Geranium plant named `Lilac Chiffon`

#The present invention comprises a new and distinct Geranium cultivar, botanically known as Pelargonium.times.hortorum Bailey, and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name `Lilac Chiffon`.

#The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objective of the creation of a Geranium cultivar that exhibits uniform flowers, medium green foliage, a medium self-branching growth habit that requires no growth regulator, a propensity for rapid rooting, and stable foliage coloration during shipment.

#The breeding program that resulted in the production of the new cultivar of the present invention was carried out in a controlled environment during 1992 at Arroyo Grande, Calif., U.S.A. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) was a plant designated 3412-21 (non-patented in the United States) which exhibits single lavender florets with dark green foliage. The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the `Precious` cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,005) which exhibits semi-double light lavender florets with white eyes and medium green foliage. The parentage of the new `Lilac Chiffon` cultivar can be summarized as follows:

#The accompanying photographs show the new `Lilac Chiffon` cultivar with colors being as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character. The plants were being grown in greenhouses at West Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.

#FIG. 1 illustrates the general appearance of an overall plant as seen primarily from above.

#FIG. 2 illustrates the general appearance of a typical floret wherein the lavender coloration and white eye are shown.

#The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Ball FloraPlant's greenhouses located at West Chicago, Ill., U.S.A., under conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice. In the following description, color references are made to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined between 11:00 and 11:45 a.m. on Jan. 3, 1995, under natural light conditions of 2,000 footcandles.

#Classification:

#Botanical.--Pelargonium.times.hortorum Bailey, cv. `Lilac Chiffon`.