Understanding Landscape Cultivars

The position of the Arbor Day Foundation on this important point is that native trees are certainly the first ones to consider. However, today’s cities, full of concrete and buildings and people and cars, contain ecosystems that are often very different from native conditions. We need tree choices that work in urban ecosystems as they exist today — choices that include nonnative species and well-adapted trees if we are to have diverse, healthy community forests. While we encourage a high percentage of native species where they work best in urban settings, and natural preserves where possible to maintain diverse gene pools, we also recognize that landscape trees ought to join orchard and field crops in taking advantage of genetic technology that leads to improved performance.

As said so eloquently by tree expert Rick Henkel, formerly of Princeton Nurseries, “We are developing a whole palette of plant materials for landscape architects and others to use in the community.” From this palette, we can select not only for beauty, but for structural strength, pest resistance, drought tolerance, and other practical characteristics.

This issue is intended to help you better understand the fascinating world of cultivars and what they can do for you.