Genus and species: Impatiens×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Misato FG3’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Misato FG3’. ‘Misato FG3’ originated from an interspecific hybridization between ‘2K-MC-1’, an unpatented orange-flowered Impatiens hawkeri plant and ‘8B-4C-1’, an unpatented proprietary red-flowered Impatiens platypetala plant, in Misato, Japan. In 2001, the two Impatiens species were crossed and a population of F ₁ plants was created.

The F ₁ plants were evaluated in Misato, Japan in 2004 in an open field trial. Criteria for selection included mounding growth habit, tolerance to heat and cold, vigorous rooting, magenta flower color and overall plant vigor. At the end of the trial, one single-plant selection was made based on the above criteria and vegetatively propagated. The plant was trialed in Athens, Ga. and Salinas, Calif. The selection subsequently was named ‘Misato FG3’ and found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Canada on Apr. 19, 2005. No sales or offers for sale of this cultivar were made before Apr. 19, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

• • 1. Magenta flower color
  • 2. Tolerance to heat and cold
  • 3. Vigorous rooting
  • 4. Overall plant vigor

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 . The photograph shows overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage.

FIG. 2 . The photograph shows the mature inflorescence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Misato FG3’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. The plant history was taken on plants grown for about four months from propagation by terminal cuttings under greenhouse conditions. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4 ^th edition (2001). Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms by M. Hickey and C. Kink, Cambridge University Press.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

• Classification:
  • • Family. —Balsaminaceae.
    • Botanical.—Impatiens interspecific cross ( Impatiens×hybrida ).
    • Common name.—Impatiens.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent. —‘2K-MC-1’, an unpatented I. hawkeri plant.
    • Male parent. —‘8B-4C-1’, an unpatented proprietary I. platypetala plant.
• Growth:
  • • Time to produce a rooted cutting. —The terminal 1.0 to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution: 9 water) root-inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays having 98 cells and containing a moistened peat moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were formed. The vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.
    • Environmental conditions for plant growth. —Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24° C.
    • Time to bloom from propagation.— 6-8 weeks.
• Plant description:
  • • Habit. —Upright and branching.
    • Height.— 38.0 cm as measured from soil line to top of foliage.
    • Spread. —45.0 cm.
    • Time to produce a finished flowering plant. —6-8 weeks.
    • Outdoor plant performance. —Will flower as long as the temperature is above 5° C.
    • Temperature tolerance. —Plants have been observed to continuously flower at a temperature range of 5° C.-36° C.
    • Life cycle. —Tender perennial.
    • Time to initiate and develop roots. —About 4 weeks.
• Branches:
  • • Number. —10-12 per plant.
    • Length. —14.0-15.5 cm.
    • Diameter.— 0.4-0.5 cm.
• Stems:
  • • Length. —5.0-6.8 cm.
    • Diameter. —0.7-1.0 cm.
    • Internode length. —7.5-8.0 cm.
    • Color. —RHS 144C (yellow-green).
    • Stem description. —Strong; circular cross-section.
    • Pubescence. —Absent.
    • Anthocyanin color. —RHS N77A (purple).
    • Pedicels texture. —Dull; slightly pubescent.
    • Peduncles. —Length: 4.5-5.5 cm. Color: RHS 145C (yellow-green). Texture: Dull; slightly pubescent.
• Leaves:
  • • Arrangement. —Opposite if two leaves are at one node and whorled if more than two leaves are at one node.
    • Length. —10.0-11.0 cm.
    • Width. —4.0-4.5 cm.
    • Shape. —Elliptical.
    • Margin. —Serrate.
    • Apex. —Acute.
    • Base. —Attenuate.
    • Color. —Upper surface: Closest to RHS 136A (green). Lower surface: RHS 138B (green).
    • Texture. —Dull and sticky.
    • Variegation. —Absent.
    • Fragrance. —Absent.
    • Pubescence. —Slight.
    • Pubescence color. —RHS N155A (white).
    • Venation. —Pinnate.
    • Venation color. —Upper surface: RHS 138B (green). Lower surface: RHS 138B (green).
    • Petioles. —Length: 2.0-2.5 cm. Color: RHS 138B (green) with RHS N77A (purple) specks. Texture: Dull; slightly pubescent.
• Flower buds:
  • • Shape. —Deltoid (longitudinal cross-section).
    • Length. —1.0 cm.
    • Diameter.— 0.7-1.0 cm.
    • Color. —RHS 141A (green).
    • Texture. —Glabrous.
• Inflorescence:
  • • Blooming habit. —Will flower as long as the temperature is above 5° C.
    • Inflorescence type. —Single flower with spur.
    • Number of flowers per node. —3-5 in bloom at any one time; about 8 buds.
    • Number of flowers per plant. —10-25, depending on the amount of pinching during growth.
    • Flower form. —Roughly circular with 5 radial petals.
    • Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant. —12-16 days.
    • Fragrance. —Absent.
• Flowers:
  • • Immature flower color. —Same as mature flower (does not darken or fade over time).
    • Mature flower. —Color: Upper surface: RHS N66A (red-purple). Lower surface: RHS 61C (red-purple). Eye zone: RHS N57C (red-purple). Diameter: 6.0 cm. Depth: 0.5 cm.
• Petals:
  • • Shape. —Obcordate.
    • Length. —2.4-3.0 cm.
    • Width. —2.5-3.5 cm.
    • Apex. —Emarginate (cleaved).
    • Base: Attenuate.
    • Margin. —Entire.
    • Petal texture. —Glabrous.
    • Color. —Upper surface: RHS N66A (red-purple). Lower surface: RHS 61C (red-purple). Eye zone: RHS N57C (red-purple).
• Spur:
  • • Shape. —Tubular and curved downward.
    • Color. —RHS N57D (red-purple).
    • Length. —5.2-6.2 cm.
    • Diameter. —0.2 cm.
• Sepals:
  • • Shape. —Lanceolate.
    • Apex. —Caudate.
    • Base. —Subcordate.
    • Margin. —Entire.
    • Texture. —Dull; slightly pubescent.
• Reproductive organs:
  • • Stamens. —Form: Fused; split into 4 lobes. Number: Many. Filament color: RHS 71B (red-purple). Anther color: RHS 71B (red-purple) fading to RHS N155A (white). Pollen amount: Heavy. Pollen color: RHS N155A (white). Pollen description: Powdery.
    • Pistil. —Number 5. Stigma color: RHS 144A (yellow-green). Style color: RHS 144A (yellow-green).
    • Ovary arrangement. —Parietal.
    • Fruit/seed set. —Little to none observed.
• Disease and insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Misato FG3’ differs from the female parent, ‘2K-MC-1’, an unpatented I. hawkeri plant, in that ‘Misato FG3’ has magenta flowers while ‘2K-MC-1’ has orange flowers.

‘Misato FG3’ differs from the male parent, ‘8B-4C-1’, an unpatented proprietary Impatiens platypetala plant in that ‘Misato FG3’ has magenta flowers while ‘8B-4C-1’ has red flowers.

‘Misato FG3’ is similar to the commercial Impatiens variety ‘Balfafusia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,588) (known commercially as ‘Fanfare Fuschia’) however, there are differences as listed in the table below: