Amri Melo

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Americana Coral'

Summary: 'Amri Melo' has a reddish brown leaf zone which is very strong in conspicuousness while 'Americana Coral' has a green leaf zone which is weak in conspicuousness. 'Amri Melo' has weak to medium anthocyanin colouration in the peduncle while 'Americana Coral' has absent to very weak anthocyanin. The upper petal is dark pink red with red at the base for 'Amri Melo' while it is red with dark pink red at the base for 'Americana Coral'. 'Amri Melo' has a larger white zone at the base of the lower petal than 'Americana Coral'.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, medium to tall height, narrow width, 3-4 branches
STEM: green, thin to medium thickness, dense pubescence

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

INFLORESCENCE: salmon colour group, very small diameter
PEDUNCLE: short to medium length, dense pubescence, weak to medium anthocyanin colouration
FLORET: elliptic bud, small to medium diameter, semi-double, average of 6 petals, entire petal margin
UPPER PETAL: medium width, upper side dark pink red with red at base and no markings, very small white basal zone, red pink on lower side
LOWER PETAL: narrow to medium width, upper side dark pink red with no markings, small to medium white basal zone, red pink on lower side
PEDICEL: short, medium to dense pubescence, light red in middle third, no swelling
SEPAL: medium pubescence, green

Origin & Breeding History: 'Amri Melo' originated from a hybrid cross made in January 2006, in Gilroy, California, USA. The female parent was a proprietary seedling with pink, semi-double flowers, designated 10284-2, and the male parent was a proprietary seedling with coral, semi-double flowers, designated 9333-1. The resultant seed from the cross was sown in a greenhouse in June 2006. In August 2006, a single plant from the progeny was selected by the breeder based on flower colour, flower quality and plant habit.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Amri Melo' 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 'Amri Melo' with reference variety 'Americana Coral'

Colour of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of lower petal (RHS)

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Pelargonium: 'Amri Melo' (left) with reference variety 'Americana Coral' (right)

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Pelargonium: 'Amri Melo' (left) with reference variety 'Americana Coral' (right)

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Pelargonium: 'Amri Melo' (left) with reference variety 'Americana Coral' (right)