Camelot®, 'Guinzam' Guinevere® and 'Lanzam' Lance- 

 lot® (PP8056I. These crabs generally mature around 10' 

 tail by 8' spread. Flower color ranges from white to vivid 

 pink and fruit color can be red or yellow. Resistance to 

 foliar diseases was also part of their selection process. 



SEEDLING SELECTION 



This type of selection can be intentional or stumbled 

 upon simply through keen observation. In any case, 

 plants propagated by seed often exhibit variations within 

 the seedling blocks. Rates of growth, leaf size, leaf 

 color, branching habit, and fall color are just a few of the 

 possible differences Once an interesting seedling is cho- 

 sen, a period of evaluation follows. At Bailey Nurseries, 

 we maintain a two-acre farm where selections are 

 planted for extended observation. 



Examples of plants introduced this way are our Carou- 

 sel series of barberries. The Burgundy CarouseRM and 

 Ruby CarouselTM varieties were the result of selection 

 from Berberis tkunbergi atropurpurea seedlings. Seedling- 

 grown red-leaf barberry can show many variations. Bur- 

 gundy Carousel™ foliage is quite dark purple, somewhat 

 flat with respect to leaf luster, and matures to 3' tall with 

 a spread of 4-5', Ruby Carousel^" foliage, by contrast, is 

 a brighter red and has a luster to the leaf surface. It is 

 slightly more compact, with mature plants measuring 3'- 

 3 1/2' tall by 3 1/2' wide. Both varieties are hardy to 

 zone four. Emerald Carousel^" resulted from observing a 

 seedling that exhibited characteristics of both Berberis 

 koreana (Korean barberry) and B. thunbergi (lapanese 

 green-leafed barberry). The preferred flowering and fruit- 

 ing of the Korean barberry combined well with the form 

 of lapanese green-leafed. The seedling was evaluated for 

 form, fall color, hardiness, and resistance to wheat rust. 

 A mature plant will reach 4'-5' tall with an equal spread. 

 Fall color is outstanding. It is rated to zone four. 



Acer platanoides 'Pond' Emerald Lustre® maple 

 (PP4837), in the marketplace for several years, is also the 

 result of a superior seedling. It was chosen for commer- 

 cial introduction because of its vigorous growth rate, 

 glossy foliage, excellent branching habit, and consistent 

 hardiness in zone four. 



A more recent introduction is Ti/ia amerkana 'Bailyard' 

 Frontyard^M linden. This selection of our native American 

 linden or basswood was based on its symmetrical branch- 

 ing habit and overall height and spread. Although still a 

 large tree, it will mature around 60'-75' with a 40' spread, 

 which is shorter and more compact than the species. 



GENETIC MUTATION/PLANT SPORTS 



Observation is the operative word for this method! At 

 Bailey's, our employees are encouraged to identify 

 any plants with unusual features that may appear in the 

 fields. These plants would then be moved to an area 



where they would be watched and evaluated. Plants 

 could exhibit variegated foliage, contorted/dwarfed or 

 weeping form, dissected leaves, single vs. double flowers, 

 etc. This list can include many characteristics and many of 

 our more unusual plants came about through someone's 

 keen observation of a genetic mutation. 



Cornus alba 'Bailhalo,' or Ivory Halo® dogwood 

 (PP8722), resulted from genetic mutation of Cornus alba 

 'Argenteo-marginata.' The Ivory Halo dogwood has a 

 variegated leaf (green-and-white), the same as varie- 

 gated European dogwood, but its internodes are very 

 closely spaced, resulting in a fuller, more compact 

 plant. Overall size is 5'-6' tall by 8'-9' wide. 



Hosta varieties are very popular these days and 

 new selections keep appearing. Many hostas result 

 from breeding programs, but an unusual phenomenon 

 called "tissue culture sports" (genetic mutations occur- 

 ring on tissue cultured plants) is accounting for some 

 new introductions. This type of irregularity is fairly 

 common with hosta and some breeders look forward 

 to the process as a way to find sports. Once these 

 sports are identified, they must be grown out for a 

 period of time to determine how they differ from ex- 

 isting cultivars and to assure stability of the new fea- 

 ture. A tissue culture plantlet could be grown out for 

 three years and then observed for perhaps an addi- 

 tional five to ten before being commercially intro- 

 duced. Hosta 'Northern Exposure' and H. 'Northern 

 Halo'Ti^ both resulted from tissue culture sports of H. 

 sieboldiana 'Elegans.' H. 'Patriot' is the result of a natu- 

 rally occurring field sport of H. 'Francee.' 'Patriot' dif- 

 fers from 'Francee' by having a much wider leaf margin 

 that is a very striking white. 



Witches' brooms have provide many wonderful op- 

 portunities for new selections, especially with ever- 

 greens. P/hms strobus (Eastern white pine) and Picea abies 

 (Norway spruce) are two evergreens that experience 

 considerable variation. Our landscapes have been re- 

 warded with dwarf, contorted, weeping, or upright 

 forms and needles that can be extra long, very short, 

 variegated, twisted, blue, green, yellow, and so on. 

 New selections continue to appear. 



New plants can be very exciting and rewarding. 

 Landscape architects can use selections/cultivars with 

 confidence, knowing that the expected form, color, 

 texture etc. will be consistent through a specific de- 

 sign. Home owners can buy any number of new variet- 

 ies and look forward to reduced spraying (improved 

 disease resistance), less pruning (more compact 

 habit), or longer lasting color in the landscape. Plant 

 diversity is incredible! 



Carol Lorenz, Northeast sales representative for Bailey Nurseries, 

 Inc., of St. Paul, Minnesota, lives in Center Ossipee, 

 New Hampshire. You can contact her {via voice mail) at 

 1-800-829-8898, extension 357. 



THE PLANTSMA 



