Weigela VERWEIG9 Cultivar Dynamic Foliage Color and Compact Habit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for new Weigela cultivars with novel foliage colors and dwarf plant habits that can reproduce stably and consistently exhibit unique characteristics across varying environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
The development of the Weigela florida 'VERWEIG9' cultivar, which exhibits dynamic foliage color changes from green with a bronze tint in spring to orange-bronze in summer and bright red in fall, along with a compact growth habit and globose plant form, achieved through open pollination and asexual reproduction by softwood cuttings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If open pollination is used to create new Weigela cultivars, then novel foliage colors and dwarf plant habits can be achieved, but stable reproduction and consistent characteristics across varying environmental conditions may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by conducting controlled open pollination between selected parent plants (Weigela florida 'Verwof 1' and Weigela florida 'bv005') before propagation. The breeding process was initiated in Summer 2013, with the crossing made in advance to produce seeds that would later yield the desired cultivar characteristics. This preliminary genetic combination enabled the development of 'VERWEIG9' with its unique bronze-orange-foliage and dwarf habit, which were then stabilized through asexual propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies copying by using asexual reproduction through softwood cuttings to propagate the new cultivar. This method creates genetically identical copies of the selected plant, ensuring that the unique characteristics (bronze-orange foliage, compact growth habit, bright pink flowers) are reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations. The cutting propagation was first performed in Summer 2015 and has since produced consistent replicas of the cultivar.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic foliage color changes are developed in Weigela cultivars, then aesthetic versatility is improved, but predictability of phenotype under varying environmental conditions may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by developing a cultivar with inherently dynamic foliage color that changes seasonally. The 'VERWEIG9' cultivar exhibits predictable color transitions: green with bronze tint in spring, bronze-orange in summer, and bright red in fall. This dynamic characteristic is genetically programmed and reproduced consistently through asexual propagation, allowing the plant to adapt its appearance to seasonal environmental changes while maintaining genetic stability.
3Volume of moving object
If compact growth habit is selected in Weigela cultivars, then space efficiency is improved, but plant vigor and overall size may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by developing a cultivar with compact growth habit specifically in the overall plant structure while maintaining vigorous local growth characteristics. The 'VERWEIG9' cultivar exhibits a globose, compact form with dense branching, yet the individual branches and foliage show vigorous growth with rich bronze-orange coloration and abundant bright pink flowers. This localized compactness does not compromise but actually enhances the visual impact and horticultural value of the plant.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant named ‘VERWEIG9’ is disclosed, characterized by dynamic foliage color, changing from green with a bonze tint in the Spring to orange-bronze in the Summer, and bright red in the Fall. Plants are compact and globose in habit. Flowers are bright pink. The new variety is a Weigela, normally produced as an outdoor garden plant.