Patent Publication Number: US-PP20296-P2

Title: Geranium plant named ‘Ballurpico’

Description:
Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed:  Pelargonium×hortorum.    
   Variety denomination: ‘Ballurpico’. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Geranium  plant botanically known as  Pelargonium×hortorum  and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Ballurpico’. 
   The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during June 2004. The objective of the breeding program was the development of  Geranium  cultivars with unique flower coloration, medium green-colored foliage, and a vigorous, upright growth habit. 
   The new  Geranium  cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary  Pelargonium×hortorum  breeding selection designated BFP-2654, not patented, characterized by its semi-double type, light rose pink-colored flowers, light green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary  Pelargonium×hortorum  breeding selection designated BFP-2927, not patented, characterized by its semi-double type, blush margined, white-colored flowers, medium green-colored variegated foliage, and vigorous, upright, spreading growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during April 2005 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif. 
   Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since April 2005 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Ballurpico’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant:
         1. Semi-double type, rose-pink margined, white-colored flowers;   2. Medium green-colored foliage with faint zonation; and   3. Vigorous, upright growth habit.       

   Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in pattern of flower color and foliage color, and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and foliage color. 
   Of the many commercially available  Geranium  cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Designer Light Pink’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,552. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Designer Light Pink’ in at least the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from plants of ‘Designer Light Pink’;   2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger umbels, as measured by umbel diameter, than plants of ‘Designer Light Pink’;   3. Plants of the new cultivar fewer total umbels per plant, measured to include developing and fully open umbels, than plants of ‘Designer Light Pink’; and   4. Plants of the new cultivar have more florets per umbel than plants of ‘Designer Light Pink’.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
     The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Ballurpico’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Ballurpico’. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a close-up view of an individual umbel of ‘Ballurpico’. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘Ballurpico’. 
   

   DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
   The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype. 
   The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on May 21, 2008 between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill. 
   The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.
     Botanical classification:  Pelargonium×hortorum  cultivar Ballurpico.   Parentage:
             Female Parent.— Proprietary  Pelargonium×hortorum  breeding selection designated BFP-2654, not patented.     Male Parent.— Proprietary  Pelargonium×hortorum  breeding selection designated BFP-2927, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type cutting.— Terminal stem.     Time to initiate roots.— Approximately 8 to 10 days.     Time to produce a rooted cutting.— Approximately 24 to 28 days.     Root description.— Fibrous.     Rooting habit.— Freely branching.       
       Plant description:
             Commercial crop time.— Approximately 8 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.     Growth habit and general appearance.— Vigorous, upright.     Size.— Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 21.4 cm. Height from soil level to top of foliage: Approximately 12.3 cm. Width: Approximately 21.3 cm.     Branching habit.— Freely branching, pinching enhances basal branching. Quantity of main branches per plant: Approximately 3.     Branch.— Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 8.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 8.4 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 1.6 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of young stem: 144C. Color of mature stem: 144A.       
       Foliage description:
             General description.— Quantity of leaves per lateral branch: Approximately 7. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.     Leaves.— Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem; blade is perpendicular to stem. Shape: Reniform. Margin: Bicrenate, palmately lobed, somewhat wavy. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cordate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 7.3 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 8.2 cm. Texture of upper surface: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Texture of lower surface: Pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs, dense on venation. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with faint zonation of N187A and venation of 144A. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: 138B with venation of 138C.     Petiole.— Length: Approximately 4.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color: 144A.       
       Flowering description:
             Flowering habit.— ‘Ballurpico’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in greenhouse environment.     Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.— Approximately 12 to 14 days.       
       Inflorescence description:
             General description.— Type: Umbel. Positioned above foliage. Quantity of fully open umbels per plant: Approximately 1. Quantity of developing umbels per plant: Approximately: 3. Fragrance: Slight. Length or height: Approximately 8.1 cm. Width: Approximately 12.1 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 33.     Peduncle.— Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 12.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Mixture of colorless, transparent and 29C. Color: 144A.       
       Flower description:
             General description.— Type: Semi-double.     Bud.— Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.     Bud just before opening.— Shape: Elliptic. Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 8.0 mm. Sepal texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Mixture of colorless, transparent and 29C. Petal texture: Glabrous. Petal color: 157C.     Corolla.— Shape: Round. Diameter: Approximately 4.4 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.4 cm.     Petals.— Quantity: Approximately 5 to 7 petals and 2 to 5 irregularly-shaped petaloids per flower. Shape: Obovate. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Length of upper petals: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width of upper petals: Approximately 2.0 cm. Length of lower petals: Approximately 2.2 cm. Width of lower petals: Approximately 1.9 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of upper petals when fully open: Pure white to N155B with margins of N74B and central streaks of N74A at base. Color of lower surface of upper petals when fully open: Pure white to N155B with margins of N74C. Color of upper surface of lower petals when fully open: Pure white to N155B with margins of N74B. Color of lower surface of lower petals when fully open: Pure white to N155B with margins of N74C.     Calyx.— Shape: 5-pointed star. Diameter: Approximately 1.6 cm.     Sepals.— Quantity per flower: Approximately 5, fused at base. Shape: Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acuminate. Length of upper sepal: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width of upper sepal: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of lower sepals: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width of lower sepals: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface: 144A. Color of lower surface: 144A.     Pedicel.— Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to peduncle. Length: Approximately 3.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Mixture of colorless, transparent and 29C. Color: 144A with an overlay of 185A at distal end.     Reproductive organs.— Androecium: Quantity of mature stamens: Approximately 6 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 61A. Filament length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Filament color: N155B with streaks of 61A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 32A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: 5 branched. Stigma length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Stigma color: 158A with a faint overlay of 185B. Style length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Style color: 158A with a faint overlay of 185B. Ovary length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Ovary texture: Densely pubescent. Ovary color: 143C.       
       Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to  Geranium  has not been observed.