Balsunhopi

Petunia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Jam Hopink' (Jamboree Hot Pink)

Summary: 'Balsunhopi' has a more creeping growth habit and a shorter plant height than 'Jam Hopink'. 'Balsunhopi' has a longer sepal length than 'Jam Hopink'. 'Balsunhopi' has slightly different colour on the upper side of the corolla and darker overall colour on the lower side than 'Jam Hopink'. 'Balsunhopi' has a shorter corolla tube than 'Jam Hopink'.

Description:

PLANT: semi-upright to creeping growth habit, short, narrow to medium width

SHOOTS: medium thickness, short, absent to very weak anthocyanin colouration

LEAVES: long, medium width, elliptic, narrow acute apex, no variegation, medium to dark green on upper side, no blistering, petiole medium in length

SEPALS: very long, narrow to medium width, linear, no anthocyanin colouration

FLOWERS: long pedicel, single corolla, medium to large diameter, trumpet shape
COROLLA: moderate lobing, purple red on upper side, blue pink on lower side, veins red and very weakly conspicuous, margin with moderate undulation
COROLLA TUBE: short to medium, white on inner side, veins medium to strong in conspicuousness
ANTHERS: yellowish white before pollen dehiscence, yellow after dehiscence.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balsunhopi' originated from a controlled cross made on June 25, 2002, at Arroyo Grande, California, USA. The female parent was a proprietary petunia selection designated 054-10, characterized by its hot pink flower colour, dark green leaf colour and mounded trailing habit. The male parent was the variety 'Kakegawa S57', characterized by its lavender flower colour and trailing, medium branching growth habit. The initial selection was made on March 28, 2003. Asexual production since that time has been through the use of vegetative cuttings.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Balsunhopi' were conducted in a polyhouse at BioFlora in St. Thomas, Ontario in the spring of 2006. The trials included 15 plants of each variety. Rooted cuttings were transplanted into six inch pots on April 17, 2006. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Balsunhopi' with reference variety 'Jam Hopink'

Plant height (cm)

Sepal length (mm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Colour of corolla tube (RHS)

Length of corolla tube (mm)

Click on image for larger view

Petunia: 'Balsunhopi' (left) with reference variety 'Jam Hopink' (right)