Begonia plant named ‘Binos Soft Pink’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Binos Soft Pink’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; double flowers that are pink in color and held above the foliage; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Description

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, in September, 2002, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Binos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,657. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parent cultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Binos Soft Pink’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeated observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Binos Soft Pink’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Binos Soft Pink’ as a new and distinct Begonia:

• • 1. Upright and mounded plant habit.
  • 2. Double flowers that are pink in color and held above the foliage.
  • 3. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new cultivar are most similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar Binos. Plants of the new cultivar differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Binos in flower color as plants of the cultivar Binos have red-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the cultivar Binos Pink, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/050,878 filed concurrently, plants of the new Begonia have lighter colored flowers than plants of the cultivar Binos Pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia, 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 Begonia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary signifcance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Ermelo, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Average day and night temperature was about 20° C. during the first three to four weeks then lowered to an average day and night temperature of 19° C. until flowering. Four weeks after planting rooted cuttings in 14- cm containers, one week of long nyctoperiods of 16 hours was given followed by short nyctoperiods of eight hours until flowering. Plants used for the photographs and the description were about four months old.

• Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Binos Soft Pink.
• Commercial Classification: Elatior Begonia.
• Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Binos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,657.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—Cuttings.
    • Time to develop roots.—About 40 days at temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous, well-branched and spreading. Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant form.—Upright and mounded plant habit, inverted triangle; freely branching with good stem and stem base strength. Flowers are double and abundant. Plants flower continuously.
    • Growth habit.—Moderate growth rate, vigorous. Suitable for 12 to 15-cm containers. Under optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usually about four months are required to produce proportional 13-cm potted plants from cuttings. Vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.
    • Plant height.—About 25 to 30 cm.
    • Plant width.—About 40 cm.
    • Leaves.—Arrangement: Simple, alternate. Developing leaves, length: About 5 to 6 cm. Developing leaves, width: About 4 to 6 cm. Fully expanded leaves, length: About 14 to 16 cm. Fully expanded leaves, width: About 13 to 15 cm. Shape: Asymmetrically reniform. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Doubly serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Closest to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Closest to 191B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 148B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 146D. Petiole length: About 1 cm to 7 cm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Petiole color, developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 152C. Petiole color, fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 174B to 174C.
• Flower description:
  • • Flowering habit.—Double flowers with numerous tepals arranged in axillary cymes. Usually 9 to 12 flowers per cyme. Many cymes in flower simultaneously. Flowers positioned above the foliage. Flowering continuous.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants will flower year around regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and more abundantly from mid-February until November in the Northern Hemisphere.
    • Flowers.—Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 6 to 7.5 cm. Depth (height): About 2 cm.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 to 1.8 cm. Color: 145C.
    • Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Usually about 30 per flower. Size: Outer tepals: Length: About 3.2 to 3.8 cm. Width: About 3.5 to 4.5 cm. Inner tepals: Length: About 8 to 11 mm. Width: About 7 to 12 mm. Shape: Rounded flabellate. Apex: Rounded. Margin, outer and inner tepals: Slightly crenate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening, outer tepals, upper and lower surfaces: 65D. When opening, inner tepals, upper and lower surfaces: 56D. Fully opened, outer tepals, upper surface: 39C. Fully opened, outer tepals, lower surface: 38B. Fully opened, inner tepals, upper and lower surfaces surface: 159D.
    • Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape: Broadly cordate. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.
    • Peduncles.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 4 to 6 cm. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 146D.
    • Pedicels.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 1 to 2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None observed.
    • Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed as reproductive organs are not formed.
• Postproduction longevity:
  • • Individual flowers.—Generally about two to three weeks.
    • Whole plants.—About six weeks under interior conditions.
• Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Begonia has not been observed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Binos Soft Pink’, as illustrated and described.