New Plant Introductions: What is Involved for the NDSU Woody Plant Improvement Program?
Todd P. West, Ph.D. NDSU WPIP Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. NDSU WPIP Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. Germplasm Sources
• Good eye • Most selections are made just by driving around and finding something different than the species and more interesting. • Foreign and domestic seed sources – Growing out seedling populations and selecting individuals with superior attributes. • Plant breeding
– Traditional breeding including F2 populations to observe segregation of traits. – Hybridizing • Both intra- and interspecific hybridization • In Vitro Tissue Culture – Somaclonal variation – Embryo rescue – Mutagenesis – Protoplast fusion
- Seed Collection Site ND Latitude Coordinates ~ 46 – 48° N
- Seed Collection Site Breeding Efforts
• Include mutagenic breeding – Chemical Induced (polyploidy, DNA mutation) – Gamma radiation (DNA mutation) • Traditional breeding efforts – Magnolia – Maple – Elderberry • Protoplast Fusion
Spring Welcome® Magnolia Magnolia x loebneri ‘Ruth’
Interspecific Crosses • Take advantage of one species hardiness to make a progeny with a species with less hardiness. • Example: – Hardy: Acer pseudosieboldianum (Korean Maple) – Not hardy: A. palmatum (Japanese Maple) – Acer pseudosieboldianum x palmatum 'Hasselkus' Northern Glow® Maple - J.F. Schmidt & Son Co.
Bred by Dr. Ed Hasselkus at UW- Madison, this hybrid seedling originated from seed of the Korean maple but has more of the appearance of Japanese Maple. Its graceful spreading form is attractive in summer green, then comes aglow with bright fall colors. Acer palmatum x A. pseudosieboldianum
Northern Spotlight™ Korean Maple Acer pseudosieboldianum ‘KorDak’
• NDSU release. • Very winter hardy Korean Maple selection. • 7-9 palmately lobed simple leaf • Potential to fill void of winter hardy Japanese Maples. • Retention of leaves throughout winter months – may assist in winter sun protection.
Photo by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Photos by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Sambucus nigra ‘Gerda’ Black Beauty™ Elderberry Sambucus nigra ‘NDSU TS14019’ Elderberry Groundcover Black Lace™ ‘Madonna’
‘Hillier’s Dwarf’ Lemon Lace™ Syringa (Lilac) Protoplast Fusion Creamy-white flowers Sparse fragrance Pink flowers Highly fragrant Tetraploid Syringa ‘Dancing Druid’ NDSU WPIP Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. North Dakota Evaluation Sites
Carrington
Dickinson Absaraka
- Primary Research Evaluation Sites - Secondary Research Evaluation Sites NDSU Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum Source: USDA, 2011; http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/ Objectives 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. Northern Empress® Japanese Elm Ulmus davidiana var. japonica ‘Burgundy Glow’ • 2014 NDSU release • 28 x 24’ • Slower growth rate than species • Excellent consistent burgundy red fall color • Minimally affected by black leaf spot of elm • Japanese elm has an inherent resistance to elm leaf beetles and Dutch Elm Disease (DED) • Evaluated at NDSU Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum since 1980
Early apricot-orange fall foliage. Later burgundy-red fall foliage. Cinnamon Curls® Dwarf Korean Birch Betula costata ‘CinnDak’
• 2014 NDSU release • 8 x 8’ (after 25+ years) • Dense oval rounded habit • Exfoliating bark similar to Fox Valley® (‘Little King’) River Birch (marginal hardiness in USDA zones 3-4) • Evaluated at NDSU Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum since 1985. Fall color
Photo by Todd West, NDSU Photos by Todd West, NDSU Photo by Greg Morgenson, NDSU
NDSU Accession – 1985
Morton Accession – 1995
Photo by Todd West, NDSU September Flare™ Sugar Maple Acer saccharum ‘SeptDak’ • 2015 NDSU release. • Begins to shut down and color by Sept 15th
Photo by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Photo by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Lavaburst™ Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra ‘LavaDak’
• 2015 NDSU release. • 2012 - 2013 with drought, no leaf scorch. • 12’ wide • Being evaluated by Carlton Plants, LLC (Dayton, OR)
Photos by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Photos by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Photos by Greg Morgenson, NDSU Photo by Greg Morgenson, NDSU NDSU WPIP Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. How does it propagate? How does it grow? NDSU WPIP Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. Trademark and Registering Name • New selections are released through the North Dakota State University Research Foundation. • Introductions are trademarked and registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and with the Canadian Ornamental Plant Foundation (COPF).
Why Trademark? • Over time they provide significant value or well- known brand name (brand equity). • Increasingly effective in maintaining differentiation in the marketplace. • Example: – First Editions ® - Bailey Nurseries – Proven Winners ® • Owned by 3 US plant propagators (Euro American in Bonsall, CA; Four Star Greenhouse in Carleton, MI; and Pleasant View Gardens in Loudon, NH). • On a retail sales level, Proven Winners ® and Proven Selections ® sales are greater than a half-billion dollars annually. The plants are available from just about every garden center in North America.
Example • Autumn Blaze® Maple • What is the botanic name?
Photo: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/FullImageDisplay.aspx?documentid=14655 • Acer × freemanii 'Jeffersred’ • How many sold as Jeffersred Maple?
Photo: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/FullImageDisplay.aspx?documentid=14655 JFS-KSU1 Hackberry Anyone? Prairie Sentinel® Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis 'JFS-KSU1’ Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. Done through NDSU Research Foundation. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. Royalties
• Royalties collected by NDSURF • Example: $1.00 royalty per tree – NDSURF Less 10% - fee = $0.90 – NDSURF (30%) = $0.27 – Breeder Share (30%) = $0.27 – NDSU Plant Sciences Department (40%) = $0.36 • NDSU PLSC Royalty Fund (10%) = $0.04 • NDSU WPIP (90%) = $0.32
• If Breeder Share is waived then NDSU WPIP = $0.59
Steps 1. Obtain potential winter-hardy germplasm for evaluation and/or breeding efforts. 2. Replicate evaluations at several sites within North Dakota. 3. Narrow evaluations to most promising selections. 4. When possible, potential final selections are observed by researchers from regional universities and nursery industry personnel to provide additional input. 5. New name cultivar and select potential trademark name. 6. Distribute propagation material to wholesale nursery propagators. 7. License wholesale nursery firms to commercially produce the new woody plant. Done through NDSU Research Foundation. 8. Publish information to make known the new introductions at all levels. http://ndsuresearchfoundation.org/index.aspx http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/plantsciences/ research/introductions
Cinnamon Curls® Dwarf Korean Birch Betula costata ‘CinnDak’ (Family Betulaceae)
Description: A distinctive dwarf selection of Korean birch, which grows in a diminutive, compact, single stemmed form. Attractive creamy white exfoliating bark with cinnamon colored undersides curling in strips. Cold hardy and tolerant of higher pH soils.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 4a – 6, 3b with trial
Mature Size: Height: 9’, Spread 9’
Form (Shape): Rounded compact growth habit.
Growth Rate: Slow
Foliage: Deciduous Summer: Bright green Autumn: Bright golden-yellow.
Texture: Medium
Flowers: Monoecious, male flowers are catkins formed late summer on current season growth; female flowers are spring formed on new season growth. Not ornamental.
Fruit: Strobiles which release small winged nutlets at maturity.
Light Preferences: Full sun to very light shade.
Soil Preferences: Performs best in well-drained soil and is tolerant of higher pH soils without chlorosis.
Propagation: Side graft on compatible rootstocks, tissue culture.
Insects and Diseases: Bronze birch borer is present and has not affected Cinnamon Curls® to this age (28 years) while many other species and cultivars in close proximity have been attacked and killed. No diseases noted.
Ornamental Attributes: Distinctive dwarf birch with attractive exfoliating bark noticeable in all seasons but especially during the winter months when the tree is without foliage and the trunk and branches are fully viewable.
Landscape Attributes: Recommended use in limited space landscapes such as business and home entryways, patios, and small outdoor living space areas where an attractive focal point plant is desired.
Comments: Cinnamon Curls® is adapted to conditions of greater cold and higher pH soils where the Betula nigra cultivars ‘Little King’ and Tecumseh Compact™ do not perform well or are not fully hardy.
Availability: Pending PROBLEMS Retail Garden Center
Client Wholesale Nursery
NDSU WPIP
Northern Great Plains – Too Small of a Market Fall Grandeur™ Red Maple Acer rubrum “Minnkota’ (Family Sapindaceae)
Description: A very winter hardy, adapted red maple selection originating from a Minnesota seed source. Fall Grandeur™ has performed well for over 35 years at its eastern ND planting site with no visible signs of chlorosis on a moderately alkaline pH soil. It has exhibited no trunk sunscald, which affects many other red maple cultivars, and has very good foliage quality throughout the growing season. Fall coloration, while not as intense as lesser or non-adapted red maple cultivars, is a pleasing orange to orange-red in color.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 3b – 6
Mature Size: Height: 35 – 45’, Spread: 16 – 20’
Form (Shape): Upright oval with ascending branch structure.
Growth Rate: Medium
Foliage: Deciduous
Summer: Bright green three lobed leaves.
Autumn: Fall coloration beginning in the third week of September with a scattered yellowish orange color change and continuing to orange to orange-red throughout the crown in early October.
Texture: Medium
Flower: Dense flower clusters with a reddish color appear before the foliage, short-lived spring interest.
Fruit: Two winged samara ripening in late spring, not showy.
Light Preferences: Full sun
Soil Preferences: Tolerant and adaptable but prefers moderately to well drained non-droughty soils with neutral pH, will tolerate higher soil pH levels under good growing conditions.
Propagation: Softwood cuttings.
Ornamental Attributes: A very winter hardy selection with good crown density, upward ascending branch structure, resistance to foliar chlorosis on moderately alkaline soils, and comparatively early annual orange to orange-red fall coloration. Landscape Attributes: Recommended for use as a landscape, public NDSU grounds, parks, schools, and golf course tree wherever tree diversity and adaptability to northern conditions are important.
Comments: Fall Grandeur™ is notable for its resistance to winter trunk sunscald, tolerance to moderately alkaline soils, and lack of leaf scorch 2011 in this northern climate setting. Availability: Pending Release Prairie Statesman® Swiss Stone Pine Pinus cembra 'Herman' (Family: Pinaceae) Description: This five-needled cultivar is a very elegant, stately tree. Its lateral branches curve markedly upward and slightly inward, resulting in a narrowly-erect, strikingly-dense growth habit. Color of needles year-round is a rich emerald-green, with silvery- blue overtones. Prairie Statesman® is extremely cold hardy and drought tolerant making this singularly outstanding specimen evergreen an excellent choice for use as a landscape specimen tree. Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 2b-7. Mature Size: Height: 30’ Spread: 15’ Form (Shape): Narrowly-erect form. Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate Foliage: Rich emerald-green needles with silvery-blue overtones year-round. Texture: Medium to Fine Flower: Inconspicuous, no ornamental value. Fruit: 3” violet-brown cone, which remain on the tree for 3 years. Cones never open. Special Features: Narrowly-erect, strikingly-dense rich emerald- green with silvery-blue overtone growth Light Preferences: Full sun. Soil Preferences: Needs well-drained soil. Propagation: Ornamental Attributes: Prairie Statesman® Swiss Stone Pine has outstanding perfectly symmetrical upright narrow form with a strikingly-dense growth habit. Landscape Attributes: It has increased hardiness and drought tolerance. Resistant to most pests and diseases. Transplants very well and needs little pruning for a strong structure. It is NDSU recommended as a landscape specimen tree. Comments: Originated as a seedling selection. Deer browsing can be an issue with this species. 2002 Availability: Iseli Nursery, Oregon Pride Nurseries, Inc., Sester Farms, Inc. Release ® Prairie Torch Hybrid Buckeye Aesculus x 'Bergeson' (Family: Sapindaceae)
Description: A very winter-hardy hybrid buckeye selected in northwestern Minnesota. Introduced by North Dakota State University in collaboration with Bergeson Nursery, Fertile, MN. Parentage is unknown. In NDSU trials, it grew faster than most buckeye accessions for the first 10 - 15 years. This cultivar is far superior in quality to most seedlings of Ohio Buckeye - Aesculus glabra.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 3 – 7
Mature Size: Height: 30’ Spread: 30’
Form (Shape): Dense, globose form. With age it broadens, becoming more mushroom-shaped.
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage:
Summer: Emerging light green in spring and turning dark green in summer, typical 7 palmately compound leaflets.
Autumn: Brilliant orange-red fall color.
Texture: Medium-Course in leaf, Course in winter.
Flower: Yellow-green 4-7” long panicles in early to mid May.
Fruit: Spiny golf ball sized capsules. Attracts wildlife, especially squirrels.
Light Preferences: Full sun to part shade.
Soil Preferences: Moist well-drained soils, soil pH adaptable.
Propagation: Grafting (including budding) and softwood cuttings.
Ornamental Attributes: High quality foliage which inclines downward in an umbrella-like fashion. This characteristic lends a tropical touch to the tree’s appearance. Consistent brilliant fall color sets this selection apart from the species, which is notoriously inconsistent ranging from green to maroon.
Landscape Attributes: Prairie Torch® Hybrid Buckeye is a dense deciduous tree with a slightly weeping globose form. It is recommended as a boulevard, small shade or landscape specimen tree.
Comments: Buckeyes are drought sensitive and prone to leaf scorch NDSU during hot, dry weather. Provide adequate water during these times. Adding 3-4” layer of mulch is recommended. Prairie Torch® Hybrid Buckeye has shown resistance to leaf scorch. 2003 Availability: Bylands Nurseries Ltd., Jeffries Nurseries, Ltd. Release Northern Tribute® River Birch Betula nigra ‘Dickinson’ (Family: Betulaceae)
Description: An outstanding landscape specimen with its upright rounded habit and ivory bark exfoliating to copper-bronze. Northern Tribute® has shown superior adaptability to stresses of the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. It has shown no signs of winter injury or iron chlorosis in alkaline soils and has performed well in compacted, dry soils, which is extremely atypical of the species and other selected cultivars. Northern Tribute®’s abilities to perform well in compacted, dry soils will greatly open the landscape possibilities of this species.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 3b – 9
Mature Size:
Height: 35’ Spread: 30’
Form (Shape): Upright oval form.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast.
Foliage:
Summer: Lustrous medium to dark green with doubly serrated margin. Autumn: Yellow with high quality foliage.
Texture: Medium
Flower: Slender catkins, no ornamental value.
Fruit: Small nutlet, no ornamental value.
Special Features: Ivory colored bark exfoliates to copper-bronze.
Light Preferences: Full sun.
Soil Preferences: Prefers moist well-drained soil but performs well in compacted, dry soils. It is pH tolerant including alkaline soils.
Propagation: Tissue culture and/or softwood cuttings.
Ornamental Attributes: Upright oval habit is maintained which is different from the rounded habit of species. The ivory with coppery- bronze exfoliating bark is quite striking, which adds multi seasonal interest to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes: Recommended as a landscape specimen tree in more open areas, not limited to moist soils. Many seed sources of River NDSU Birch suffer winter injury in zone 3 and also may die from iron chlorosis in alkaline pH soils, Northern Tribute® has shown no signs of winter injury or iron chlorosis in alkaline soils. 2006 Comments: Seedling selection from western North Dakota from the largest tree of this species observed in the upper Northern Plains. Availability: Pending Release Northern Empress® Japanese Elm Ulmus davidiana var. japonica ‘Burgundy Glow’ (Family Ulmaceae)
Description: A very hardy small to medium sized growing elm with a rounded crown, open branching, and attractive summer and fall foliage. Fall foliage changes from green to apricot-orange to burgundy-red before leaf drop. Size and form permit use in smaller homeowner and business landscapes, parks, and boulevard plantings.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 3 – 6
Mature Size: Height: 28’, Spread: 24’
Form (Shape): Rounded open crown
Growth Rate: Medium
Foliage: Deciduous, leaves are smaller in size than American elm Summer: Medium green Autumn: Advancing fall color changing from an apricot-orange to burgundy-red before leaf drop.
Texture: Medium
Flowers: Non-showy, perfect, appearing before foliage emergence in early spring.
Fruit: Winged samara, brown in color when ripe.
Light Preference: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained soils, pH adaptable and tolerant of higher pH soils. Northern Empress® has shown moderate to good drought tolerance.
Propagation: Grafting, tissue culture or softwood cuttings.
Insects and Diseases: Minimally affected by black leaf spot of elm. Inherent resistance to elm leaf beetles and Dutch Elm Disease (DED).
Ornamental Attributes: Northern Empress® Japanese Elm is a unique, small statured elm selection hardy into UDSA climatic zone 3 with excellent dependable burgundy red fall coloration, unusual among hardy elm cultivars.
Landscape Attributes: Recommended for use as a small to medium NDSU sized ornamental tree in urban landscape planting areas. This is especially relevant where available space or overhead power lines are a concern and where hardiness of other elm cultivars may be an issue.
® 2014 Comments: Northern Empress Japanese elm adds a useful elm cultivar to diversify the availability of elm selections returning to the landscape.
Availability: Pending Release September Flare™ Sugar Maple Acer saccharum ‘SeptDak’ (Family: Sapindaceae)
Description: A very hardy sugar maple seedling selection exhibiting heavy textured tatter resistant foliage, consistent mid-September into early October showy red-orange fall coloration, and excellent winter hardiness in the Northern Plains to -40 °F. This selection originated from a northwest Minnesota native population seed lot and was noted for its early intense fall coloration as a two-year old seedling. Its early coloring capabilities will extend the fall color season.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 3b – 6
Mature Size: Height: 40 – 50’, Spread: 30 – 40’
Form (Shape): Upright oval
Growth Rate: Medium
Foliage: Deciduous Summer: Green to dark green, heavier leaf texture typical of northern prairie sources. Autumn: Fall coloration beginning in the late second to third week of September as an orange-red tint in the upper canopy foliage, spreading to orange-red throughout the tree, and ending with radiant orange-red to red foliage coloration before leaf fall by mid-October.
Texture: Medium
Flower: Produced in drooping corymbs before the leaves emerge. Short- lived spring interest, not overly showy.
Fruit: Two winged samara ripening in fall, not showy.
Light Preferences: Full sun exposure.
Soil Preferences: Prefers a deep, well-drained, non-droughty soil, will tolerate higher pH levels than the species.
Propagation: Summer budding onto northern sugar maple rootstocks.
Ornamental Attributes: A very winter hardy selection with good crown density exhibiting excellent summer foliage quality and outstanding fall coloration of an orange-red to red color. Begins fall coloring before other trees in the landscape extend fall color season.
Landscape Attributes: Recommended for use as a landscape, public grounds, boulevard (larger), parks, schools, and golf course tree, NDSU wherever tree diversity and adaptability to northern conditions are important. Comments: This selection is notable for its early annual display of 2015 excellent reliable fall color, which is photoperiod initiated and not frost dependent in this northern climate setting. Availability: Pending Release Early Coloring Viburnum Viburnum trilobum ‘NDSU XXXX’
Mid September Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org THANK YOU!