Patent Publication Number: US-PP28806-P2

Title: Impatiens plant named ‘Balbigink’

Description:
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS NOTICE 
     The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP) Agreement FRA-2015-0011.” 
    
    
     Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed:  Impatiens×hybrida.    
     Variety denomination: ‘Balbigink’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant botanically known as  Impatiens×hybrida  and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balbigink’. 
     The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was the development of  Impatiens  cultivars that perform well under both sun and shade conditions and have a vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit. 
     The new  Impatiens  cultivar is an irradiation-induced sport of Big Bounce Violet ‘Balbigvio’, not patented, characterized by its dark red-purple colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit. The irradiation occurred in September 2013. The new cultivar was discovered as a side shoot and selected during February 2014 in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since February 2014 in 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 ‘Balbigink’ as a new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant:
         1. Medium pink-colored flowers;   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and   3. Vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit.       

     Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in having a different flower color. 
     Of the many commercially available  Impatiens  cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Big Bounce Lavender ‘Balbigaven’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,097. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balbigaven’ in at least the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new cultivar have lighter colored flowers than plants of ‘Balbigaven’; and   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller diameter inflorescences than plants of ‘Balbigaven’.       

    
    
     
       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 ‘Balbigink’. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balbigink’. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balbigink’. 
     
    
    
     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, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in June 2016 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 in West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5-inch pots for 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 66° F. to 70° F. (19° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 58° F. to 62° F. (14° C. to 17° 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:  Impatiens×hybrida  cultivar Balbigink.   Parentage:
             Parent .—Big Bounce Violet ‘Balbigvio’, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type cutting .—Terminal stem.     Time to initiate roots .—Approximately 6 to 9 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 6 to 8 weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.     Growth habit and general appearance .—Vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit.     Size .—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 20.0 cm. Width: Approximately 35.0 cm.     Branching habit .—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches per plant: Approximately 5.     Branch .—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: Approximately 13.0 cm. Diameter at central internode: Approximately 7.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 3.5 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of young and mature stems: Closest to 146B with a heavy overlay of 187B.       
       Foliage description:
             General description .—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 9. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Whorled with up to 5 leaves per node, opposite if only two leaves at one node.     Leaves .—Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem and leaves are perpendicular to an obtuse angle to stem. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Serrulate, ciliate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf at center of stem: Approximately 8.0 cm. Width of mature leaf at center of stem: Approximately 4.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 137A with venation of 147B. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 191A and venation of 147B with a heavy overlay of 187C.     Petiole .—Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 147C with an overlay of 187C.       
       Flowering description:
             Flowering habit .—‘Balbigink’ 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 7 to 9 days.       
       Flower description:
             General description .—Type: Single. Quantity per plant: Approximately 7. Fragrance: None.     Bud .—Rate of opening: Generally takes 1 to 2 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity showing color per plant: Approximately 5.     Bud just before opening .—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately 1.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.1 cm. Color: 62A.     Corolla .—Shape: Round, cupped when first open with petals flattening with age. Diameter: Approximately 5.2 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm. Borne: Above the foliage.     Petals .—Quantity: 5. Shape: Obovate. Aspect: Flat. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Emarginate. Base of upper petal: Truncate. Base of lateral and lower petals: Attenuate. Length of upper petal: Approximately 2.2 cm. Width of upper petal: Approximately 3.5 cm. Length of lateral petals: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width of lateral petals: Approximately 2.4 cm. Length of lower petals: Approximately 3.1 cm. Width of lower petals: Approximately 2.8cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first open: Upper petal N74C with broken streaks of NN74B. Lateral and lower petals N74C with broken streaks of NN74B with 72A at base. Color of lower surface when first open: N74D with broken streaks of NN74C. Color of upper surface when fully open: Upper petal N74D with broken streaks of NN74C. Lateral and lower petals N74D with broken streaks of NN74C with 72B and 53A at base. Color of lower surface when fully open: Lighter than N74D with broken streaks of NN74C.     Spur .—Quantity: 1 per flower. Length: Approximately 3.8 cm. Diameter at proximal end: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at distal end: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 187C darkening to 187A at tip.     Peduncle .—Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Length: Approximately 4.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 145D with a heavy overlay of 187C.     Sepals .—Quantity per flower: 4 with one fused to base of upper petal. Sepal arrangement: 1 spurred lower sepal located between 2 side (lateral) sepals. Shape of lateral sepals: Ovate. Shape of lower sepal: Ovate. Apex of all sepals: Acuminate. Length of lateral sepals: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width of lateral sepals: Approximately 6.0 mm. Length of lower sepal: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width of lower sepal: Approximately 1.1 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces of all sepals: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces of lateral sepals: 146B with an overlay of 187C and tips of 146A. Color of upper and lower surfaces of lower sepal: NN155B with an overlay of N74D and tip of 146B.     Reproductive organs .—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per flower, fused around pistil at apex. Anther shape: Hooded. Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 72C. Filament color: 72C. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stigma shape: 5-pointed star. Stigma color: Colorless, transparent. Style color: 146A, darkens to 137A with age. Ovary texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: 146B, darkens to 137A with age.       
       Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to  Impatiens  has not been observed.