A new geranium cultivar particularly distinguished by dark green foliage, light bluish pink flower color, and semi-double flowers on large umbels, fast rooting and a vigorous growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT 
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, 
botanically known as Pelargonium hortorum Bailey, and hereinafter referred 
to by the cultivar name `Clips Light Lav`. The new cultivar is propagated 
from a seedling resulting from the cross of a seed parent 3358-1 and the 
pollen parent known as 3500-2. 
`Clips Light Lav` is a product of a planned breeding program intended to 
create new geranium cultivars with lavender colored flowers, semi-double 
flower form, dark green foliage, vigorous growth and superior cutting 
productivity. 
The new cultivar was created in 1993 in Gilroy, Calif., and has been 
repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Gilory, Calif. and 
Guatemala over a three year period. It has also been trialed at Okemos, 
Mich. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through 
successive propagations; and this novelty appears to be firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR 
The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive 
characteristics of `Clips Light Lav`. The data which defines these 
characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out by 
Goldsmith Seeds, Inc. in Gilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on 20 
week old plants, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse and color 
readings were taken in the greenhouse (in Gilroy, Calif.) on Jul. 24, 1996 
at 2:00 p.m. under ambient light. Color references are primarily to the 
R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.). 
The Plant 
Classification: 
Botanical.--Pelargonium hortorum Bailey. 
Commercial.--Zonal geranium. 
Form: Upright compact plant. 
Height: 12 to 17 cm, as a 41/2 inch pot plant, excluding blooms. 
Strength: Good shipping ability as rooted or unrooted cuttings. 
Foliage: Abundant quantity. 
Leaves.--Size: Diameter about 6.4 cm. Shape: Rounded cordate with 
occasional upfolding between veins. Margin: Irregularly crenate. Texture: 
Leathery and pubescent on both surfaces, especially along veins. Ribs and 
veins: Distinctly palmate, 3.6 to 4.0 cm long. Color: Upper side: Dark 
Green. Underside: Dark Green color. Ribs and veins not prominently 
different from upper surface. Petioles: About 4.5 to 5.4 cm in length. 
The Bud 
Size: 
Diameter.--About 4 mm. 
Length.--About 11 cm to 12 cm at time of bud opening. 
Shape: Pointed ovoid. 
Color: Petals when sepals first divide is 73A-B, R.H.S. 
Sepals: Primary 5 sometimes 6 in number, flat behind petals. Pointed linear 
lanceolate, 144A R.H.S. in an open flower. 
The Flower 
Blooming habit; Continuous throughout the year. 
Size: Approximately 4.8-5.0 cm diameter, 2 cm deep, irregularly radially 
symmetrical. 
Form: Cup-shaped when bloom first opens, later flattening to shallow cup 
shape with maturity. 
Petals: 5 imbricate outer petals, 2.2-2.4 cm wide and approximately 2.4 cm 
long. Three to six inner smaller petaloids of varying shape. Both the 
outer petals and inner petaloids are light bluish pink, 73C R.H.S. The two 
upper petals are 73C R.H.S. on the top region but are white from the 
center of the petal to the base. Color changing little with age. Underside 
of petals is a blush white with pink margins. Petals and petaloids soft 
and satiny. 
Pedicel: Approximately 2.4-3.0 cm in length 
Persistence: Non-shattering flower. 
Inflorescence 
Type: An umbel composed of approximately 23 flowers, erect or laterally 
ascending. 
Peduncle: Approximately 9-10 cm in length, mostly green with a reddish tint 
on the side facing the sunlight. 
Reproductive Organs 
Stamens: 
Anthers.--8-10 positioned below the mature stigma, dull red prior to 
anthesis. 
Filaments.--White. 
Pollen.--Orange in color. 
Pistil: 
Number.--1. 
Length.--Approximately 4 mm. 
Stigma.--5 linear lobes of near equal length, curling back toward ovary, 
white with a purplish tint. 
Style.--Length: About 3 mm. Color: White. 
Ovaries.--At anthesis, densely pubescent with white hairs, oblong. Green 
drying to a light brown at maturity. 
Fruit.--Partially fertile.