Balfanimfro

Pelargonium

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Designer Salmon Rose'

Summary: 'Balfanimfro' has a green leaf zone while 'Designer Salmon Rose' has a reddish-brown leaf zone. 'Balfanimfro' has medium anthocyanin on the peduncle while 'Designer Salmon Rose' has weak anthocyanin. 'Balfanimfro' has a smaller floret diameter than 'Designer Salmon Rose'. 'Balfanimfro' differs slightly in flower colour from 'Designer Salmon Rose'.

Description:

'Balfanimfro' has a semi-upright growth habit with tall plant height and medium to wide plant width. The stems are green in colour, medium in thickness and have dense to very dense pubescence. The leaf blade is short in length and medium in width. The leaf base is closed and the margin is crenate. The margin incisions are shallow in depth. There are a few to medium number of leaf lobes which are shallow to medium in depth. The leaf blade margin has medium waviness. The upper side of the leaf blade has dense pubescence and is medium green in colour with no variegation. The zone on the upper side is very weak in conspicuousness, green in colour and in the normal position. The petiole is short to medium in length and has dense pubescence.

The inflorescence of 'Balfanimfro' is in the salmon colour group. The inflorescence is medium to large in diameter. The peduncle is short to medium in length, has dense pubescence and has medium anthocyanin colouration. The buds are elliptic in shape. The florets are semi-double and medium to large in diameter. The petal margins are entire and the lower petal width is medium to broad. The lower petals have no markings present and have a very small white zone at the base. The upper petals have weak to medium striped markings present and a very small white zone at the base. The pedicel is short to medium in length, has dense pubescence, is light red in the middle third and has no swelling present. The sepal has medium to dense pubescence and is green in colour with red at the base.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balfanimfro' originated in a controlled breeding program during March 1999 at Arroyo Grande, California, USA. The female parent was the variety 'Fissil', characterized by its single magenta coloured flowers, medium green coloured foliage and compact growth habit. The male parent was the variety 'Clips Light Lav', characterized by its semi-double, light lavender coloured flowers, dark green coloured foliage and compact growth habit. The initial selection was made in February 2000 and asexual propagation has been conducted through the use of vegetative cuttings.

Tests & Trials: 'Balfanimfro' was tested in a polyhouse during the spring of 2005, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants of the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings planted into 15 cm pots on April 21, 2005. All colour measurements were made using the RHS Colour Chart 2001. Measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Balfanimfro' with reference variety 'Designer Salmon Rose'

Floret diameter (cm)

Colour of upper side of lower petal (RHS)

Colour of lower side (RHS)

Colour of upper side of upper petal (RHS)

Colour of upper side of inner petal (RHS)