Hydrangea Dove Cultivar Strong Stems and White Sepals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars lack strong stems and a compact, upright growth habit, leading to staking requirements for commercial sale, and are distinguished by sepals that do not consistently produce desired pink pigmentation under specific soil pH conditions.

Innovation Solution

The new cultivar Hydrangea macrophylla 'Dove' is developed through controlled crosses, featuring strong stems, an upright but compact growth habit, and white sepals, with a lace cap inflorescence type where non-sepalous florets dominate, distinguishing it from other varieties like 'Buffie' and 'Libelle', and maintaining these characteristics through asexual reproduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars are grown under soil conditions with pH that would produce pink pigmentation, then pink pigmentation should appear in sepals, but the sepals do not consistently produce desired pink pigmentation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistent pink pigmentationVSAvoidsepal color response to pH

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the genetic parameters of the Hydrangea plant through controlled crossbreeding between specific cultivars ('Libelle' and 'Buffie'), creating a new cultivar 'Dove' with altered pigmentation genetics that responds reliably to soil pH changes, transforming the unreliable color response into a consistent trait

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If existing Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars are grown for commercial sale, then they can be produced, but they require staking due to weak stems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommercial productionVSAvoidstem strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The new cultivar 'Dove' possesses self-supporting stems with sufficient strength to maintain upright growth without external support structures, allowing the plant to serve its own structural needs and eliminating the need for staking during commercial production and sale

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If existing Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars are grown without staking, then they would be easier to handle, but they lack the necessary stem strength for commercial sale

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling without stakingVSAvoidcommercial viability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention modifies the structural parameters of the plant through selective breeding, specifically enhancing stem strength and growth habit parameters to create a cultivar that naturally maintains upright posture without staking, thereby achieving both ease of handling and commercial reliability simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUSPP21667P3Hydrangea plant named Dove

Publication Date: 2011.01.25 SYNGENTA FLOWERS LLC

AI summary

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) named ‘Dove ’ originated as a controlled cross between the cultivars ‘BuffiexLibelle96BL-2’ and ‘Libelle’. The cultivar ‘Dove’ has white R.H.S. 155 D (white group) sepals at maturity and is distinguished from other similar cultivars of which the inventor is aware by its sepal color, and its compact and sturdy growth habit. ‘Dove’ has large showy inflorescences, having both sepalous and non-sepalous florets.