Patent Publication Number: US-PP17726-P2

Title: Petunia plant named ‘USTUNI7501’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Petunia×hybrida.    
   Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUNI7501’. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant, botanically known as  Petunia×hybrida,  and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name USTUNI7501. 
   The new  Petunia  is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new disease-resistant and heat-tolerant  Petunias  with semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower colors. 
   The new  Petunia  originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 26, 2001 of two unnamed proprietary selections of  Petunia×hybrida,  not patented. The new  Petunia  was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny on Jun. 18, 2002 in Gensingen, Germany, on the basis of its plant habit and attractive flower coloration. 
   Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since Jun. 18, 2002, in Gensingen, Germany has shown that the unique features of this new  Petunia  are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Plants of the cultivar USTUNI7501 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype. 
   The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USTUNI7501’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USTUNI7501’ as a new and distinct cultivar:
         1. Low spreading to cascading plant habit.   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.   3. Numerous single flowers that are soft pink in color.   4. Good garden performance.       

   In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new  Petunia  differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Petunia  were more creeping than and not as upright as plants of the female parent selection.   2. Plants of the new  Petunia  were more vigorous than plants of the female parent selection.       

   In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new  Petunia  differed primarily from plants of the male parent selection in time to flower as plants of the new  Petunia  flowered earlier than plants of the male parent selection. 
   Plants of the new  Petunia  can be compared to plants of the cultivar Dancasoft, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,383. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new  Petunia  differed from plants of the cultivar Dancasoft in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Petunia  were more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Dancasoft.   2. Plants of the new  Petunia  had smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Dancasoft.   3. Plants of the new  Petunia  were more rain tolerant than plants of the cultivar Dancasoft.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
     The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new  Petunia.    
     The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USTUNI7501’ grown in a container. 
     The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘USTUNI7501’. 
   

   DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
   In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were about three months from planting rooted cuttings. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring in and outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 21° C.
     Botanical classification:  Petunia×hybrida  cultivar USTUNI7501.   Parentage:
             Female parent.— Unnamed selection of  Petunia×hybrida,  not patented.     Male parent.— Unnamed selection of  Petunia×hybrida,  not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type cutting.— Terminal vegetative cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.— About 15 days at 20° C. to 22° C.     Time to develop roots, summer and winter.— About 20 days at 18° C. to 20° C.     Root description.— Fine; white, close to 155D, in color.     Rooting habit.— Freely branching.       
       Plant description:
             Form/habit.— Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially upright, then low spreading and cascading; uniformly mounded plant form. Freely branching habit with about eight to ten lateral branches and numerous secondary and tertiary lateral branches per plant. Pinching enhances development of lateral branches. Vigorous growth habit.     Usage.— Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio containers and landscape applications.     Plant height.— About 21 cm.     Plant diameter  ( area of spread ).—About 52 cm.     Lateral branches.— Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: 145A.     Foliage description.— Arrangement: Alternate before flowering; opposite after flowers develop; simple. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 146A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper surface: 146C. Venation, lower surface: 146D. Petiole length: About 5 mm. Petiole diameter: About 2.5 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Petiole color, upper surface: 146C. Petiole color, lower surface: 146D.       
       Flower description:
             Flower type and habit.— Single salverform flowers; flowers face mostly upward or outward; axillary. Freely flowering habit, about eleven flower buds and open flowers per lateral branch.     Natural flowering season.— Long day responsive; long flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn; flowering continuous during this period. Plants begin flowering about four to six weeks after planting rooted cuttings. Flowers persistent.     Flower longevity on the plant.— About five to seven days.     Fragrance.— Strong, sweet floral.     Flower size.— Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height): About 3.8 cm. Tube length: About 2.7 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 4 mm.     Flower buds.— Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Elongated obovate. Color: 75D.     Petals.— Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a single whorl, funnelform. Length from throat: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped to obovate. Apex: Acute with shallow central points. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Petal lobes, smooth, glabrous; tube, pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: 70C to 70D. When opening, lower surface: 69B. Fully opened, upper surface: 75B; venation, 75B; color becoming closer to 62D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 69B to 69C; venation, 145B. Flower throat (inside): 157C; venation, 147D. Flower tube (outside): 155B; venation, 145B.     Sepals.— Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.     Peduncles.— Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle: About 45° to 60° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146C.     Reproductive organs.— Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Anther shape: Oval. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: 158C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: 145C. Stigma shape: Rounded; anvil-shaped. Stigma color: 146A. Ovary color: 145A.     Seed/fruit.— Seed and/or fruit production has not been observed.       
       Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new  Petunia  have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to  Petunia.      Garden performance: Plants of the new  Petunia  have been observed to have good garden performance. Plants of the new  Petunia  have been noted to tolerate temperatures from 0° C. to 38° C. and have excellent tolerance to rain and wind.