New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Volcano Light Pink`

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Volcano Light Pink`, characterized by its light pink flowers with red star and red purple eye; moderate vigor; dark green, glossy, non-variegated foliage; and freely branching plant habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea 
Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter 
referred to by the cultivar name Volcano Light Pink. 
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by 
the inventor in Paraiso, Costa Rica. The objective of the breeding program 
was to develop new varieties that are freely branching, uniform in plant 
habit, and have bright flower colors. 
The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor in January, 
1994, of two unnamed proprietary seedlings. The cultivar Volcano Light 
Pink was discovered and selected by the inventor as a flowering plant 
within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 
Paraiso, Costa Rica. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal 
cuttings taken at Paraiso, Costa Rica, has shown that the unique features 
of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive 
generations of asexual reproduction. 
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be 
the unique characteristics of `Volcano Light Pink`. These characteristics 
in combination distinguish `Volcano Light Pink` as a new and distinct 
cultivar: 
1. Light pink flowers with a faint red star and red purple eye. 
2. Moderate vigor. 
3. Dark green, glossy, non-variegated foliage. 
4. Freely branching plant habit. 
The new Impatiens is similar in flower color to the cultivar Danlight, 
disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,276. However in side-by-side 
comparisons conducted in Apopka, Florida, plants of the new Impatiens were 
more compact in growth habit and had a softer flower color than plants of 
the cultivar Danlight. The new Impatiens is also similar to the cultivar 
Pago Pago, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,143. However in side-by-side 
comparisons conducted in Apopka, Florida, plants of the new Impatiens had 
a more uniform plant habit, shinier leaves and softer flower color than 
plants of the cultivar Pago Pago.