An impatiens cultivar particularly distinguished by its rose-colored flowers, compact habit and small leaves is disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofimpatiens,botanically known asImpatiens walleriana,and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fify Rossa’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in the year 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was ‘IMY-33-2’, a lilac proprietaryimpatiensline (unpatented), while the male parent was ‘IMY-41-3’, a rose proprietaryimpatiensline (unpatented).

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands over a two-and-a-half-year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Fify Rossa’. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Gilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on five-month-old plants grown in one-gallon pots in a poly-covered greenhouse in the fall/winter season. Color readings were taken under natural light in the greenhouse in late winter. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001). Texture description details were observed with a dissecting microscope.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Fify Rossa’ differs from the female parent ‘IW-33-2’ (unpatented) by having rose-colored flowers while ‘IW-33-2’ has lilac-colored flowers. In addition ‘Fify Rossa’ has smaller flowers and a more compact habit with smaller leaves than ‘IW-33-2’. ‘Fify Rossa’ differs from the male parent ‘IW-41-3’ (unpatented) by having smaller flowers and a more compact habit with smaller leaves than ‘IW-41-3’.

‘Fify Rossa’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Pixie Burgundy Rose’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,451) by having larger flowers, smaller leaves and a lighter and brighter flower color than ‘Pixie Burgundy Rose’.