Petunia plant named ‘Kerversalm’

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Kerversalm’, characterized by its compact and outwardly spreading growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; dark salmon pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPetunia,botanically known asPetunia×hybridaand hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kerversalm’.

The newPetuniais a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create newPetuniacultivars with dark pink-colored flowers.

The newPetuniaoriginated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors on Aug. 15, 2000 in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybridaidentified as code number 00-18-3, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybridaidentified as code number 00-66-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPetuniawas discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom on May 31, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the newPetuniaby terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom since October, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this newPetuniaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerversalm’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerversalm’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPetunia:1. Compact and outwardly spreading growth habit.2. Freely branching habit.3. Early and freely flowering habit.4. Dark salmon pink-colored flowers.5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the newPetuniacan be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the newPetuniadiffer from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newPetuniahave larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.2. Plants of the newPetuniaand the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pale pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the newPetuniacan be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the newPetuniadiffer primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the flower color as plants of the male parent selection have light pink-colored flowers with white-colored throats.

Plants of the newPetuniacan also be compared to plants of thePetuniacultivar Kersamfan, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,128. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the newPetuniadiffered from plants of the cultivar Kersamfan in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newPetuniawere more compact and had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar Kersamfan.2. Plants of the newPetuniawere more freely branching and more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Kersamfan.3. Plants of the newPetuniaflowered about three days earlier than plants of the cultivar Kersamfan.4. Plants of the newPetuniahad smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Kersamfan.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION