petal colour while 'Cante Coras' has dark pink red petal colour. 'Cante Hocora' has a longer pedicel than 'Cante Coras'. 'Cante Hocora' has a red sepal with green at the tips while 'Cante Coras' has a green sepal.

Description:

PLANT: intermediate growth habit, short, narrow to medium width, 4 branches
STEM: medium to dark green, thin to medium thickness, dense pubescence

LEAF BLADE: very short, very narrow, closed to partly overlapping base
LEAF MARGIN: bicrenate, very weak to weak lobing, shallow incisions, weak to medium waviness
UPPER SIDE OF BLADE: medium to dark green, medium to dense pubescence, no variegation
LEAF ZONE: absent to very weak, normal position, reddish brown
PETIOLE: short to medium length, medium to dense pubescence

INFLORESCENCE: pink colour group, very small diameter
PEDUNCLE: very short to short, dense pubescence, very strong anthocyanin colouration
FLORET: narrow elliptic bud, small to medium diameter, single, average of 5 petals, entire petal margin
UPPER PETAL: very narrow to narrow width, upper side purple red with dark pink red at base, weak to medium purple striped markings on upper side, no white basal zone, lower side purple red
LOWER PETAL: very narrow to narrow, upper side purple red with no markings, small white basal zone, lower side purple red
PEDICEL: short to medium length, medium to dense pubescence, dark red to purple in middle third, no swelling
SEPAL: medium pubescence, red with green at tips

Origin & Breeding History: 'Cante Hocora' originated from a selfed cross made in February 2003, in Gilroy, California, USA. A proprietary seedling with dark red single flowers, designated 9622-2, was used in the cross. The resultant seeds were sown in a greenhouse in May 2003. In July 2003, a single plant from the progeny was selected by the breeder based on flower colour, flower quality and plant habit.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Cante Hocora' were conducted in a polyhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario, during the summer of 2008. The trials consisted of 20 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings, transplanted into 15 cm pots on June 24, 2008. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on August 22, 2008. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Cante Hocora' with reference variety 'Cante Coras'

Colour of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of lower petal (RHS)

Pedicel length (cm)

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Pelargonium: 'Cante Hocora' (left) with reference variety 'Cante Coras' (right)

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Pelargonium: 'Cante Hocora' (left) with reference variety 'Cante Coras' (right)

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Pelargonium: 'Cante Hocora' (left) with reference variety 'Cante Coras' (right)