Fruit diameter of triploid and tetraploid Malus spp. accessions were evaluated based on ploidy and seed number. Pome size in relation to seed number and ploidy level was evaluated using Tukeys HSD in R. With 95% confidence, pome diameter was not impacted by seed number in these selections (Tukey’s HSD...
Lilacs are a group of ornamental trees and shrubs in the Oleaceae family consisting of 22 to 30 species. There are six series within genus Syringa: Pubescentes, Villosae, Ligustrae, Ligustrina, Pinnatifoliae, and Syringa. Fertility and cross-compatibility among cultivars, species, and series have yet to be formally investigated. Over three years,...
Landscape plants are highly diverse and nursery producers often grow thousands of taxa to satisfy the varied needs and aesthetic tastes of consumers. Related to this diversity, ornamental plant breeders must be nimble and diverse in their approach. Two seemingly disparate studies were conducted to investigate improving ornamental shrubs –...
Oregon State University campus grounds have long been admired for their beauty and the diversity of over 65,000 individual woody plants that grace the 570 acres of campus. The woody plant collection has provided a living learning laboratory for the university and surrounding community for decades. The campus grounds include...
The common cherrylaurel (Prunus laurocerasus) and Portuguese cherrylaurel (P. lusitanica) are economically important landscape shrubs across the United States. To gain a better understanding of physiology and morphology in these higher level polyploids (P. lusitanica, 2n = 8x; P. laurocerasus, 2n =22x), a variety of breeding experiments were performed. The...
Hibiscus and lilacs (Syringa spp.) are economically important nursery crops in the US that accounted for 4.5 million units ($30 million) and 2 million units ($20 million), respectively (USDA, 2016). To maintain and expand the market share of ornamental plants such as lilacs and Hibiscus, novel performance, floral ornamental value,...
Cotoneaster is an ornamental shrub valued for showy flowers, berries and architecture as well as the ability tolerate adverse conditions under which other taxa fail. Cotoneaster is a highly diverse genus of over 400 species, of which few are available in the US nursery trade. Some species commercially available have...
Hereditary variation is a vital component in the development of new and improved cultivars of landscape plants. Sources of hereditary variation include naturally occurring variation, recombination due to controlled crosses, artificial mutagenesis, and genetic modification via biotechnology. Here I explore all methods with the exception of genetic modification via biotechnology....
Buddleja davidii (butterfly bush) is a highly adaptable landscape plant known for pollinator attraction. Unfortunately, it is also regarded as an invasive plant in highly disturbed environments across the globe. It is an invasive species in Oregon, officially classified as a class B noxious weed in 2004. Currently the state...
Prunus laurocerasus, commonly known as cherrylaurel, is a woody shrub grown in temperate climates for its durability and landscape appeal. Due to its abundance of drupes that are spread by birds, cherrylaurel is a litter nuisance in cultivation and also has escaped cultivation such that it has naturalized. Furthermore, it...