African Sunshine

Kalanchoë

Variety Description

Description:

PLANT: tall to very tall, narrow to medium width

LEAF: medium length, medium to broad width, tripartite pinnated, dark green on upper side, medium green on lower side, very weak or no anthocyanin colouration, concave cross-section, no twisting of longitudinal axis, medium thickness
LEAF MARGINS: biserrate, medium to deep incisions
LEAF APEX: acute, incurving to straight attitude

FLOWERING SHOOT: medium number to many lateral shoots of first order, very early flowering, medium number of flowers of highest pleiochasium
FLOWER: double, medium diameter
COROLLA LOBES: medium length, medium to broad width, yellow (RHS 8A) upper side, light yellow (RHS 6D) lower side

ANTHERS: not prominent

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'African Sunshine' is the product of a controlled breeding program conducted in Hinnerup, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program was to create new kalanchoe varieties with large flowers, numerous petals, attractive colour and excellent postproduction longevity. The female parent of 'African Sunshine' was a proprietary selection of Kalanchloe blossfeldiana x K. laciniata, an interspecific hybrid designated 'KJ 2000 0716', having single-type flowers with 4 petals per flower. The male parent, the K. blossfeldiana variety 'Monroe', has the multi-petalled, double-type flower characteristic. 'African Sunshine', which had the breeder's reference designation KJ 2003 0761, was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the cross.

Tests & Trials: The detailed description of 'African Sunshine' is based on the UPOV report of Technical Examination, application number 20041547, grant of rights number 18051, purchased from the Community Plant Variety Office, Angers, France. The trials were conducted by the Bundessortenamt in Hannover, Germany, in 2005. Colour determinations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart.

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Kalanchoë: 'African Sunshine'