'Fenghong Nichang' Flowering Crabapple
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HORTSCIENCE 54(7):1260–1262. 2019. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13897-19 Province of China. Because Malus seeds need cold stratification, we placed these seeds under moisture sand at –5 to 10 °C until ‘Fenghong Nichang’ Flowering radicles emerged. We then sowed them on raising beds in the field in Spring 2010 Crabapple at the National Crabapple Germplasm Ge- netic Center (Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China) Junjun Fan (Table 1). From 1,251 seedlings in 2012, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; one double-flowered seedling was observed Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing and selected for further evaluation. In 2013 Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; and Department of Horticulture, and 2014, the plant consistently exhibited University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 15 to 25 petals per flower, and we named this individual plant ‘Fenghong Nichang’ Wangxiang Zhang (Fig. 1). From 2013 through 2015, we also College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; budded it into the popular rootstock, M. hupehensis, seedlings for 3 consecutive years. Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing In 2016 and 2017, 177 budded plants showed Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; and Yangzhou Crabapple the same flowering characteristics. From 2014 Horticulture Limited Company, Yangzhou 225200, China to 2015, we also conducted regional experi- ments in Shandong and Anhui Provinces Donglin Zhang (Table 1). ‘Fenghong Nichang’ showed the Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 same flowering characteristics in these places. Malus halliana has a long cultiva- 1 Ting Zhou, Hao Jiang, Guibin Wang , and Fuliang Cao tion history in China. It has showy blossoms, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; rich flower colors, and pendulous flowers. and Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, ‘Fenghong Nichang’ contained three to five Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China times as many petals as its maternal parent, M. halliana (Table 1). The breeding and Additional index words. flowering crabapple, new cultivar, double flower selection of ‘Fenghong Nichang’ took 8 years, and all budded plants retained their unique flowering features. The grafted seed- Flowering crabapple is the broad-sense including the outstanding ‘Branzam’ (rose lings grew vigorously, exhibited good adap- term for plants from the genus Malus (Rosa- type double-flowered), ‘Van Eseltine’ (pink tation to high temperatures, and had no ceae) that have a small fruit diameter (#5 doubles), and ‘Kelsey’ (red doubles). Woody serious pest and disease. cm). They have colorful, attractive blossoms ornamental plant breeding is extremely chal- (purple, red, pink, white, etc.) as well as fruits lenging and each new flowering crabapple Description of outstanding ornamental value of purple, cultivar took 10 or more years to be in- red, pink, orange, yellow, and green, among troduced. Although many professional and The unique ornamental characteristics of others (Fiala, 1994). Because of their rich independent breeders are working on flower- the ‘Fenghong Nichang’ are double and cultural heritage and strong environmental ing crabapple breeding in the United States, pinkish flowers (Fig. 1A). Among the exist- adaptability, flowering crabapples have been China, and several other countries, the yield ing cultivars, the one that has the most sim- widely cultivated in our landscapes and of new cultivars has been limited in recent ilar traits to ‘Fenghong Nichang’ is ‘Van gardens. In China, flowering crabapples, years. There is still a scarcity of double- Eseltine’. ‘Van Eseltine’, the offspring of peonies, plum flowers, and orchids have been flowered flowering crabapples. In the past M. ·arnoldiana and M. spectabilis,isan elected as the four greatest spring blossoms 20 years, only two new double-flowered excellent cultivar with pinkish double flower, (Wang, 2010). Unlike some members in the flowering crabapple cultivars, ‘Spring Bride’ which is widely used in our landscapes and rose family with mutation into double (Spongberg, 1996) and ‘Jarmin’ (Jarmin, gardens. However, ‘Fenghong Nichang’ has flowers, such as roses (Bendahmane et al., 2003), were released into the U.S. market. 10 to 15 more petals per flower than ‘Van 2013; Dubois et al., 2010), flowering cherries It is important to breed new flowering Eseltine’. In addition, the fruit color of (Zhou et al., 2008), and ornamental peaches crabapple cultivars with multiple-layers of ‘Fenghong Nichang’ is brown in autumn, (Cao et al., 2009; Fang et al., 2008; Werner petals and novel flower shapes because these whereas the fruit color of ‘Van Eseltine’ is et al, 2001), double-flowered mutations of traits are rare and desireable. The emergence yellow (Table 2). flowering crabapples are rare, resulting in of new flower traits should increase the Habit. The tree has reddish-brown only a few double-flowered cultivars avail- diversity and extend bloom duration of flow- branches and an upright spreading canopy, able in today’s market. The book Flowering ering crabapples. It is especially beneficial to reaching a height of 4 m and a width of 1.8 m Crabapple by Fiala (1994) recorded nearly establish special flowering crabapple collec- in 8 years. 1,200 flowering crabapple cultivars with less tion gardens in China to bring more visitors. Foliage. Foliage is green, leathery, ellip- than 5% of them were semidouble or double- ‘Fenghong Nichang’ (Note: Nichang in Chi- tic (7.1–8.0 cm in length, 2.6–3.2 cm in flowered. Most of these double-flowered nese refers to the elegant dress worn by a width, with a length/width ratio of 2.5), short cultivars were developed in North America, beautiful princess) is a new flowering cra- petiole (1.0–1.3 cm), no lobes, and a serrate bapple cultivar released from the flowering margin. The adaxial leaf surface exhibits a crabapple breeding program of Nanjing For- showy glossy appearance (Fig. 1B). Leaf estry University in Jiangsu, China. It is an blades are green on the surface and moder- Received for publication 17 Jan. 2019. Accepted excellent double-flowered flowering crabap- ately glossy. There is no special ornamental for publication 4 Mar. 2019. ple cultivar with three to five layers of value in fall. This project is funded by the Priority Academic wrinkled petals. Flower. This cultivar has loaded flowers. Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Educa- tion Institution (PAPD) (164010189) and the Na- Each umbel inflorescence has five flowers. tional Germplasm Center of Crabapple in China Origin Each flower has 15 to 25 wrinkled petals, and (164010065). the corollas are deep cup-shaped. Petals are 1Corresponding author. E-mail: guibinwang99@ In Fall 2009, we collected more than elliptical, overlapping, and have prominent 163.com. 1,500 seeds of the Malus halliana in Henan venation. Flowers are large (3.5–6.0 cm in 1260 HORTSCIENCE VOL. 54(7) JULY 2019 Table 1. Performance of Malus ‘Fenghong Nichang’ under various test sites with climate conditions. Climate condition (2013–18) Maximum Minimum Rainfall Grafting survival Is flower trait Location temp (°C) temp (°C) (mm) rate (%) stable? Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province (32.40N, 119.41E) 38 –6 1048 93.2% Yes Liaocheng, Shandong Province (36.45N, 115.98E) 37 –11 540 90.5% Yes Hefei, Anhui Province (31.82N, 117.22E) 37 –10 1035 92.0% Yes Climate condition data form National Meteorological information center (http://data.cma.cn/) Fig. 1. Characteristics of flower, fruit, and foliage of ‘Fenghong Nichang’ crabapple. Table 2. Comparisons of flower and fruit traits from Malus ‘Fenghong Nichang’, M. ‘Vans Eseltine’, and its maternal parent M. halliana. Taxa M. ‘Fenghong Nichang’ M. ‘Van Eseltine’ M. halliana Petals/flower 15–25 10–15 5 Flower bud color Dark pink Dark pink Dark red Petal color Reddish-purple (64B) Reddish-purple (67D) Pink Wrinkled petal Yes No No Corolla shape Cup Saucer Saucer Petal shape Elliptical Ovate Elliptical Fruit color Brown Yellow Brown diameter) with petals held in a horizontal Cultivation and pest management. This with a low rate of production difficulty. position, five pistils, and numerous stamens cultivar prefers full sun, flat land, and a good Damage to young tips and leaves caused (usually 30) (Fig. 1C). Flower buds are dark depth of loose, rich, sandy soil with good by apple aphids, spider mites, and apple rust pink (RHS-61B) (Royal Horticultural drainage. It is suitable for planting in U.S. are rare. To prevent aphids, the surfaces of Society, 2007). At anthesis, the marginal area Department of Agriculture Cold Hardiness the leaves can be sprayed with 50% Pimir- of the inner side of the petal is reddish-purple Zones 4 through 9. The plant is primarily icarb wettable powder (Kesheng, Yancheng, (RHS-N74C), the middle zone of the inner propagated by budding with M. hupehensis Jiangsu) at 2000· dilution. To prevent spi- side is purple (RHS-75C), the basal zone of as the rootstock. Buds should be greater than der mites, the surface of the leaves can be the inner side of the petal is reddish-purple 0.5 cm in diameter for grafting. Scion buds sprayed with 1.8% Abamectin emulsion (RHS-62D), and the color of the outer side is from current year’s healthy hardwood (Kesheng, Yancheng, Jiangsu) at 1000· di- light pink (RHS-N74B). Sepals are uncurl- branches should be used, and grafting lutions. Spraying the surface of the leaves ing, magenta in color, and glabrous. The time should be performed from August to Sep- with 20% Triadimefon emulsion (New Sun, of beginning of flowering (10% open flowers) tember. When grafting, buds need to be Chengdu, Sichuan) at 2000· dilutions can is early April in Jiangsu, China. wrapped in plastic cover to prevent water prevent apple rust. Trunk borers have not Fruit. The fruits are brown, ovoid, and loss, and the graft should be exposed to air been observed.