Catharanthus plant named 'Suncatso 23'

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatso 23’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; double-type flowers that are purple violet in color; and good garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatso 23’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0022] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Catharanthus plant 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 Catharanthus plant. The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncatso 23’ grown in a container. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncatso 23’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0023] The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer/early autumn in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were seven months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. [0024] Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus ‘Suncatso 23’. [0025] Parentage: [0026] Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation S22-P-30, not patented. [0027] Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation SIR22-10, not patented. [0028] Propagation: [0029] Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings. [0030] Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at temperatures about 30° C. [0031] Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 25° C. [0032] Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five weeks at temperatures about 30° C. [0033] Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six weeks at temperatures about 25° C. [0034] Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. [0035] Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. [0036] Plant description: [0037] Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely basal branching habit, about seven basal branches each with about five secondary branches developing per plant; vigorous growth habit. [0038] Plant height.—About 32 cm. [0039] Plant diameter.—About 50 cm. [0040] Lateral branch description: [0041] Length.—About 36 cm. [0042] Diameter.—About 6.7 mm. [0043] Internode length.—About 2.8 cm. [0044] Strength.—Strong. [0045] Aspect.—Upright to outwardly. [0046] Texture.—Glabrous; rough. [0047] Color.—Close to 146C. [0048] Leaf description: [0049] Arrangement.—Opposite, simple. [0050] Length.—About 5 cm. [0051] Width.—About 2.1 cm. [0052] Shape.—Oblong. [0053] Apex.—Cuspidate. [0054] Base.—Cuneate. [0055] Margin.—Entire. [0056] Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent; rough. [0057] Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate. [0058] Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 144D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 144C. [0059] Petioles.—Length: About 9.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D tinged with close to 77C. [0060] Flower description: [0061] Flower arrangement and habit.—Double-type star-shaped salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with about 100 flowers developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers face mostly upright. [0062] Fragrance.—None detected. [0063] Flowering habit.—Plants begin flowering about two to three weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden, plants flower continuously from the early summer to late autumn in Japan. [0064] Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three days on the plant; flowers not persistent. [0065] Flower buds.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 5.2 mm. Shape: Ovoid to cylindrical. Color: Proximally, close to 77D; distally, close to 77B. [0066] Flower diameter.—About 4.1 cm. [0067] Flower length (depth).—About 4.9 cm. [0068] Tube length.—About 3.15 cm. [0069] Tube diameter, proximally.—About 2.1 mm. [0070] Tube diameter, distally.—About 3.1 mm. [0071] Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About 2.3 cm. Petal width: About 1.4 cm. Petal shape: Narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate. Petal apex: Rounded to truncate. Petal margin: Entire; straight to slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally grooved. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to 84A and N87A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to 84C and 84D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N82C and 76A; color towards the apex becoming closer to 85B to 85D, and towards the base, close to 84A, with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76A to 76C. Throat: Close to 138C. Tube: Proximally, close to 138B tinged with close to 174A; distally, close to 138B tinged with close to 165A. [0072] Paracorolla.—Arrangement: Five petal-like segments in a single whorl fused at the base. Paracorolla length: About 1.7 cm. Paracorolla width: About 4.5 mm. Paracorolla color: When opening and fully opened, outer surface: Close to N8213 to N82C. When opening and fully opened, inner surface: Towards the apex, close to 76C; towards the base, close to NN155C. [0073] Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five sepals fused towards the base and curled outwardly. Sepal length: About 2.8 mm. Sepal width: About 0.9 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. [0074] Peduncles.—Length: About 2.4 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm. Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 145B. [0075] Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 0.7 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther color: Close to 145A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Catharanthus. [0076] Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. [0077] Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Catharanthus plants.