Spontaneous changes a basis for new ornamental woody plant cultivars

Abstract

In nursery stock production of some ornamental woody plants the appearance of spontaneous variability was identified in the form of atypical pigmentation of leaves (albinism, variegated, red colored), leaves shape (jaggy) and dwarfs. Mutated plants with variegated leaves were observed among hybrid plane (Platanus x acerifolia (Ait.) Willd.), Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.), laurel cherry (Prunus laurocerasus L.) and Lawson false-cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Murr.) Parl.) Seedlings. The type of variegation and frequency were analyzed. Among plane tree and Siberian elm seedlings there were observed red colored leaves. Atypical, jaggy shaped leaves were found among laurel cherry seedlings. Dwarf growth was identified at Siberian elm and birch (Betula pendula Roth.) where also found fruits at one year seedling. There were not significant differences in some morphological and physiological properties in plane tree seedlings with various pigmented leaves. .

Keywords

• ornamental woody plants
• pigmentation
• dwarf growth
• mineral content