Cultivar
/ˈkʌltəˌvɑr/
Definition
Cultivar is a horticultural term for a cultivated plant variety selected for distinct traits, such as flower color, leaf shape, growth habit, or fruit quality, and maintained through propagation. Unlike a naturally occurring botanical variety, a cultivar originates in cultivation or is recognized there. Its name follows the botanical name and is written in single quotes, as in Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'.
Botanical Significance
- Named variation within a species: A cultivar marks a selected form within a plant species or hybrid group, helping growers and botanists separate stable garden traits from natural wild variation.
- Trait consistency depends on propagation: Many are maintained by cuttings, grafting, or tissue culture so leaf color, flower form, or growth habit stay consistent. Seed-grown offspring may not match the parent selection.
- Useful for identification: Cultivar names make it easier to recognize plants that look similar botanically but differ in practical traits such as mature size, fruit quality, or disease resistance.
- Separate from formal taxonomy: This naming system is horticultural rather than a rank like species or variety. It works alongside botanical classification instead of replacing it.
Related Terms
Botanical name
Botanical name refers to the standardized scientific name used to identify a plant. It usually consists of two parts…
Species
Species is a biological concept and the basic unit of classification below genus. In plants, it refers to a group of…
Genus
Genus is a biological classification rank used to group closely related plant species that share key inherited traits…
Hybrid
Hybrid describes a plant produced by crossing two genetically distinct parents, usually different species, subspecies…
Hybridization
Hybridization is the crossing of two genetically distinct plants, usually within the same species or between closely…
Clone
Clone refers to a plant, group of plants, or cells that are genetically identical to the original source because they…
Propagation
Propagation is the process of producing new plants from seeds, spores, or vegetative parts such as stem cuttings…
Plant taxonomy
Plant taxonomy is the branch of botany that identifies, names, and classifies plants based on shared characteristics…