The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisupnic Mapink’.
‘Fisupnic Mapink’ is a product of a planned breeding program and originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Birgit C. Hofmann, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in 2000.
The female parent was the variety ‘Fisimp 131’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,714), and characterized by round, rose-red flowers, medium green foliage, and about medium sized, round and tight plant habit.
The male parent of ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ was the variety ‘Fisnics Light Pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,579), having light pink flowers with a small purple eye, medium green foliage, small leaves, and medium sized, dense plant habit.
‘Fisupnic Mapink’ was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor in April 2001 in a greenhouse in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in July 2001 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, or under the supervision of the inventor.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from these cuttings initiated in the spring of 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.
‘Fisupnic Mapink’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length, without, however, any variation in genotype. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under green house conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fisupnic Mapink’, which in combination distinguish this impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:                1. light pink to nearly white, somewhat variable flower color;        2. very large, round, flat flowers;        3. medium green foliage;        4. tall, and very well-branched, round plant habit; and        5. about medium (mid season) flowering response.        
Of the many commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ is the parental variety ‘Fisnics Light Pink’ and the commercial variety ‘Celebrette Appleblossom’ (unpatented).
In comparison to ‘Fisnics Light Pink’, ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ has larger flowers, of basically similar, but more variable, flower color, with a less distinct purple eye. Additionally, ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ grows considerably taller.
In comparison to ‘Celebrette Appleblossom’, the flower color of ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ is a less deep pink. Furthermore, plants of ‘Fisupnic Mapink’ grow distinctly taller.
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