Physostegia Nicauca Plant Compact Growth and Flowering Traits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Physostegia plants lack compact and bushy growth habits, long flowering periods, and attractive purple flower colors, which are desirable traits for horticultural applications.

Innovation Solution

A new Physostegia plant, 'Nicauca', was developed through open-pollination breeding, exhibiting a compact and upright habit, freely basal branching, long flowering period, and purple-colored flowers on dense terminal racemes, with improved garden performance and winter hardiness compared to its parent and similar cultivars.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If traditional Physostegia breeding methods are used, then flower color variation is achieved, but plant compactness and flowering duration are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplant compactnessVSAvoidflowering period

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and combining specific genetic traits from parent plants to achieve optimal plant height (30-50 cm), flowering duration (8-12 weeks), and flower color (purple to blue-violet). The breeding process modifies physiological parameters through controlled open-pollination to produce plants with simultaneously improved compactness and extended flowering period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If open-pollination breeding is conducted to achieve new traits, then genetic stability is maintained, but breeding time and generation development are extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegenetic stabilityVSAvoidbreeding time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by conducting controlled open-pollination during specific summer periods (2012) and immediately selecting and propagating superior individuals in the following growing season. This systematic approach of advance planning and immediate selection reduces the overall breeding timeline while maintaining genetic stability through true-to-type asexual reproduction by divisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of moving object

If plant compactness is increased for better garden performance, then space efficiency improves, but flowering period may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplant volumeVSAvoidflowering period

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating dense terminal racemes with concentrated flower production at the plant apex while maintaining a compact overall structure. The plant achieves localized intensive flowering (8-12 weeks) within a small volume (30-50 cm height), allowing space efficiency and extended flowering duration to coexist through differentiated spatial organization of growth and reproduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUSPP29859P2<i>Physostegia </i>plant named ‘Nicauca’

Publication Date: 2018.11.20 PAGE STEPHEN

AI summary

A new and distinct cultivar of Physostegia plant named ‘Nicauca’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely basal branching growth habit; long flowering period; purple-colored flowers arranged on dense terminal racemes; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.