Dwarf Hibiscus Cultivar With Red-Centered Yellow Flowers
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for vigorous Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivars with healthy foliage that exhibit unique characteristics such as creamy yellow flowers with large red centers, dwarf compact growth, and elliptic-shaped foliage, which are not adequately addressed by existing varieties.
Innovation Solution
The development of the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar 'ALTbirdy', which is the result of a planned breeding program, featuring creamy yellow flowers with large red centers, dwarf compact growth, and unique elliptic-shaped foliage, achieved through asexual reproduction by vegetative cuttings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If existing Hibiscus varieties are used, then general flowering characteristics are maintained, but unique floral patterns (creamy yellow with large red centers) and dwarf compact growth are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selectively breeding for specific floral color parameters (creamy yellow petals with large red centers) and size parameters (dwarf compact growth at 2 feet by 2 feet). The cultivar 'ALTbirdy' was developed through controlled crosses between 'Lilikoi Yellow' and 'Moody Blue', then selected for specific phenotypic parameters including flower color, center size, and plant dimensions, achieving unique characteristics not present in parent varieties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a cultivar with distinct regional characteristics - the flower center is locally red while the petals are creamy yellow, and the plant exhibits localized dwarf growth habit. This localized differentiation in color and size distribution across the plant structure distinguishes 'ALTbirdy' from uniform parent varieties.
2Reliability
If traditional breeding methods are used, then genetic diversity is maintained, but stable true-to-type reproduction of unique traits is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by using vegetative propagation (cuttings) to replicate the unique traits of cultivar 'ALTbirdy' exactly as they appear in the selected parent plant. This asexual reproduction method creates genetic copies that maintain the stable true-to-type characteristics of the dwarf compact growth and distinctive flower color pattern without the variability introduced by sexual reproduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by conducting systematic selection during the breeding program to identify and isolate plants with the desired traits before final cultivar establishment. The unique selection in September 2016 at a commercial nursery in Vista, California, pre-identified plants with stable true-to-type characteristics that would be replicated through subsequent vegetative propagation.
3Productivity
If larger plant size is achieved, then more flowers can be produced, but the dwarf compact growth habit is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting for a dwarf growth habit parameter that limits plant size to approximately 2 feet by 2 feet while maintaining adequate flower production. This parameter optimization allows the cultivar to achieve compactness without sacrificing the ability to produce multiple flowers in clusters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by achieving sufficient flower production within the constraints of dwarf growth rather than maximizing size for maximum output. The cultivar produces flowers in clusters that are adequate for commercial purposes while maintaining the desired compact size, accepting that total yield is limited by the dwarf habit but quality and clustering are enhanced.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant named ‘ALTbirdy’ is disclosed, characterized by creamy yellow flowers with large red center feathering out to the majority of the flower. Flowers have thick petals. Plants are dwarf and compact, around 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Foliage is uniquely elliptic-shaped. The new variety is a Hibiscus, typically produced as an ornamental plant.