Petunia plant named ‘Balcushlu’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Balcushlu’, characterized by its dark violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Balcushlu’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) 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 ‘Balcushlu’. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balcushlu’.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balcushlu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) 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.

(5) The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in November 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

(6) 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 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures averaged 65° F. (18° C.) during the day and approximately 50° F. (10° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants. Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Balcushlu. Parentage: Female parent.—SUPERTUNIA Indigo Charm ‘USTUN29801’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,883. Male parent.—Suncatcher Midnight Blue ‘Balsunmibu’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,415. Propagation: Type cutting.—Terminal stem. Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days. Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 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 an 11 cm pot. Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, mounded-spreading. Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 12.5 cm. Width: Approximately 66.0 cm. Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal branching. Quantity of main branches per plant: Approximately 5. Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 35.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color of young and mature stems: 144A. Foliage description: General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch: Approximately 21. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple. Arrangement on flowering stem: Alternate. Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 5.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 4.0 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of 144B to indistinguishable. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 138B with venation of 144D to indistinguishable. Petiole.—Length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color: 144D. Flowering description: Flowering habit.—‘Balcushlu’ 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 10 to 12 days. Flower description: General description.—Type: Simple, salverform. Quantity per plant: Approximately 12. Fragrance: Slight. Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per plant: Approximately 4. Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of petal portion: 86A with venation of N186A. Color of tube: 86A with venation of N186A. Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 5.3 cm. Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate. Appearance: Iridescent. Margin: Entire, wavy. Apex: Cuspidate. Length from tube: Approximately 2.3 cm. Length of free portion: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately 2.8 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of upper surface when first open: Closest to but darker than N88A, venation of N92A. Color of lower surface when first and fully open: Closest to between N87A and N87B, venation of N186A. Color of upper surface when fully open: Closest to N88A with overtones of N87A, venation of N92A. Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter at distal end: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of inner surface: N88C with venation of N92A. Color of outer surface: 86A with venation of N186A. Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of upper surface: 137A. Color of lower surface: 138A with 144A at base. Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color: 144A tinted 187A with sun. Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5, basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Filament length of fixed portion: Approximately 6.0 mm. Filament color: NN155A with an overlay of 86A that fades towards base. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 92C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 92D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.9 cm. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 146D with funnel portion tinted with 86A. Style length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Style color: 145D. Ovary length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A. Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed. Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Petunia has not been observed.