USTUNJ1901

Petunia

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Peppy Blue' and 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion'

Summary: The pedicels of 'USTUNJ1901' are longer than those of 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion'. The flower of 'USTUNJ1901' is narrower than that of 'Peppy Blue'. The inner side of the corolla of 'USTUNJ1901' is white with dark violet secondary colour while the inner side of 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion' is purple with white and blue pink secondary colours. The secondary colour on the inner side of the corolla of 'USTUNJ1901' is along the mid-veins whereas the secondary colour for 'Peppy Blue' is between the corolla lobes. The inner side of the corolla tube of 'USTUNJ1901' is violet with weak conspicuousness of veins whereas that of 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion' is purple with medium to strong conspicuousness of veins.

Description:

PLANT: spreading growth habit

LEAF BLADE: elliptic shape, narrow acute to broad acute apex, no variegation, medium green on upper side, absent or weak blistering

PEDICEL: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER: single type, salverform shape
COROLLA: weak degree of lobing, very shallow incisions of margin, weak undulation, absent or very weak conspicuousness of veins, purple veins, when newly open inner side is white (RHS NN155C) with dark violet (closest to RHS 83B) along mid-veins, when fully open inner side is white (RHS NN155C) with small to medium sized dark violet (closest to RHS 83B) area along mid-veins, when aged inner side is white (RHS NN155C) with dark violet (closest to RHS 83B) along mid-veins
COROLLA LOBE: cuspidate apex
COROLLA TUBE (INNER SIDE): violet (RHS N82A), weak conspicuousness of brown purple (RHS N77A) veins
ANTHER: violet and white before dehiscence

Origin & Breeding History: 'USTUNJ1901' originated from a controlled cross conducted by the breeder, Ushio Sakazaki, in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan on June 16, 2012. The cross was made between the female parent, a proprietary seedling designated '09P370-01' and the male parent of unknown origin having a purple-blue star pattern. The new plant was selected from the resulting progeny on May 31, 2013 in Bonsall, California, USA. 'USTUNJ1901', was selected based on its growth habit, branching, floriferousness, flower size, stable flower colour and pattern, and tolerance to heat and disease. This variety was first propagated by vegetative tip cuttings on June 3, 2013, in Bonsall, California, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'USTUNJ1901' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring of 2016 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 20 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 15 cm pots on April 17, 2016. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants of each variety on May 17 and 18, 2016. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'USTUNJ1901' with reference varieties 'Peppy Blue' and 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion'

Pedicel length (cm)

Sepal length (cm)

Flower width (cm)

Colour of inner side of corolla (RHS)

Colour of corolla tube (RHS)

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Petunia: 'USTUNJ1901' (left) with reference variety 'Peppy Blue' (centre) and 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion' (right)

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Petunia: 'USTUNJ1901' (left) with reference variety 'Peppy Blue' (centre) and 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion' (right)

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Petunia: 'USTUNJ1901' (left) with reference variety 'Peppy Blue' (centre) and 'Littletunia Bicolor Illusion' (right)