Kalanchoe plant named Satisfaction

A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named Satisfaction, having bright pink flower color, compact habit with excellent self-branching, early flowering, and excellent flower keeping qualities.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar of 
Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and 
referred to by the cultivar name Satisfaction. 
Satisfaction was developed by me through controlled breeding by crossing 
Singapur (seed parent) with Asmara (pollen parent). Asexual reproduction 
of stem cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe 
are stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations. 
The following characteristics distinguish the new Kalanchoe from both its 
parent cultivars and other cultivated Kalanchoes of this type known and 
used in the floriculture industry: 
1. Satisfaction is characterized by its compact habit, excellent 
self-branching, and early flowering habit. 
2. The growth rate, self-branching, leaf size and thickness, early 
flowering, and flower quantity make Satisfaction ideal for 10 cm pot 
production. 
3. Branching is similar to Sensation (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 
4,727), but not as good as Fascination (disclosed in a pending application 
of Applicant) or Singapur (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,361). 
4. Foliage is crenate with very shallow cuts like Singapur, while Sensation 
and Fascination have deeper crenate cuts. Leaves are rounded like Singapur 
and Fascination, while Sensation is more oblong. 
5. After flower initiation, plants must be treated with Alar in all seasons 
to reduce peduncle elongation. 
6. Flowering time is 9 weeks in summer and 12 weeks in winter from start of 
short days. Flowering is similar to Singapur and Fascination but earlier 
than Sensation, a 10 week cultivar in summer. 
7. Flower color is a bright pink which is lighter than Fascination and much 
deeper than Sensation. 
8. Flowers are larger than Singapur and similar in size to Fascination and 
Sensation. All noted cultivars have pointed tips on the petals. 
9. Satisfaction is similar in height to Fascination and Sensation, but 
shorter than Singapur.

The following is a detailed description of my new Kalanchoe cultivar based 
on plants produced under commercial practices in the greenhouses of 
Wiesmoor Gartnerei in Wiesmoor, Germany. Color references are made to The 
Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of 
ordinary dictionary significance are used. 
Parentage: A controlled cross between Singapur and Asmara. 
Propagation: 
(A) Type cutting.--Short stem cutting up to 2 cm long. 
(B) Time to root.--10 days at 21.degree. C. summer. 14 days at 21.degree. 
winter. 
(C) Rooting habit.--Many fine fibrous roots. 
Plant description: 
(A) Form.--Short, compact, upright, best suited for growing and scheduling 
practices in 10 cm pots. 
(B) Habit of growth.--Moderate rate of growth with excellent basal 
branching and branching from every node. 
(C) Foliage description.--Leaves simple, opposite, dark green in color. (1) 
Size: Mature leaf on a plant grown in a 10 cm pot is 120 mm long and 70 
mm. wide. (2) Shape: Ovate with obtuse apex and acute base. (3) Texture: 
Glabrous, coriaceous, succulent. (4) Margin: Crenate. (5) Color: Young 
foliage, top side 137B; under side 137C. Mature foliage, top side 147A; 
under side 147B. 
Flowering description: 
(A) Flowering.--Cyme inflorescence; each shoot is formed by dichotomous 
branching, starting with the opening of the terminal flower of the main 
axis, followed by terminal flowers of the side branching, continuing with 
subsequent development of branches in the inflorescence. Major 
inflorescence is 55 mm to 65 mm in diameter and lateral inflorescences are 
40 mm to 50 mm in diameter. 
(B) Natural flowering season.--Early January. Flowering time under 
controlled day length at 20.degree. C. in summer is 9 weeks; in winter is 
12 weeks. Flowering depends on temperature, light intensity, and other 
growing conditions. 
(C) Flower buds.--Oblong, up to 7 mm long, developing to tubular as flower 
petals mature, sheathed with four light green sepals; corolla at maturity 
is 9 mm long. 
(D) Flowers borne.--On compound dichasial cymes; peduncle is 3 mm in 
diameter, with peduncle length depending on growing conditions and Alar 
application; pedicels up to 12 mm long. 
(E) Quantity of flowers.--Highly floriferous, main axis has over 100 
flowers and lateral branches have over 75 flowers, with eight or more side 
branches in a 10 cm pot; long lasting. 
(F) Petals.--(1) Shape: Nearly round, top cuspidate. (2) Color: Top when 
opening, near 52A, fading to near 54A; under side 54A. (3) Number and Size 
of Petals: Four, united in corolla; petals 6 mm in diameter; flower 14 mm 
in diameter. 
(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: Eight in number. (a) Anther shape: 
Flat, elliptical; yellow in color. (b) Filament color: Light green. (c) 
Pollen color: Yellow. (2) Pistels: (a) Stigma: Flat shape, greenish white 
immature to white mature. (b) Style color: Light green. (c) Ovaries: 
Four-celled, 7 mm, green in color. 
Disease resistance: Resistant to mildew. No other disease problems to date.