Cotinus coggygria Mincolem04 Cultivar with Yellow Foliage and Strong Stems

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a new cultivar of Cotinus coggygria with yellow foliage and a strong, erect, and well-branched plant habit that differs from existing cultivars in terms of foliage color, stem thickness, and growth habit.

Innovation Solution

The development of the 'Mincolem04' cultivar, resulting from a cross between proprietary Cotinus coggygria plants, which exhibits yellow-orange new growth, yellow-lime spring foliage, green summer foliage, autumn coloration, strong stems, and a medium to vigorous growth habit with an erect, well-branched plant form.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a cross between proprietary Cotinus coggygria plants is conducted to develop yellow foliage, then foliage color is improved, but stem thickness and plant habit may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoliage colorVSAvoidstem thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the genetic parameters of the Cotinus coggygria plant through controlled cross-breeding between specific parent plants (reference no. 4450 and reference no. 11159). This selective breeding modifies the foliage color parameter to produce yellow-orange to yellow-lime hues while simultaneously selecting for improved stem thickness and erect growth habit, thereby optimizing multiple parameters together rather than treating them separately

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If selection is made for yellow foliage color, then foliage color is improved, but plant habit and growth vigor may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoliage colorVSAvoidgrowth habit

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The breeding program simultaneously optimizes multiple parameters including foliage color, plant habit, and growth vigor. The selected cultivar 'Mincolem04' achieves yellow-orange to yellow-lime foliage while maintaining medium to vigorous growth habit and strong, erect, well-branched plant form, demonstrating that parameter changes can be coordinated to improve multiple traits concurrently rather than requiring trade-offs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If existing Cotinus coggygria cultivars are used, then plant establishment is quick, but they lack the unique combination of yellow foliage, thick stems, and erect habit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplant establishmentVSAvoidunique trait combination

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite genetic profile by combining desirable traits from different parent plants into a single cultivar. The cross between reference no. 4450 (yellow foliage parent) and reference no. 11159 (selected for growth characteristics) produces 'Mincolem04' which integrates yellow-orange to yellow-lime foliage, thick stems, and erect well-branched habit into one unified plant type that cannot be achieved with existing single-trait cultivars

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS20240334852P1Cotinus Plant Named 'Mincolem04'

Publication Date: 2024.10.03 HORTIVAL DIFFUSION

AI summary

A new cultivar of Cotinus coggygria named ‘Mincolem04’ that is characterized by its foliage coloration that is yellow-orange in color for new growth, yellow-lime in spring, becoming more green in summer, and then turning to a blend of yellow, green, orange and red in autumn, its strong stems, its medium to vigorous growth habit, and its erect, well branched plant form.