Miniature rose plant cv Aroprawn

Abstract

A rose plant of the hybrid miniature class, having a unique petal coloration of soft cream edged with a delicate purple cultivated primarily for garden decoration. This invention relates to a hybrid miniature roseplant cv. Aroprawn. The plant is a dwarf bush outdoor seedling cultivated primarily for garden decoration. The seed parent was "Foxy Lady" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,762) and the pollen parent was "Deep Purple" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,672). The plant was hybridized by Jack E. Christensen in Ontario, Calif., by crossing "Foxy Lady" and "Deep Purple." The descriptive and comparative references to this plant and its bloom hereinafter will relate to plants of the same class grown in this region. This variety preserves its distinguishing characteristics through succeeding propagations, by cuttings and budding. This new variety is most readily distinguished from its seed parent, Foxy Lady (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,762), by the combination of the following characteristics. Whereas Foxy Lady produces flowers of a relatively uniform coral pink coloration, the new rose bears flowers of a cream coloration bordered with soft pink essentially as described and illustrated herein. The new variety produces a low bush, whereas Foxy Lady becomes significantly taller (almost twice as big as the Aroprawn rose plant in both height and breadth); nevertheless both are classified as miniature hybrids. Whereas Foxy Lady produces very ovoid, short buds, the buds of the new cultivar are proportionately longer and less ovoid. The Aroprawn rose plant produces abundant, moderately heavy foliage whereas the foliage of Foxy Lady has a significantly heavier and more leathery texture. The new variety differs from its pollen parent, Deep Purple (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,672), most notably in the following respects. Whereas the new rose cv. Aroprawn bears flowers of a cream coloration bordered with soft pink, as described and illustrated herein, its pollen parent Deep Purple bears flowers of a relatively uniform deep purple-pink coloration. Deep Purple is classified as a floribunda and bears flowers of 21/2 to 31/2 inch diameter, the new seedling is classified as a miniature and bears significantly smaller flowers of a 11/2 to 2 inch diameter. Whereas the new rose bears flowers of 20 to 25 petals, Deep Purple bears flowers of significantly higher petalage (32 to 40). Whereas the new rose has moderately heavy, semi-glossy small foliage, Deep Purple has significantly heavier, moderately large, leathery foliage with a glossy surface.

I claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the hybrid miniature class, substantially as herein shown and described, and being especially characterized in that its consistently classically formed flowers are produced in good proportion to the foliage and plant; its abundant and nearly continual production of flowers borne both singly and in clusters, well above the foliage; its consistently low, round, well-branched bush; its attractive and abundant semi-glossy foliage clothes even the lower branches and in its unique petal coloration of soft cream edge with a delicate pink.