Introduction of New Cut Flowers: Domestication of New Species and Introduction of New Traits Not Found in Commercial Varieties

Abstract

The ornamental plant industry is characterized by its great diversity. There are more ornamental species cultivated today than all other agricultural and horticultural crops combined. New cut flowers are frequently introduced to the ornamental industry and in recent years, they have come to represent a large proportion of production. Consumer demand for cut flowers with new, showy traits, in addition to the desire for a large choice of flowers, makes the introduction of new species an important task. Scientists, breeders and plant collectors are continually developing new products to introduce improved versions of known cut flowers, as well as new species previously unknown as ornamentals. The introduction of new ornamental crops is easier in some ways than that of food crops. Neither their nutritional value nor their toxicity to humans need be considered, as evidenced by plants such as Aconitum, Diffenbachia, Oleander and many others, which contain toxic ingredients.