New cultivar?

[Woocash]

Can anybody tell me what constitutes being a new cultivar? What factors are needed to determine enough distinction?

The reason I ask is because I was carrying out my usual trick of poking my nose in hedgerows and odd scrubby corners when I came across a small field maple, probably 3 or 4 years old and with a strange mop of hair. I didn’t have my phone with me so I couldn’t photograph the whole plant but I took a leaf from this tree and one of it’s immediate neighbour for comparison. At first I thought it was a geranium or some such thing until I saw the trunk. Here is a side by side, odd ball on the left.


I know that field maple leaves vary in size and shape but this is quite different, I've never seen one like this before. Could this be a distinct cultivar in it’s own right?

I’m going to keep tabs to see how it changes over the year and I’ll take a few softwood cuttings soon too.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

NIce - small too. Never seen one like this before - and they are used a lot here for hedging.

I nearly always get field maple to root so let's hope this does. Semi-hardwood cuttings generally root, even hardwood from last year should.

 

[cbroad]

Can anybody tell me what constitutes being a new cultivar? What factors are needed to determine enough distinction?

Something different and distinct than the normal species. Leaf color, leaf shape, flower color, growth habit, etc. But the difference has to be stable (for the most part), it can't be a fluke that just reverts back to normal growth.

Your leaf is definitely different and cool, assuming it is definitely a field maple!

You might have something there, assuming there isn't another similar cultivar out there.

In the nursery trade, all it would take would be one mistagged tree and a landscaper could of easily planted it in a hedgerow with regular trees.

I vote for an air layer if you could get it. Keep us updated!

 

[Woocash]

NIce - small too. Never seen one like this before - and they are used a lot here for hedging.

I nearly always get field maple to root so let's hope this does. Semi-hardwood cuttings generally root, even hardwood from last year should.

Yes it looks interesting, definitely. A lot more delicate than the usual field maples too. I’m glad it’s on one of these because they’re usually pretty easy to propagate.

 

[cbroad]

Could it be a volunteer hawthorn of some sort?

Did the stems and trunk match up pretty well with the other field maples?

 

[Woocash]

Something different and distinct than the normal species. Leaf color, leaf shape, flower color, growth habit, etc. But the difference has to be stable (for the most part), it can't be a fluke that just reverts back to normal growth.

Your leaf is definitely different and cool, assuming it is definitely a field maple!

You might have something there, assuming there isn't another similar cultivar out there.

In the nursery trade, all it would take would be one mistagged tree and a landscaper could of easily planted it in a hedgerow with regular trees.

I vote for an air layer if you could get it. Keep us updated!

I’m 99% sure it’s a field maple. It’s self seeder in a spot where hybridisation is very unlikely and with no other maple species nearby, within a group of other saplings. I know what you mean about the hawthorns though. It does have a similar leaf shape but it’s definitely a maple. That’s one reason I was so intrigued in the first place.

I’ve only been able to find a small selection of cultivars for field maples and this is unlike others I’ve seen as they either are variegated or have as simple a difference as exhibiting a red colour in autumn as opposed to the usual yellow etc.

I don’t really think there’s too much point in layering this tree though as it’s so small, maybe half an inch in diameter, but the canopy is well developed enough that it’s not just a single branch anomaly or whatever. It’s the whole tree that displays these leaves. I think I’ll take some cuttings for now then dig the whole thing next spring when the time is right. Then again, maybe a layer would be a safer option. I’m not experienced enough to know which is the lower risk, but I’ve had 100% success with the maples I collected this past winter/spring so they seem pretty hardy.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Hosta are registered by the American Hosta Society in the US, and I suspect that Maple registration would be facilitated by a similar group in the UK. The Royal Society at Kew probably knows, call there and ask. Meanwhile, take pictures documenting how it grows, especially the flower parts and seeds, autumn color and anything that makes it special. Keep the location a secret from everyone.

 

[AlainK]

I think I’ll take some cuttings for now then dig the whole thing next spring when the time is right.

When you dig it, if there are roots that stay in the graound, or roots you prune before repotting it, plant the roots: they're very likely to produce new buds at the cut.

I regularly find self-sown A. campestre in my garden. Most of them are like any that one can find around, sometimes with "wings" or a kind of cork bark on the young branches, in particular those in hot, sunny spots :



And there's one that I put in a hedge, then removed to pot it (https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/acer-campestre-1.22900/). Contrary to yours, the lobes are much less accented and matures leaves slightly bigger - the other end of the spectrum ?
The roots that stayed in the ground produced new trunks and the hedge is now about 2m50 (about 8.5 feet)

 

[jeremy_norbury]

When you dig it, if there are roots that stay in the graound, or roots you prune before repotting it, plant the roots: they're very likely to produce new buds at the cut.

I regularly find self-sown A. campestre in my garden. Most of them are like any that one can find around, sometimes with "wings" or a kind of cork bark on the young branches, in particular those in hot, sunny spots :

View attachment 296217

One in my garden does this - it even did it just for a section of trunk (normal below, then winged and then normal above). Very odd...

 

[jeremy_norbury]

I’m 99% sure it’s a field maple. It’s self seeder in a spot where hybridisation is very unlikely and with no other maple species nearby, within a group of other saplings. I know what you mean about the hawthorns though. It does have a similar leaf shape but it’s definitely a maple. That’s one reason I was so intrigued in the first place.

I’ve only been able to find a small selection of cultivars for field maples and this is unlike others I’ve seen as they either are variegated or have as simple a difference as exhibiting a red colour in autumn as opposed to the usual yellow etc.

I don’t really think there’s too much point in layering this tree though as it’s so small, maybe half an inch in diameter, but the canopy is well developed enough that it’s not just a single branch anomaly or whatever. It’s the whole tree that displays these leaves. I think I’ll take some cuttings for now then dig the whole thing next spring when the time is right. Then again, maybe a layer would be a safer option. I’m not experienced enough to know which is the lower risk, but I’ve had 100% success with the maples I collected this past winter/spring so they seem pretty hardy.

It's definitely a field maple.

 

[Shibui]

Every seedling has a unique combination of genes so every seedling is technically a new cultivar.
Gardeners are not really interested in very minor differences. We are interested in differences that we can see or that give us some advantage so in practice new cultivars that are marketed are those with sufficient difference from the ones usually available. Things like habit (prostrate, compact growth, fastigate or spreading) small or larger leaves, different color (leaves, flower or bark), size of plant (usually dwarf or smaller than normal)
Some new cultivars are markedly different and so sell well. Some are just marketed well despite the differences being insignificant.
as already pointed out some plant societies maintain a register of varieties. Growers apply to have new vars on the register and need to show the society that their plant has something new to offer horticulture.
New plants can be awarded PBR - plant breeder rights. The breeder gets a royalty for all plants of that var that are sold. Technically you can only PBR a variety you have BRED. Clones collected from wild sources should not be granted PBR but some growers have succeeded as checks are not very stringent.

You'll need to grow the plant in different conditions to ensure the leaf difference is genetic rather than environmental but a small leaf hedge maple would probably be interesting to many growers.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

An interesting read on the topic:

http://www.aroid.org/cultivars/new_cultivar.pdf

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Turns out there are a few Acer Campestre cultivars out there - this list from Esveld Nursery in Boskoop.

The Acer Campestre 'Queen Elizabeth' has a quite lacy leaf form.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Found some corky ones too

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I tried finding the databases on the RHS website for registering cultivars of trees and shrubs. The website is "pretty" with thousands of nice photos, but so junked up with "pretty pictures" and "happy feel good photos" that it is impossible to navigate. No clear links to menus of the many services I know the RHS does. So I gave up.

 

[GGB]

you'll have to hang on to it for quite a while to make sure the leaves don't slowly mature toward the typical shape

 

[Woocash]

When you dig it, if there are roots that stay in the graound, or roots you prune before repotting it, plant the roots: they're very likely to produce new buds at the cut.

I regularly find self-sown A. campestre in my garden. Most of them are like any that one can find around, sometimes with "wings" or a kind of cork bark on the young branches, in particular those in hot, sunny spots :

View attachment 296217

And there's one that I put in a hedge, then removed to pot it (https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/acer-campestre-1.22900/). Contrary to yours, the lobes are much less accented and matures leaves slightly bigger - the other end of the spectrum ?
The roots that stayed in the ground produced new trunks and the hedge is now about 2m50 (about 8.5 feet)

View attachment 296218

Interesting. Yes those leaves look completely opposite really, but obviously still the same species. Have you tried growing the as a specimen tree to see it’s natural habit? I’ll definitely be planting a couple where I know they can reach maturity so I can keep an eye on habits as they grow.

We have quite a few corky ones growing around here, but the biggest I’ve seen only really has a trunk around 15cm. I tried to find out the reason for the corky growth to no avail, but it doesn’t seem to remain consistent. Some trees start out corky then revert to type. Others are the opposite. I did find out it seems to be regional though with various parts of the country with people not having seen it before.

Thanks for the tip on the root cuttings. Any technique I can use to cultivate will be handy for testing.

 

[Woocash]

Every seedling has a unique combination of genes so every seedling is technically a new cultivar.
Gardeners are not really interested in very minor differences. We are interested in differences that we can see or that give us some advantage so in practice new cultivars that are marketed are those with sufficient difference from the ones usually available. Things like habit (prostrate, compact growth, fastigate or spreading) small or larger leaves, different color (leaves, flower or bark), size of plant (usually dwarf or smaller than normal)
Some new cultivars are markedly different and so sell well. Some are just marketed well despite the differences being insignificant.
as already pointed out some plant societies maintain a register of varieties. Growers apply to have new vars on the register and need to show the society that their plant has something new to offer horticulture.
New plants can be awarded PBR - plant breeder rights. The breeder gets a royalty for all plants of that var that are sold. Technically you can only PBR a variety you have BRED. Clones collected from wild sources should not be granted PBR but some growers have succeeded as checks are not very stringent.

You'll need to grow the plant in different conditions to ensure the leaf difference is genetic rather than environmental but a small leaf hedge maple would probably be interesting to many growers.

That’s the next part I suppose. Cultivate then observe. There is marked difference between this tree and its neighbours and as you and Jerry said, a small leafed and more ornate cultivar would definitely be desirable for lots of people. It‘s only a 60cm tree at the moment but it may be a dwarf variety in the end. The crown was certainly quite compact so we’ll see. It may just be juvenile growth or even just a first flush anomaly. It’ll be interesting finding out anyway.

As to the granting of PBRs, while that would be nice, I’m not overly interested in claiming nature’s creation. Now, if I can breed another variation from it then... I’m not going to lie though, being able to attribute a new cultivar to my discovery would be quite nice.

 

[Woocash]

An interesting read on the topic:

http://www.aroid.org/cultivars/new_cultivar.pdf

Thanks Brian, that is an interesting read indeed. It seems that not too much has to set something apart, just that there is a consistent difference that is desirable.

Now, on to the naming.... There’s some good guidelines there.

 

[Woocash]

Turns out there are a few Acer Campestre cultivars out there - this list from Esveld Nursery in Boskoop.

The Acer Campestre 'Queen Elizabeth' has a quite lacy leaf form.

Nice one Jerry. I didn't realise there were that many, to be honest, but most seem to relate to growth habit rather than leaf shape. ‘Queen Elizabeth’ does look fairly similar, but still not so dainty. I’ll get some more photos tomorrow for a better comparison.