Coreopsis Enchanted Red Compact Habit and Sterile Flower Traits
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a new cultivar of Coreopsis that exhibits a compact and densely branched habit, long bloom season, and sterile flowers that do not require deadheading, with distinct red inflorescences that retain color throughout the growing season, differing from existing cultivars like 'Enchanted Eve', 'Red Elf', and 'Mercury Rising'.
Innovation Solution
The development of the Coreopsis 'Enchanted Red' cultivar, which is a naturally occurring branch mutation of 'Enchanted Eve', characterized by its compact growth, long bloom season, and sterile red flowers that maintain color consistency, achieved through asexual propagation by stem cuttings, demonstrating stability in successive generations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If Coreopsis cultivars are bred for large, openly branched plant habit, then they have more space for flower development, but they lose compactness and become less suitable for container use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selectively breeding for specific growth parameters - controlling internode length, branch density, and overall plant architecture to achieve a compact habit (23 cm height, 50 cm width) that is ideal for container use while still supporting floriferous performance
2Productivity
If Coreopsis cultivars produce fertile flowers, then they can reproduce and spread, but they require deadheading to maintain continuous blooming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by breeding Coreopsis 'Enchanted Red' with naturally sterile flowers that cannot set seed, eliminating the need for deadheading to maintain blooming. The plant self-regulates its flowering cycle without requiring human intervention to remove spent flowers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the reproductive parameter from fertile to sterile, which paradoxically improves productivity by enabling continuous blooming without the maintenance burden of deadheading. This parameter change transforms a potential drawback (sterility) into a beneficial trait
3Adaptability or versatility
If Coreopsis ray florets change color in response to temperature, then they adapt to environmental conditions, but they lose color consistency throughout the growing season
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between disk florets and ray florets in terms of color stability. The ray florets maintain consistent red coloration (RHS 53A) regardless of temperature, while the disk florets provide contrast with their yellow color. This local differentiation ensures overall color consistency despite environmental variations
Data Source
AI summary
A new cultivar of hybrid Coreopsis named ‘Enchanted Red’ that is characterized by its compact and densely plant habit reaching an average of 23 cm in height and 50 cm in width, its floriferous and long bloom season; bloom commences in late June and continues until frost in Kensington, Conn., its relative sterility under normal garden conditions without the need for deadheading to keep flowering, and its large solid red flowers in warm and cooler temperatures (for the majority of the growing season in New Braintree, Mass.) with new flowers produced during the heat of summer paler red in color.