What is a cultivar and why do I need to know about cultivars?
A cultivar (cultivated variety) is a plant that was produced by selective breeding. In other words, humans bred the plant to achieve certain qualities such as sweeter fruit, higher grain yield, brighter flowers or better disease resistance. Selective breeding has it's benefits, but there are also downsides, including loss of genetic diversity.
In terms of landscaping, cultivars are typically designed to please people and increase revenue for the horticultural industry. They may not be capable of supporting native insects, birds and other wildlife. For example, purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is native to much of the midwest, east and southeastern United States. As a native plant, it produces nectar and pollen that are important food sources for native bees, butterflies and other pollinators. However, some cultivars of purple coneflower are sterile and do not produce pollen. The nectar they produce is inaccessible to pollinators, due to the shape of the petals.
To support wildlife, choose original varieties of native plants, not the cultivars (cultivated varieties) when possible.
A cultivar (cultivated variety) is a plant that was produced by selective breeding. In other words, humans bred the plant to achieve certain qualities such as sweeter fruit, higher grain yield, brighter flowers or better disease resistance. Selective breeding has it's benefits, but there are also downsides, including loss of genetic diversity.
In terms of landscaping, cultivars are typically designed to please people and increase revenue for the horticultural industry. They may not be capable of supporting native insects, birds and other wildlife. For example, purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is native to much of the midwest, east and southeastern United States. As a native plant, it produces nectar and pollen that are important food sources for native bees, butterflies and other pollinators. However, some cultivars of purple coneflower are sterile and do not produce pollen. The nectar they produce is inaccessible to pollinators, due to the shape of the petals.
To support wildlife, choose original varieties of native plants, not the cultivars (cultivated varieties) when possible.
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How can I tell a native plant from a cultivar? Cultivars typically have a marketing name in single quotation marks. Example: Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Giant' is a plant that is a cultivar of native Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower) and the cultivar's marketing name is 'Ruby Giant.' Some cultivars may not have a marketing name in single quotation marks. Instead, the plant tag may include the TM or R symbol or the acronym PPAF or PVR. All of these letters indicate that the plant is a cultivar, not an original native species. |
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In summary...
Native plants evolved in the area where they are growing. They were already here before Europeans arrived. Introduced plants were imported from another country or another region of the US.
Cultivars are selectively bred from either a native plant or an introduced plant. In terms of the benefits to the eco-system:
- a native plant is better than a cultivar of a native plant
- a native plant is better than an introduced plant or a cultivar of an introduced plant
Native plants evolved in the area where they are growing. They were already here before Europeans arrived. Introduced plants were imported from another country or another region of the US.
Cultivars are selectively bred from either a native plant or an introduced plant. In terms of the benefits to the eco-system:
- a native plant is better than a cultivar of a native plant
- a native plant is better than an introduced plant or a cultivar of an introduced plant